AVBS4012 Lecture Notes Lecture 2 – History of the Australian Merino 1821 → 1823 First load of Saxons to Tasmania (wool contained little wax or grease and fleece lacked density) Lecture outcomes: 1834 → Wool became colony’s major export ahead of - Understand history of Merino whaling and sealing - Describe 3 main strains of Merina in Aus and 1869 → Introduction of American Vermont Merino to environments they’re best adapted local peppin (large size), more wrinkles and wax - Understand difference between wool, meat and purpose >1870 → Peppins introduced Lincolns and Southdowns sheep enterprises into gene pool Higher rainfall regions = higher production 1840’s – interbreeding between Saxons, Spanish and Coastal areas not ideal as humidity is not suitable for plenty of dumped non-descripts left when ships hit sheep. Adelaide (included cape sheep, Bengali sheep, English More impact fibre sheep wool is the more it. merinos and English long wool breeds (English 3 contaminants of sheep wool: mineral (dust), vegetable Leicester, Lincoln). matter and dust. → Higher proportion of impurities if wool fibres are less compact. Peppins of Wanganella Peppins first to recognise value of salt bush feed base. History Selection policy based on environment – major turning - First sheep around 9000 BC point in breeding philosophy. - Need for domestication was driven by colder climatic - created large, medium wool genotype to the Riverina conditions - Ewes exceeded 91kg. Body weight (BW) producing - From nomadic lifestyle (hunting and foraging) to 6.4kg fleece. Ram fleece weighed 9.5kg. village lifestyle with associated farming - Good feed conversion to carcass and wool. - Evidence of sheep being selected for meat and fibre - Preference for whiter fleece over black/brown Modern Merino - Dyed wool (natural dyes) used 2000BC - Australian Merino not single homogenous breed - Evidence of shearing 100BC (suggests shearing year - Selection and cross breeding focused on environmental round) impact on animal and fleece Kemp: brittle weak fibre forming residual traces of - Basic strains: Peppin, Saxon, South Australian secondary coat Underwool: lower layer of underfur. Saxon - Found where there is higher rainfall (wet and cooler Spanish influence regions) Spain is dry, mountainous and has large areas of natural - Smallest of Merinos pasture. 1100AD Great nomads developed stock routes. - Bright, soft, white, fine wool (highly valued by textile 3.5 million sheep 15th century – Merino name appears. industry) Sheep development in Spain Peppin Plainer and smaller (45-50kg mature). Max 2.5 kg wool. - Up to 70% of today’s Australian Merino descended Greasy black tips. Good forager. High repro rate (even in from Peppin. harsh environment). High worm resistance. Loose skin. - Thrive in drier inland regions (efficient forager). Suited - Spanish sheep gained prominence by early 19th century to sheep/wheat & pastoral regions (England, Germany, France, America). - Heavy fleece. Medium wool protected by natural wool Merino changed after moving from Spain because of grease. climate and selection pressure. - Ram produce 20kg. Commercial animal produce 10kg Saxon sheep South Australian Noted for: high fleece white, high fleece density, higher - Bred to thrive in arid pastoral zone (250mm per year or body weight, adaptability to cold dry climate, exerted less) great impact on Australian industry. - Largest merino strain: longer, taller and heavier (less wrinkles) Australia’s first sheep - Wool: coarse, carry higher proportion natural grease 1788 → 220 from Capetown provides protection for adverse grazing conditions) 1792 → Bengali sheep (small, black and grey, fleece harsh thin and wiry, high fecundity) SRS (soft rolling skins) 1792 → Important of course woolled Spanish from - Select for high levels of fibre density and length and California low primary fibre diameter 1794 → Macarthur purchased first Bengali ewes & Irish - Achieve improved fleece weight and fibre quality ewes and a ram of Lincoln (British long wool) origin (fineness, alignment, tensile strength, surface 1800 → Governor King sent 8 fleeces to England smoothness, elasticity and dye affinity) 1805 → First purebred Spanish sheep 1806 → Macarthur rams used by other breeders Dual purpose – Dohne 1820 → Australian wool inferior to Spanish and Saxon - Plain bodied, polled dual purpose wool - developed in South Africa by crossing German Meat 1 AVBS4012 Lecture Notes Merino to a Peppin Merino - A lot of wool is exported and processed in other - Imported to AUs 1997/98 countries - Character by hardness, high fertility, rapid growth rates - Understand roles and easy care - rear and produce lambs by 6-9 months Primary destinations - China (75.06%), India (5.78%), Czech Rep. (4.75%) Border/Merino Cross - Economic