Nagorcka, B. N.; Dollin, A. E.; Ringrose-Voase, A. J.
Abstract:
A procedure for analysing digitised scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of impressions of sheep skin has been developed and tested. The new technique for measuring fibre densities and fibre bundles was applied to a small number of sheep from the Romney, Border Leicester, and Suffolk breeds, and in fine- and strong-woolled Merinos. Skin impressions were taken from small shaved areas of the skin, and fibres in digitised SEM images of the skin impressions were counted and assigned to bundles. Estimates were made of the density of epidermal follicles, the proportion of these which branch, the number of fibres (follicles) per bundle, and the proportion of skin left bare of follicles. An average distance between neighbouring epidermal follicles, ��