ISSUE 67 JUNE 2016 PROFIT FROM WOOL INNOVATION www.wool.com WOOLLY JUMPER 04 36 41 WOOL TO GAIN FROM MERINO LIFETIME NEW WILD DOG GLOBAL DEMOGRAPHICS PRODUCTIVITY PROJECT BAITING OPTION 6 CAMPAIGN FOR WOOL 50 NATIONAL MERINO AUSTRALIA CHALLENGE EXECUTIVE EDITOR Richard Smith E [email protected] A AWI Marketing and Communications OFF-FARM ON-FARM L6, 68 Harrington St, The Rocks, Sydney NSW 2000 GPO Box 4177, Sydney NSW 2001 4 Global demographics to benefit wool 28 Case study: Lifetime Ewe Management P 02 8295 3100 E [email protected] W wool.com 6 Campaign for Wool Australia 30 Maximising reproductive potential AWI Helpline 1800 070 099 10 Sportscraft launches new wool collection 31 Optimising lamb survival SUBSCRIPTION Beyond the Bale is available free. To subscribe contact AWI 11 Woolstar celebrates 20 years 32 Satellite technology P 02 8295 3100 E [email protected] 11 Wool in the mix at R.M.Williams 33 Walk over weighing Beyond the Bale is published by Australian Wool Innovation Ltd (AWI), a company 12 Merino suit passes the travel test 34 Combating redlegged earth mites funded by Australian woolgrowers and the Australian Government. AWI’s goal is to help 14 Merino denim suits 35 LambEx heads to Albury in 2016 increase the demand for wool by actively selling Merino wool and its attributes through 15 Cool Wool from the US to India 36 Merino Lifetime Productivity project investments in marketing, innovation and R&D – from farm to fashion and interiors. 16 Merino shawls in India 38 Breech strike R&D update COPYRIGHT 16 Bugaboo returns to wool 40 Long wool lice treatments Material in Beyond the Bale is copyright. Reproduction of the material is encouraged. However prior permission must be obtained 17 Student seminars continue to inspire 42 New baiting option for wild dogs from the Executive Editor. 18 Woolmark Gold redefines Chinese luxury 44 Fencing combats wild dogs DISCLAIMER To the extent permitted by law, Australian 19 Wool Resource Centre in Hong Kong 45 Queensland fencing bus trip Wool Innovation Ltd excludes all liability for loss or damage arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information contained in 20 Merino in tennis wear 46 Passing on wool harvesting skills this publication. The Woolmark symbol is a registered 21 Pat Farmer runs across India in wool 47 Shearer training shows results trademark of The Woolmark Company Pty Ltd. © 2016 Australian Wool Innovation Ltd. All 21 Bernie Vince joins Fibre of Football 48 Stockmanship and visual classing rights reserved. 22 Ermenegildo Zegna Wool Awards 49 Succession and big picture planning ADVERTISING SALES Max Hyde, Hyde Media Pty Ltd 50 National Merino Challenge P 03 5659 5292 23 Biodiversity helps marketing E [email protected] Advertising is subject to terms and conditions 24 ‘The Source’ film series continues 52 Market Intelligence published on the ratecard, which is available from Hyde Media. 26 Sydney Royal Easter Show 54 Market insights from Stuart Ford ISSN 55 Readers’ photos 1447-9680 FRONT COVER Ruth Penfold of ‘Millara’ at Quandialla in Central West NSW sent in this photo of happy ewes being let out of the yard on the Stock AWI INVESTMENT STRATEGIES Route at William’s Crossing yards near Quandialla. Quatanda Photography by Ruth Penfold: www.facebook.com/quatanda.photography On-Farm R&D Off-Farm R&D Marketing Global Business Services WOOLMARK.COM MERINO.COM WOOL.COM facebook.com/TheWoolmarkCompany To subscribe to the free monthly AWI e-newsletter for woolgrowers, and the weekly wool market review e-newsletter, visit www.wool.com/subscribe twitter.com/woolmark twitter.com/woolinnovation instagram.com/TheWoolmarkCompany youtube.com/AWIWoolProduction youtube.com/TheWoolmarkCompany View Beyond the Bale online with image galleries BtB and video at http://beyondthebale.wool.com GD2013 UPFRONT 3 GETTING ON WITH BUSINESS We are continuing with initiatives to help increase the demand for wool through investments in marketing Stuart McCullough and R&D – from farm to fashion. Chief Executive Officer Australian Wool Innovation NEW BAITING OPTION STRENGTHENING IWTO ANNUAL TO COMBAT WILD DOGS OUR INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS IN SYDNEY An additional baiting option for reducing OPERATIONS More than 420 delegates from 25 countries convened in Sydney in April for a very wild dog and fox numbers is now available to To help increase the demand for Australian successful International Wool Textile woolgrowers and other landholders across wool in key markets across the world, AWI Organisation (IWTO) annual Congress. Australia. Para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) introduced in March a new management Co-hosted by the Federation of Australian is a new chemical (toxin) that is now being structure overseeing our international Wool Organisations, the Congress brought manufactured and sold in baits by Animal offices – with two new General Manager together representatives from the wool Control Technologies Australia Pty Ltd roles regionally segmented into Western textile pipeline for three days of networking (ACTA) under the product names DOGABAIT Hemisphere and Eastern Hemisphere. Two and knowledge-sharing on the latest for wild dog control and FOXECUTE® for fox new executives have joined AWI to take industry news and insights. It showcased control. PAPP was developed with funding up these roles: Stuart Ford for the Western the achievements of the Australian wool support from AWI and is designed to allow Hemisphere, and John Roberts for the Eastern industry along with innovations in the baiting to still be an option in places where Hemisphere. Both Stuart and John have supply chain both on-farm and in processing. 