campaign for wool - The Woolmark Company

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Profit from wool innovation
Issue 53 DECEMBER 2012
CAMPAIGN
FOR WOOL
MARKETING AUSTRALIAN WOOL
PREVENTING BREECH STRIKE
UPGRADING SHEARING SHEDS
2
upfront
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
Biggest WoolPoll turnout
maintains two per cent levy
contents
off-farm
04 Visit by The Prince of Wales
06 UK Wool Week
08 International Wool Week
10 Vogue’s sheep station photoshoot
11 Runway 101 Kit
12 Wool lauded by fashion designers
14
Milano Unica on stage
15 Zegna: a passion for wool
16
Educating textile graduates
18
From Flinders fibre to fashion
20
Backing for work in Hong Kong
21
Marie Claire promotes Merino
22
Alaska to Patagonia with Merino
on-farm
24 EverGraze: establishing saltbush
25 New WormBoss website
26 Climate variability
28
AWI 2013 Nuffield scholar
29
Baiting helps wild dog control
31
Shearing competition support
32
Shed upgrade a ‘shear delight’
34
New shed developed from scratch
36
Sheep handling innovations
38
Merino Superior Sires 18 released
38
Tail length literature review
39
Sheep Genetics website revamped
40
Fight against breech strike
I
n the biggest WoolPoll turnout so far,
Australian woolgrowers have voted
to maintain the two per cent levy.
Announcing the results at the
company’s Annual General Meeting,
AWI CEO Stuart McCullough thanked
woolgrowers for getting behind the
poll, and reaffirmed AWI’s commitment
to delivering outcomes for them.
“Our commitment to growers has
never been stronger,” Mr McCullough
said. “We know we have more work
to do, and this result gives AWI the
opportunity to review how we can
continue to make improvements to
benefit growers.
“Our focus now is to get on with
business. We will continue to talk
with growers and other stakeholders
and to invest in projects that will help
AWI deliver on the strategic intent of
the company, that is to build demand
for Australian wool, while supporting
the profitability, competitiveness and
sustainability of the industry.”
A record total of 60.94 per cent of
eligible votes were returned by 41.72
per cent of voters as part of the triennial
vote. Mr McCullough confirmed the two
per cent vote was successful, with 60.34
per cent of votes nationally supporting a
levy of two per cent or more.
“There are a number of important
trends that we must address and consider
for the future. It is interesting to note
support for the 0 per cent option reduced
considerably.”
On behalf of the Board, Mr
McCullough acknowledged the efforts of
the independent WoolPoll 2012 Panel, and
in particular Will Roberts who chaired the
Panel. AWI and the Panel acknowledged
the contribution of Rod Thirkell-Johnston
who sadly passed away earlier this year.
WoolPoll follows strict guidelines set
out in the WoolPoll Regulations as an
independent, democratic process.
As in previous Polls, eligible levy
payers were invited to select their
preferred levy option from 0, 1, 2, 2.5 and
3 per cent.
More information:
www.woolpoll.com.au
WoolPoll results
3% levy
2.5% levy
2% levy
1% levy
0% levy
Total 2%
and above
Total
under 2%
2.65%
4.30%
53.39%
29.18%
10.47%
60.34%
39.65%
43
Readers’ photos!
Executive Editor: Richard Smith,
[email protected],
AWI Marketing and Communications.
Find Woolmark on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/woolmark
Beyond the Bale is published by Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI), a
company funded by Australian woolgrowers and the Australian Government.
AWI’s goal is to help increase the demand for wool by actively selling Merino wool
and its attributes through investments in marketing, innovation and R&D – from
farm to fashion.
awi investment strategies
1. Wool industry R&D – On-farm
2. Wool industry R&D – Off-Farm
3. Marketing Australian wool
4. International Sales
Network/Woolmark
5. International trade
and market access
Beyond the Bale is online at http://digital.wool.com.au
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ISSN: 1447-9680
Front cover: The Patron of The
Campaign for Wool, His Royal
Highness The Prince of Wales, visiting
a woolgrowing property in Tasmania
last month – see pages 4-5.
Photo: Getty Images.
upfront
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
3
Getting on with business
W
e are continuing with initiatives to
help increase the demand for wool
through investments in marketing and
R&D – from farm to fashion. I would like
to inform you of some recent activities in
which the organisation has been involved.
WoolPoll 2012: Thank you to all
woolgrowers who took part in WoolPoll
2012. In total, 60.94 per cent of all possible
woolgrower votes were cast, the biggest
return since the triennial vote began 12
years ago. This compares to 53.7 per cent
of votes returned in 2009. This is a very
high level of return for a voluntary vote.
WoolPoll 2012 has set a new benchmark for
our industry, with the highest ever outcome
for both votes and voters. The vote to
maintain a two per cent levy gives AWI
the opportunity to continue the progress
made in recent years across all areas of
the organisation. We will manage the
levy income responsibly and prudently to
deliver outcomes for all growers.
