Biological Wool harvesting on show
Woolgrowers in Western Australia have the opportunity to view biological wool harvesting at a demonstration day to be held at Katanning next month; a similar demonstration day was held at Conargo in NSW at the start of September.
Woolgrowers with AWI Program Manager Animal Wellbeing and Industry Resilience Carolina Diaz at the demonstration day at Conargo, NSW.
As previously reported in Beyond the Bale, AWI is funding promising research by the University of Adelaide into a new opportunity for biological harvesting of wool that generates a weakened zone at the base of the wool fibre but, importantly, enables the fleece to remain on the sheep without a net until the wool can be mechanically removed.
With R&D into the innovation progressing well, woolgrowers attending the demonstration day in Katanning on 26 October will be able to talk to the University of Adelaide researchers and see the results, to date, on sheep.
The AWI-funded project continues years of collaboration with the University of Adelaide on this type of research. It is an example of the multi-pronged approach that AWI is now taking to make wool harvesting easier and more cost-effective for woolgrowers and the industry.
AWI Chairman Jock Laurie says AWI has a history of investment in new harvesting technologies, as well as shearer and wool handler training, but finding new wool harvesting solutions for woolgrowers is a leading priority for AWI.
“The biological harvesting project is very timely and has the potential to be a game-changer for wool harvesting,” he said.
“It is critically important for the industry because we need to provide growers with new harvesting options. Times of pressure in industries drive change and that is exactly where we are with the wool industry right now.”
More information: www.wool.com/events
This article appeared in the September 2023 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
