Genetics of Wool and Cashmere Fibre: Progress, Challenges, and Future Research

Abstract

Wool and cashmere are highly valued for their natural properties and environmental benefits. However, their quality can vary due to natural differences in fibres, affecting their usefulness and value. This review examines how selecting and breeding animals for better fibres can address these issues. It focuses on the challenge of understanding the proteins in wool and cashmere, which are crucial for their quality. Despite advances, identifying and characterising the many genes involved remains difficult. Continued research is needed to improve our knowledge of these genes and proteins, which will help enhance the quality of wool and cashmere products and make them even more valuable in various industries.