Ovine Johne’s disease (OJD): AWI
hosted a productive OJD Information
Forum last month in Sydney attended by
woolgrowers, researchers and industry
representatives. There were 24 speakers at
the Forum. This meeting was an important
opportunity for the greater wool and sheep
industry to hear the latest OJD research,
planned policy changes and to discuss the
implications for livestock producers.
Breech strike R&D: AWI-funded R&D
continues to explore ways to best
protect the Australian sheep flock from
breech strike. At the latest AWI Breech
Strike Research and Development
Technical Update Forum, overviews of
recent field trials were presented across
various projects. While still in an R&D
phase, SkinTraction™ being developed
by Cobbett Technologies and AWI is
showing some encouraging results for
both breech modification and welfare. The
presentations from the Forum are available
on the AWI website at www.wool.com/
flystrikeRnDupdate
Shearing competitions: AWI is providing
support to shearing competitions at local,
state and national levels. Competitions help
encourage better techniques in shearing
and woolhandling, which is for the benefit
of the woolgrowing industry. AWI’s support
aims to encourage a quality workforce and
inspire young people to join the industry.
The support is strongly focused on the
entry-level learner shearer and novice
woolhandler events, for which AWI will pay
the entry fees. It’s important to give young
and aspiring shearers and shed hands
encouragement.
Campaign for Wool – The Prince of
Wales: We were very pleased to be given
the opportunity to meet with His Royal
Highness The Prince of Wales last month
during his tour of Australia, and thank him,
as Patron of the Campaign for Wool, for his
efforts in driving a new global demand for
wool. During his tour, The Prince visited a
Merino property in Tasmania and a ‘Farm
to Fashion’ event in Sydney. He said that he
wanted his visit to help remind people of
the importance of wool and woolgrowers
to the Australian economy.
Campaign for Wool – International
Wool Week: The Campaign for Wool was
celebrated on an unprecedented global
scale during the northern hemisphere
autumn with more countries than ever
creating their own programs of activity
to celebrate International Wool Week
across key consumer markets: USA, China,
Japan, Korea, UK, France, Germany, Spain,
Netherlands and Norway. The Campaign
for Wool has been instrumental in driving
a new demand for wool on an international
scale.
Brand endorsements of Merino: The
Merino Wool. No Finer Feeling™ fibre
advocacy campaign which positions wool
as a premium and desirable fashion fibre,
is getting real penetration in fashion
markets. These past few months
have seen a raft of endorsements
in leading fashion magazines
(including Vogue, Marie Claire,
GQ and Esquire) and online
by international designers
and brands such as
Ermenegildo Zegna,
Vivienne Westwood, Jean
Paul Gaultier and Dolce &
Gabbana. The campaign is now
endorsed by nearly 40 brand
partners.
AWI AGM 2012: AWI held its 2012 Annual
General Meeting (AGM) on 23 November in
Sydney. AWI shareholders who were unable
to attend the AGM in person were able to
view the AGM proceedings via webcast
and also had the opportunity to submit
questions online for the AWI Chairman and
CEO. As well as being broadcast live, the
broadcast is now available to be viewed on
demand on the AWI website at
www.wool.com/agm
Vale: Rod Thirkell-Johnston AM: I would
like to pay tribute, along with woolgrowers
around the country, to the outstanding
industry advocate Rod Thirkell-Johnston
who passed away at the end of August.
Rod held multiple roles within the wool
industry at state and national levels
including President of the Wool Council
of Australia and Australian Superfine
Wool Growers’ Association. He also made
an important contribution as a member
of the 2012 WoolPoll Panel. He was an
enthusiastic and effective advocate for
the Merino wool industry for nearly half a
century, and was a well-liked and respected
individual. He will be sadly missed.
Stuart McCullough
Chief Executive Officer,
Australian Wool Innovation
4
off-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
ROYAL VISIT
PATRON: HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES
SUPPORTS AUSTRALIAN WOOL
The Prince of Wales inspecting the Merino sheep of Brent and Jason Thornbury of ‘Leenavale’, Sorell, Tasmania. Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images
Fast facts
l The Patron of the Campaign for
Wool, His Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales, last month visited a Merino
stud in Tasmania and attended a
‘Farm to Fashion’ event in Sydney.
l The Prince said he wanted his
visit to help remind people of the
importance of wool and woolgrowers
to the Australia economy.
l With the support of The Prince,
the Campaign for Wool has been
instrumental in driving a new global
demand for wool.
H
is Royal Highness the Prince of Wales,
the Patron of the Campaign for Wool,
was warmly welcomed by woolgrowers
and the fashion industry when he visited
Australia last month.
During a busy tour, The Prince attended
two functions to celebrate the Campaign
for Wool – the first being a visit to a
woolgrowing property in Tasmania, and
the second a ‘Farm to Fashion’ event in
Sydney.
