The effects of lupinosis on wool growth of ewes.

Wool grown by ewes with chronic lupinosis, induced by injections of phomopsins, was compared to that grown by control ewes and by ewes pair-fed to the feed intake of the phomopsin-treated ewes, during and after the period of phomopsin administration. Wool growth was not different between the groups during treatment. Fibre diameter and length of wool grown by the phomopsin-treated ewes were reduced in the period following treatment, compared to the control and pair-fed ewes (P < O.Ol), while the pair-fed ewes grew shorter (P < 0.05) but not finer wool than the control ewes. These results indicate that the reduction of wool growth of ewes with lupinosis is not solely due to the decreased feed intake which occurs with the disease.