TRAPROCK woolgrower David Bartlett, Dunblane, Yuraraba, says he is convinced that switching to more frequent shearings – three in two years and even four in three years – will maximise the value of his woolclip.
Mr Bartlett, who runs about 11,000 wethers on country between Warwick and Inglewood in South East Queensland, was among a group of specialty woolgrowers to visit the Sydney wool sales last week to see their wool sold and to meet with buyers to discuss current market requirements.
“There are two parts to it,” Mr Bartlett said. “We are producing fibre at the shorter 60-70mm length with the strength that is required by processors. Secondly, we are eliminating costs in the shearing shed because we can avoid the cost of crutching and reduce wool preparation costs.”
In addition, some specialty wools are being sold unskirted under a D-certificate with no apparent penalty. That wool is being literally put straight in the press after any stain is removed on the board by the rouseabout.
“What we’re being told is the buyers are using this shorter but much stronger 50 to even 65 Newtons strength wool to blend with to longer, but lower strength 100-110mm fibres,” Mr Bartlett said.
Sandy Smith, Allendale, Gore, said there was very good competition on wool measuring only 60-70mm.
“We averaged 1133c/kg for wool grown in eight months, so we’re very pleased with that,” Mr Smith said.
“It might be like having a racehorse that wins the first time out, but at this stage I’m convinced that for wools grown in this clean country that this is a way forward.
“It makes good sense in our wether operation to shear three times in every two years.”
Mr Smith – who is also the president of AgForce Sheep and Wool – runs about 6000 wethers at Gore in the prized Traprock region of South East Queensland.
“Shearing at eight months has a lot of appeal in our country,” he said,
“It is usually the last four months in a 12 month shearing cycle where problems can emerge in the woolclip. That’s when we generally see cots develop, particularly on the points of the fleece, and a break in the fibre can develop.
“The real advantage is we are producing a high strength, low micron fibre and at the same time reducing our wool harvesting costs, including crutching.”
Mr Smith said the presentation of the wool could still be an issue, particularly in a year where there was a heavy grass seed burden.
Elders northern wool manager Bruce McLeish said only about 10 per cent of the Australian Merino woolclip was produced from growers that exclusively ran wethers.
“It’s about identifying market trends and opportunites,” Mr McLeigh said.
“This trend for placing greater value on shorter, higher strength fibres has been growing for about the past five years, reflecting the growth in woollen and knitwear production.
“Woolen and knitwear processing requires both longer and shorter fibres as opposed to worsted processing which is more reliant on only longer fibres.”
Mr McLeish said blending shorter, higher strength fibres with longer, but lower strength fibres, produced a higher overall strength wool top.