Object - processes of formation of physical and chemical properties of sheep s wool. Purpose - to study the features of the structure, chemical composition and physical properties of wool under the actions of different factors, as well as to determine the causes and mechanisms of wool defects such as yellowing and entangling, the species composition of fleece microflora and its impact on quantitative and qualitative indicators of grease and its protective properties. Methods: biochemical, microscopic, microbiological, zootechnical, physical, statistical. Novelty: for the first time the comprehensive studies of macro and microstructure of sheep's wool of different breeds, its chemical composition and physical properties. New data about the impact of fleece microorganisms on wool quality, quantitative and qualitative indicators of grease, its protective properties. It has been further developed research which determine the causes and mechanisms of such defects wool as yellowing and entangling. On the basis of these results the recommendations for prevention and elimination these defects of wool have been elaboration. It has been found the positive effect of diets enriched with lipids and elevated levels of sulfur, zinc, copper, cobalt, iodine and dried apple pomace on macrostructure, chemical composition and physical properties of wool, fleece microbial contamination, quantitative and qualitative indicators of grease. Results: the structure and physico-chemical properties of wool of different breeds of sheep under the influence of nutritional, age and environmental factors were studied. The reasons and mechanisms of yellowing and entangling of wool were revealed. It has been established that these defects are associated with the development of fleece microflora that leads to intensification of oxidation and hydrolysis in grease, damage of fibre cuticle layer, changes of their macrostructure, chemical composition and physical parameters. It has been found a direct correlation (r = 0,996; 0,887; 0,746 according to fuzz, fine wool and semi-coarse wool) between content of free lipid fractions and fibers diameter and the inverse correlation (r = -0,993; -0,995; -0.694) between bound lipid content and fibres diameter. Experimentally substantiated the feasibility of filtroperlit enriched the lipids, elevated levels of sulfur, zinc, copper, cobalt, iodine and dried apple pomace in the diet of sheep for improving their physical and chemical properties of wool.
