Phenotypic Correlation between Guard Hair and Down Hair in Chinese Alashan Left Banner White Cashmere Goat: A Preliminary Study

This preliminary study on 158 Chinese Alashan Left Banner White Cashmere goats explored the phenotypic correlation between guard hair and down hair. It found a positive correlation between guard hair length and both guard hair diameter and down fiber length, while negative correlations existed between guard hair length and the coefficient of variation of guard hair diameter, and between down fiber diameter and its coefficient of variation. No correlation was observed between body weight at first combing and fiber traits. Significant gender differences were noted in mean down fiber diameter and its coefficient of variation, with males having a lower diameter but higher variation than females. The study also highlighted the superior cashmere quality of this breed, with a mean fiber fineness of 13.8 µm, but acknowledged limitations such as the small sample size and focus on phenotypic correlations, indicating a need for further research.