Table 2.
Comparison of skin structure and hair follicle traits between Super Merino and Small Tail Han sheep.
| traits | Super Merino sheep (n = 8) | Small Tail Han sheep (n = 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Skin thickness (µm) | 1355.1 ± 91.0 | 1612.2 ± 73.5** |
| Epidermal thickness (µm) | 18.9 ± 0.3 | 23.9 ± 0.5 |
| Dermal thickness (µm) | 1335.5 ± 90.2 | 1602.0 ± 64.6 |
| Diameter of primary dermal papilla (µm) | 126.4 ± 8.0 | 141.7 ± 7.6** |
| Diameter of primary fibre | 20.5 ± 0.8 | 44.5 ± 3.2** |
| Diameter of secondary dermal papilla (µm) | 53.8 ± 2.9 | 61.0 ± 3.3** |
| Diameter of secondary fibre | 19.4 ± 1.0 | 35.2 ± 4.7** |
| Total density of wool follicles (per mm2) | 69.5 ± 2.9** | 31.0 ± 3.1 |
| Density of primary wool follicles (per mm2) | 3.4 ± 1.3 | 4.6 ± 1.8 |
| Ratio of secondary wool follicles to primary wool follicles | 19.4 ± 3.6** | 5.8 ± 3.7 |
**P < 0.01 and *P < 0.05.