On-farm sampling and testing

Since the collapse of the Reserve Price Scheme and the down turn in the industry that followed, wool growers have become increasingly interested in alternative marketing systems for their wool.

As a consequence of this interest in October 1995 Wool Council resolved: “That Wool Council of Australia request IWS (now The Woolmark Company) to examine all options to develop a credible on-farm wool specifications test to assist in developing marketing alternatives”.

Subsequently, through its Producer Initiated Research & Development (PIRD) scheme, The Woolmark Company provided funding to a number of grower groups to pursue on-farm sampling and testing as an alternative option for marketing their wool. AWTA Ltd also committed resources to assist the New South Wales Farmers Association to organise trials to develop a viable on-farm sampling system.

During 2000 the industry began to experience the application of new technologies such as the SIROLAN™ FLEECESCAN and the OFDA 2000 for measuring Mean Fibre Diameter (MFD) on-farm. These technologies are being used to determine the MFD of individual fleeces during shearing, or to measure samples taken in the race. The results are being used as an aid for classing and/or for breeding purposes.