Animal Fibers

This Research Topic aims to look into the production of wool, cashmere, mohair, camel wool, alpaca, angora and cashgora, silk and similar animal fibers and their ecological compatibility with nature. In a part of animal science, breeders try to increase fiber (wool) production in modern wool breeds, such as Merinos, as a more profitable product. On the other hand, some sheep producers in specialized meat or milk breeds, like to get rid of the hassle of wool shearing. Nowadays, maybe it can be said that research on small ruminants focuses on two aspects: increasing the production of animal fibers, or vice versa, directing the animal's nutrients to meat and milk rather than wool. How can all the tools of animal science including physiology, breeding, genetics and management be used in this regard?

Furthermore, in today's industrial societies, the benefits of using animal fibers for human health are less and less noticed. The use of animal fibers can replace a part of synthetic fibers, even if it is very little in terms of quantity. But informing consumers, ecologists and people who are concerned about the environment can help this issue, i.e., the role of animal fibers in the modern life of today's man has increased and as a result human health is improving. The usefulness for human health and relatively non-damaging production to the environment is an issue that together can promote the use of animal fibers.

Another aspect is the dependence of some people's livelihood on animal fibers. In terms of geography and vegetation, there are areas where livelihood depends only on breeding of fiber animals. Like regions in the world in which cashmere, alpaca, camel wool, and cashgora are produced. This aspect of animal fiber is important to prevent migration of farmers to cities.

Authors are invited to scrutinize the following aspects of this field by sending their articles to this Research Topic:
- Use of physiology, breeding, genetics and management tools in production and selection
- Animal Fiber production and ecological sustainability
- Social aspects of Animal Fibers

Keywords: animal fibres, wool production, fiber animals, animal physiology, profitability

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.