Testing Wool with the OFDA2000

Through the wool trust funds administered by the American Wool Council and American Sheep Industry Association sheep producers throughout the United States have access to wool fiber testing.

The OFDA2000 is a portable instrument capable of testing wool for Average Fiber Diameter (micron) and variability of fiber diameter, fiber diameter variability along the entire length of the wool fiber, comfort factor and many other measured traits. The ASI owns and provides the equipment to 4 Universities and a Wool Cooperative to help improve the quality of the US wool clip. The use of objective measurement of wool is an important part of genetic selection programs and the equipment can also be used to class wool during shearing.  Through the availability of the equipment, it is now economically practical to test entire flocks of sheep to be able to determine a flock profile and make management and selection decisions.  

For more information on testing wool samples and sampling requirements with the OFDA2000, please contact the following individuals:

Dr. Christopher J. Lupton
Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
Texas A & M University
(325) 653-4576
c-lupton@tamu.edu

Dr. Ronald E. Pope
Producers Marketing Cooperative, Inc.
Mertzon, TX
(325) 835-7173
pmcicoop@wcc.net

Dr. Robert H. Stobart
Wool Laboratory
University of Wyoming
(307) 766-5212
BStobart@uwyo.edu

Mr. Wayne Jesko
Rafter 7 Ranch
University of Nevada – Reno
(775) 463-2371
waj702@aol.com

Montana Wool Laboratory
Brenda Robinson
Montana State University
(406) 994 – 2100

Source:
Bob Padula, Wool Quality Consultant
American Wool Council
A Division of the American Sheep Industry Association