Northern ShaanxiSheep-breeding Research Institute

The Northern Shaanxi Sheep-breeding Research Institute was founded in 2004 by Yulin University to meet the needs of local economic development. The members of the institute, mainly experts in animal husbandry and veterinary science in Yulin University and the local community, aim to improve the quality of Northern Shaanxi white-down goats, perfect the breed of Northern Shaanxi black-down goats, and upgrade the quality of the goats’ meat. Currently, staff at the Institute are studying genetic variation among Northern Shaanxi white-down goats, evaluating their genetic parameters, and establishing the BLUP selective model, which includes net down quantity, down diameter, down length and down weight. Resarchers are also analyzing the down’s physical and chemical features, in the hope of improving the down of Northern Shaanxi white-down goats.

The institute hopes to cooperate with overseas organizations that engage in the production and study of goats’ down to improve the quality of cashmere produced throughout the world.