THE SIZE OF CURLS AT THE MOLDAVIAN KARAKUL SKIN

I. Buzu

Abstract
    The purpose of this paper was to assess the value of preference of the Karakul skin depending on the size curls and the correlative links revelation of this character (size curls) with other qualities of the skin. A special questionnaires study was been conducted in which 20 consumers - people of skins have been questioned, who were not professionals in skins Karakul quality assessment. Respondents assessed independently the degree modeling of curls on a batch of the black skins and a batch of the grayish skins of sorts with different size of curls. In both batches of the skins (black and grayish) were been exposed for questioning a skin for Kirpuk shorts with very small curls (<4 mm), a Moscovite Jackets skin with small curls (4-5 mm), a skin Jachet I with medium curls (6-8 mm), a Thick Jacket skin with large curls (9-12 mm) and a Thick Costal I skin with very large curls (> 12 mm). Assessment of the same skins was carried out at a distance of 3, 7 and 10 m from the questioned person until the skin. Each questioned have been appreciated the degree of curls modeling at the Karakul skins by giving preference points after decimal scale from 1 to 10 points. That was been found, in the experiment, that skin Karakul with medium curls (6-8 mm), large (9-12 mm) and very large (> 12 mm) had a higher preference value, compared with skins that has small and very small curls. With increasing viewing distance of skin from 3 m to 10 m their preference value decreases: at the black skin with medium, large and very large curls - with 7.0 to 16.9%, and those with small and very small curls - with 17.0 to 34.0%; at the gray skins with medium, large and very large curls - with 20.3 to 23.8%, and those with small and very small curls - with 24.4 to 26.3%. Given the amount of skin preference, widths (size) medium and large of curls have been considered the required character, and small and very small sizes have been considered undesirable characteristics. Despite the fact, that very large curls have been obtained in the questionnaires experiment a high preference value, this size category of curls was not recommended as requested, because the research has shown, that very large category of curls is in negative correlation with a series of the curls and the skin qualities as a whole. Based on the results of research carried out, have been elaborated a new scale of differentiate of curls after size in which the small curls, through the appreciation with low scores, are not considered required, and medium and large curls are considered required. The scale provides for differentiation of curls at the lambs Moldovan Karakul after size in: very small curls (< 4 mm), small (4-5 mm), medium (6-8 mm), large (9-12 mm) and very large (> 12 mm). For selection and reproduction in breeding batches to creating the type of sheep Moldavian Karakul have been recommended the lambs of upper classes with medium and large curls after width.

Key words: the preference value, the size of the curls, Karakul skins