Question

Wool taken from sheep under the age of __________ is called lamb's wool.

• A. Eight months
• B. Four months
• C. Six months
• D. Ten months

Hint:

The distinguishing feature of lamb's wool is the natural, uncut tapered tip of the fiber, which makes it significantly softer and less itchy than adult wool.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Lamb's wool is a premium classification of wool fiber in the textile industry.
It is valued for its exceptional softness, elasticity, warmth, and hypoallergenic properties compared to wool harvested from mature sheep.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
In textile science, lamb's wool is defined as the first shearing of a young sheep, typically shorn when the lamb is around six months of age.
Because it represents the very first growth of fiber, each hair strand retains its natural, tapered tip (unlike subsequent shearings, where the fiber ends are flat and blunt due to prior cuts).
This natural taper, along with the finer fiber diameter and higher grease content, gives lamb's wool its characteristic soft, smooth feel and prevents the itchiness associated with coarser, adult wool.
Although some regulations permit wool shorn up to seven or eight months of age to be marketed as lamb's wool, the standard reference age in textile curricula and quality standards is six months.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Wool taken from sheep under the age of six months is called lamb's wool.