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Understand the benefits of developing the relationships that underpin the annual production, harvesting and preparation of wool
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Use the AWEX Code of Practice for Woolclassers to manage and supervise shearing, preparation and classing activities
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Discuss your shearing plans with your broker and secure their shearing stationery
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Consider producing for the growing niche market for ‘ethical’ and organic wool |
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Key decisions, critical actions and benchmarks
Cost of production
Cost of production (COP) is a key factor affecting the profitability of wool producing businesses. COP, measured in dollars per kilogram of clean wool, is an indication of the outlay needed to produce each kg of wool (see tool 1.7 in Plan for Success and other COP). Calculating the cost of production (in cents per kilogram) is an important step in assessing and improving the performance of a wool growing enterprise. COP is most useful when calculated over two or more years, to track trends and influences over time.
The key benefits of knowing COP are to:
- Provide a benchmark to measure the performance of your wool enterprise year on year
- Enable a comparison of the efficiency of your enterprise annually with other wool producers
- Identify any opportunities for improvement and where your enterprise is performing well
- Help set a target sale price which will achieve a satisfactory profit margin and help determine the right time and price to market your wool.
Managing shearing
Shearing management and wool harvesting practices can have a big influence on quality of wool sold. Tool 2.4 contains basic guidelines to assist with planning for shearing, wool preparation and classing.
Dark and medullated fibre contamination
 AWI-funded research by CSIRO developed the dark and medullated fibre (DMF) test for use on wool core-samples routinely used for yield and micron testing by the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA). For around $40 (+GST), the voluntary DMF test:
- Enables Australia’s white-wool producers to promote their wool as such to buyers
- Provides buyers and processors with a reliable and quantified measure of the level of dark and/or medullated fibre risk in sale lots.
The Dark and Medullated Fibre Risk (DMFR) Scheme is a voluntary declaration that rates clips for contamination risk and advises purchasers of Australian wool of the likely level of contamination of white wool from traditional natural pigmentation or stains and new sources such as exotic breeds.
The DMFR declaration requires Australian Merino wool producers to formally identify the following information on their wool classer’s specification or associated declaration form:
- If their stock have been in contact with exotic sheep breeds
- If crutched
- If crutched within 3 months of shearing
- Age
- Sex
- Wool description.
Tool 2.3 describes how this information contributes to the ratings. If the classer’s specification form does not include a section for this information, a separate declaration form is available from wool brokers.
Wool producers can nominate all, some, or certain lines in their wool clip for inclusion in the voluntary declaration scheme. However, you must sign the statutory declaration form to make this valid in the catalogue.
Eco / organic wool
Recent market research indicates that there is a growing niche market for ‘eco’ and organically grown wool. Ethical wool products are those made from fibre grown in an environmentally sustainable manner (see procedure 5.4 in Protect Your Farm’s Natural Assets) and that recognise animal welfare (see procedure 11.5 in Healthy and Contented Sheep), human rights and social justice standards. While this is a niche market, it is likely that the demand for ethical and organic wool will increase substantially over the next five years.
The EU Eco-label provides one such voluntary opportunity where products are certified for their ‘kindness to the environment’. In the case of wool products, this includes chemical residues on raw wool falling below certain prescribed levels. The Australian wool industry is well placed to supply these niche markets. The EU Ecolabel provides some simple rules about chemical use for greasy wool that sheep producers can aim to meet (see tool 2.5).
Best practice chemical use
Guidelines are being developed to enable the most cost-effective external parasite (lice and blowflies) control and achieve environmental protection, human safety and quality of final product (wool and meat). Tool 2.6 describes currently recommended practices for the use of chemicals (pesticides) to control lice and blowflies on sheep.
Signposts  |
Read
Preparation of Australian Wool Clips:
the Code of Practice 2010–2012: the
Australian standard for preparing wool
to meet the needs of wool processors.
It contains recommended practices and
technical explanations for wool producers
and woolclassers to help maintain
Australia’s reputation as the world’s
premier supplier of a quality natural
fibre. Contact The Woolclasser Registrar
on (02) 9428 6100 or email
registrar@awex.com.au for your copy.
Beyond the Bale: the Australian
Wool Innovation published quarterly
newsletter. Archived and current copies
can be found online at http://beyondthebale.wool.com/
BOARDTalk: the quarterly Wool classer
Newsletter published by AWEX. For
previous copies, visit: http://www.awex.com.au/ and look under the woolclasser
tab.
Visual Assessment Scores: a national
set of standardised visual scores to
consistently describe, record and class
sheep conformation, wool quality and
breech traits. To order your free copy, call
the AWI Helpline on 1800 070 099 (free
within Australia) or visit: https://www.wool.com/globalassets/wool/sheep/welfare/breech-flystrike/breeding-for-breech-strike-resistance/visual-sheep-scores---producer-version.pdf
View
AWI Cost of Production Calculator for
Wool: calculating your cost of production
is an important step in assessing flock
profitability and a first step to making
change: http://www.wool.com/woolgrower-tools/cost-of-production-calculator/ and scroll down.
AWEX Code of Practice for
Woolclassers: visit the AWEX website
for your copy: http://www.awex.com.au/
and click on the Woolclasser tab.
Monitor AWI and AWEX websites to
keep abreast of current developments:
AWTA Raw Wool Testing Services:
summary of the major services AWTA
provides to the industry, and descriptions
of the processes used to achieve test
results: https://www.awtawooltesting.com.au/index.php/en/
Dark and Medullated Fibres Program:
protecting the reputation of Australian
White Merino Wool: go to www.awtawooltesting.com.au/index.php/en/services/raw-wool-testing/dark-medullated-fibre-risk-scheme
- Also see Tool 2.3 for the National
Wool Declaration
AWI Wool Handling and Shed Skills
DVD: a Training DVD for wool handlers
covering throwing, skirting, rolling and
other shed responsibilities. Other DVDs
in the series include Novice Shearer
Training, Improvers / Professional Shearer
Training and Gear Maintenance and
Grinding. To order your free DVDs, call
the AWI Helpline on 1800 070 099 (free
within Australia).
Attend
Woolclasser education courses:
prior to being registered by AWEX
as a woolclasser, individuals need to
undertake a wool classing training course.
Find out more about wool classing
courses by contacting your nearest TAFE
or training organization, contacting
AWEX on (02) 9428 6140 or emailing:
industryservices@awex.com.au
Masterclasser: Masterclassers (MC)
are Australian Woolclassers (AW stencil
holders) who have been nominated
by industry and have attended a
Masterclasser training course.
Each MC is required to have the
following attributes:
- Must be actively woolclassing for the
last three years,
- Must class a minimum of 7 clips or
400 bales per annum,
- Must have ability and desire to further
their wool knowledge, and
- Must demonstrate good character,
judgment and capacity for leadership.
To obtain Masterclasser status, attendees
will be required to attend a 4 day
workshop at a nominated selling centre.
They must pass an open book exam at
the course on the Woolclassers Code
of Practice. Retention of Masterclasser
status will require the attendance at
periodic refresher courses and routine
audits. Further reference visit www.awex.com.au/ and click on the woolclasser tab.
Apps
The shearing app: The shearing app is a shearing tally and wool book that enables the user to enter, store, automatically calculate and display all relevant data associated with shearing sheep. visit: www.shearingapp.com/
WoolClip app: Can be used by wool classers or growers to manage the wool clip through the pipeline. To explore the functionality, visit: https://training.woolclip.com.au/
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Prepare uniform, consistent, reliable, predictable, low risk lines of wool suitable for the diverse needs of wool processing and so maximise competition from buyers for the wool;