Wool growth factors and the blood level of glutathione in sheep

Starting from the positive correlation between the content of glutathione in the blood and the wool growth the influence was investigated of the genetic construction [local breed with coarse wool (1), Pakistan breed with semi-fine wool (2), and the F1 of female (1) x male (2) animals], of sex, age (6 or 13 months respectively), and of shearing status (shortly before shearing and 4 weeks after shearing). In all genetic constructions the male, older and shorn animals had a significantly higher (alpha less than 0.05) blood level of glutathione. As compared to the initial breed, the glutathione content in the blood of the F1 animals was significantly higher.