Cuticle and cortical cell morphology and the ellipticity of cashmere are affected by nutrition of goats

Cuticle scale edge height and frequency are used to identify animal fibres but exhibit a large range in
dimensions, the reasons for which have not been elucidated. Cuticle and cortical cell dimensions along
with the ellipticity of fibres were investigated in cashmere samples from a controlled nutrition experiment.
Cuticle scale frequency, cuticle thickness, cortical cell dimensions and ellipticity were affected by nutritional
treatment, with significant differences between cashmere from goats fed to grow and those which
maintained live weight or lost weight. Cuticle scale frequency, cell thickness and ellipticity (contour) varied
with fibre diameter, fibre growth rate and the size of the animals. Cuticle thickness and ellipticity were
related. Cashmere grown by goats with higher levels of nutrition had longer cortical cells with greater
diameter, volume and a higher length:diameter ratio compared with cashmere grown by goats in restricted
nutrition treatments. The results show that the fundamental physical structures of cashmere do not have
fixed dimensions. The consequences of the variations in cuticle morphology and ellipticity will be variation
in surface friction, bending rigidity, softness, lustre, colour attributes, fibre cohesion during processing,
felting and wear properties of textiles. There are also important consequences upon the determination of
cashmere origin.