1080 use is restricted, or for land managers complementary skillsets which will facilitate who would prefer not to use 1080. the strengthening of our offices and help Wishing delegates a successful Congress support our retail and trade brand partners. in a pre-recorded video, HRH The Prince of NATIONAL MERINO Wales, Patron of the Campaign for Wool, CHALLENGE With more than 25 years of experience, spoke of wool’s many natural advantages including 10 years with a major US specialty Last month’s National Merino Challenge was and the great progress being made in the apparel retailer, Stuart Ford is a retail and industry to promote wool products. The once again a huge success. More than 140 strategic marketing expert with in-depth students – nearly three times the number event was officially opened by Australian experience of general management, channel Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop of its inaugural year in 2013 – travelled from optimisation, segmentation and digital across Australia to Sydney to compete in and featured presentations from local and marketing. John Roberts brings nearly 30 international speakers. this educational initiative. The two-day years’ experience in the wool industry having AWI event involved presentations and worked in a wide range of industry sectors With the theme of wool for future demonstrations from a wide range of from primary production to processing, generations, the program covered global industry professionals to enable young marketing and trading. He stems from a wool consumer and retail trends for wool, market people to develop their industry knowledge producing family in Binalong, NSW. On page 54 intelligence, trade, economic sustainability, and networks. Our funding in programs like of this edition of Beyond the Bale, you can read woolgrower technology, education and this aims to help improve the engagement of Stuart Ford’s perspective on the complexities much more. You can read about three of the young people interested in the wool industry, of international marketing. presentations in this edition of Beyond the thereby developing and retaining the skills Bale. Clint Laurent of Global Demographics the wool industry needs to be innovative in CAMPAIGN FOR WOOL Ltd forecast global shifts in the premium response to new challenges. Australian retailers came together for the sector of the clothing market over the next decade will benefit wool – see pages 4-5. MERINO LIFETIME Campaign for Wool’s Wool Week which was held last month to coincide with the start of Woolgrower Ben Watts from NSW spoke PRODUCTIVITY PROJECT the Australian mid-winter retail season. It was about the growing use of automation and technology on wool-growing properties to This project is now under way with the first pleasing to see so many shop fronts and online help improve production and reduce labour drop of ewe progeny in the project attracting stores promoting wool and the Woolmark costs - see page 33. Woolgrower Will Roberts strong interest from across the country at brand. The Campaign aims to raise awareness from Queensland told the audience how the the ‘Elders Balmoral’ sire evaluation site field amongst consumers about the unique, natural, construction of cluster fencing is helping day in April. This nine-year project launched renewable and biodegradable benefits offered local sheep producers combat wild dogs last year is collecting data to evaluate by the fibre. It has been instrumental in and increase sheep and lamb numbers – see lifetime Merino productivity including the educating consumers about the versatility of page 44. The IWTO will be making available relationships between reproduction, meat and wool, and reconnecting them with its myriad podcasts of many of the presentations wool production, how to best select for lifetime uses – from luxurious fine Merino wool from the Congress for you to listen to on its productivity and the role that genetics plays in apparel through to beautiful hardwearing website www.iwto.org generating lifetime returns. interior products for the home. 4 OFF FARM GLOBAL DEMOGRAPHICS WILL BENEFIT WOOL According to leading demographics forecaster Dr Clint Laurent, global shifts in the premium sector of the clothing market during the next decade will have a positive influence on the market for wool apparel. KEY POINTS for 0.6% of all textile fibre supply.