Biological Fleece Weakening

Previous attempts to develop biological defleecing of sheep by chemically inducing separation of the wool fibres from the skin, while technologically feasible, were not commercially viable due to the high cost treatment, netting (to prevent wool loss) and labour. This investment examines an alternative approach based on creating a weakened zone within the staple, but not completely severing the wool fibre, that would allow normal staple growth to occur for a period sufficient to protect the sheep from the elements and subsequent automated fleece removal.