perspective → not good that China is the - Ewe progeny from Border Leicester ram mated to majority in case they do not need it anymore leaves Aus Merino ewes. being unstable - Used for breeding prime lambs, high fertility, good milk production Drivers of current market - wool financially important - Cardings (double sided fabric) - Mated to terminal sires to produce ideal shape and rapid - Knitwear (lightweight jumpers, active wear) growth properties - Worsted wool (men’s suiting) - Wool and lamb are always valuable - Fine crossbred wool (blends and fake fur) - Broad crossbred wool (specialised markets) Lecture 3 – Wool production, products and markets Wool sold by separation (wool fibre – impurities). Learning outcomes: Smaller micron fibre diameter more expensive. - Understand the reasons behind the change in sheep - From 2001 to 2010 people have purchased finer wool numbers in recent years. fibres to sell premium wool - Recognise the drivers of wool price. - Demand for woo sometimes expensive so designers - Be familiar with the three (3) wool processing systems. seek cotton and synthetics then price of wool drops and - Understand consumer perception of wool and what it’s a cycle influences perception. AWEX-EMI/Cotlook A Ratio Wool in perspective Straight line takes cotton A index into account to Global staple fibre production: cotton, synthetics, wool determine when wool is expensive/cheap Wool is a niche product (exceptional and unique properties, market leader, needs innovation and new tech, unkind perceptions) Woo classers role: maximise value of wool (get rid of impurities). Usually around neck, edges, jowls Modern consumers look fabrics suited for comfort, Skirting: removing lower quality wool from the edges. casual styles and all seasons. Wool perceived to keep Wool can also retain a lot of moisture. Bales = 180kg. warm, itchy/prickly and expensive (what consumers want least in fabrics). Dexamethasone – causes break in wool. Net placed around sheep so wool doesn’t fall off as its Industry statistics caught by net. → Benefits of biological woo harvesting: - Australia produces 25% of worlds greasy wool (largest) no second cuts, eliminates skin wounds and some - 2018 $3.1 billion wool traded . bruising, reduction in externa parasites, reduction in shearing equipment requirements, use of unskilled labour Australian sheep flock - Wethers (castrated males) → on the rise because have Freshly shorn sheep + younger the sheep are more less nutritional requirements susceptible to risks. Forecasted changes Determinants of wool value Climate + environment = drought - Wool is classed into 5 categories: fleece (most value), - shorn wool production for 2018/19 will decrease by pieces (skirtings – high vegetable and Greece content), 5.7% (below average seasonal conditions across Aus) bellies (wool will be compressed because sheep lie down - Winter temp drops (cooler the soil temp the slower the and will have vegetable matter), crutchings and locks growing of that crop) (second cuts – short pieces) - Characteristics of determining price: fibre diameter Fibre diameter (FD), staple strength (SS), staple length (SL), vegetable - number 1 determinant of wool price matter (VM), colour and yield. Merino average: 19 microns Other breeds: 27.5 microns Crossbred or Merino? Look at the tip of the wool (tapered = crossbred) also creamier colour Bulk of wool is shorn in spring because sudden change in nutrient availability and stress in animal will have impact Broader wool = carpet on follicles which will affect wool fibre. Tender – Finer wool = Fabrics strength of wool fibre is compromised there will be two shorter fibres compromising for length. AWTA Categories Issue with having wool over summer: Humidity (storms B – clover and medic burrs and hot weather) will attract flies = fly storm. After S – Seed material, shive, grasses, thistles Spring, people shear in Autumn. H – Hard Heads (bean burrs), sticks twigs 2 AVBS4012 Lecture Notes Fly strike - no chemicals used on sheep to be present in wool for Significant losses: sheep deaths, wool and productivity, QAS purposes. E.g. Lanolin in creams interference with management - primary and secondary flies Marketing Background - attracted to sheep with fleece rot (odour) - Competes with lighter and less costly fibres (natural - - Spring and autumn rainfall on susceptible animals (high silk and cotton & synthetic) prevalence of fleece rot = high risk of fly strike) - Reserve price scheme (1970 to 1991) aimed to stabilise - develops when there is prolonged wetting of the skin, price. Collapse = wool stockpile. particularly in warm conditions - 75-85% of greasy wool auctioned, 5% to processors and Sites: breech strike (lambing ewes, scouring weaners), rest as apparel body strike (common