The Campaign for Wool is a global
campaign that aims to encourage
manufacturers, retailers and designers to
choose wool and, in turn, educate their
staff and consumers about the fibre’s
environmental benefits. Now in its third
year, the campaign is being celebrated on
an unprecedented global scale with more
countries than ever before creating their
own program of activity to celebrate ‘Wool
Week’ – see pages 6-9.
FARM EVENT TASMANIA
Prince watched shearers at work and wool
handler Lucy Byers gather up the wool
and throw it on the table for classing. The
Prince also tried his hand at throwing a
fleece.
Brent Thornbury said after showing
The Prince around his property, “He was
great, very laid-back and interested in
what we were doing.”
He described how The Prince has his
own holding where he breeds rare sheep,
saying: “He’s got a fair patch of his own
and was very interested in having a look at
what we do and the wool in general.”
To mark this special day, The Prince
In Tasmania, The Prince was shown
around the ‘Leenavale’ sheep property
near Sorell by Brent Thornbury who, with
his brother Jason, is
the fourth generation
of his family to run
the property, owned
by their father
Kevin Thornbury,
and which covers
5000 hectares and
has around 12,000
Merino sheep.
They watched as
a mob of wethers ran
into a classing race
before going into the
shed for shearing.
The Prince of Wales throwing a fleece in the shearing shed at ‘Leenavale’,
Sorell, Tasmania. Photo: William West, AFP
Inside the shed, The
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December 2012
wore a new suit made from fine Australian
Merino wool that he had had made
especially for this trip. The grey pin-stripe
double-breasted suit was tailored by
Anderson & Sheppard and made from
cloth supplied by Holland & Sherry.
Later in the day in Hobart, The Prince
and The Duchess of Cornwall were
greeted by hundreds more people at
Salamanca Place. The Prince popped into
the Tasmanian Wool Co to view woollen
products.
Afterwards The Prince of Wales
attended a reception and gave an
impromptu speech about the importance
of rural life and the key role that farming
communities play. He also spoke about
the vital importance of wool as a natural,
renewable fibre.
“One of the things I wanted to try
and highlight today was the importance
of wool as a natural fibre and to remind
people of its importance and the
importance of the growers and indeed of
wool to the whole economy in Australia,”
The Prince said.
FARM TO FASHION EVENT SYDNEY
In Sydney at an event held at the Museum
of Contemporary Art, a collection of
Australia’s most prominent designers
that all support the Campaign for Wool –
Camilla and Marc, Akira Isogawa, Dion Lee,
Josh Goot and Ellery – showcased some of
their wool designs to The Prince
The Prince, who wore another suit
made from Australian Merino wool, spent
almost an hour chatting to over one
hundred invited wool industry and fashion
5
Photo: William West/AFP/Getty Images
Beyond the Bale
The Prince of Wales chatting with Tom Ashby of ‘North Ashrose’, Gulnare, South Australia, and Booleroo
Centre District School students Alistair Keller and Helane Blieschke at the event in Sydney.
industry guests.
With the next phase of the Campaign
for Wool focussed on education, Australian
students also met with The Prince. Year
10 student and winner of the Wool4skool
design competition Brooke Pearce showed
her understanding of wool fabric, and
South Australian students from the Merino
SA School Wether Competition showed
their knowledge of animal husbandry.
Peter Ackroyd, Executive of The
Campaign for Wool said, “Since its
inception, the Campaign for Wool has
captured the imagination of both the
fashion and design industries, and the
public. With the support of His Royal
Highness The Prince of Wales, it has
been instrumental in driving a new
demand for wool, the world’s favoured
renewable and versatile fibre, and I’m
delighted to see its continued growth in
2012 and beyond.”
“We are very pleased to be given this
opportunity to meet with HRH Prince of
Wales and present some of our important
Campaign for Wool partners,” added Stuart
McCullough, AWI CEO. “With the support
and endorsement of its Patron, the global
Campaign for Wool continues to connect to
consumers around the world, highlighting
the benefits of wool in apparel and
interiors.” 
More information:
www.campaignforwool.com.au
View a video of The Prince’s
visit at www.youtube.com/
woolmarkonline
The Prince of Wales pets a Merino lamb at the Sydney event, with five models wearing wool garments looking on. Photo: William West, AFP
6
off-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
Campaign for Wool:
UK Wool Week
The Campaign for Wool Committee with the winning fashion and textile
PATRON: HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES
Jaeger shop front promoting wool during Wool Week.
design students of the ‘Wool School’ event.
Knitwear retailer Lyle & Scott ‘putt-ing’ on a woolly golf extravaganza outside
In store Campaign for Wool promotion at womenswear retailer Hobbs.
their store in Covent Garden, London.
Window display of Topshop, which has 300 stores in the UK.
AWI Northern Hemisphere Regional Marketing Manager Kara Hurry with
President of Condé Nast International Nicholas Coleridge CBE and HRH The
Countess of Wessex at the launch of Wool Week.
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December 2012
Beyond the Bale
Woolgrowers from across Australia donated wool that wrapped the world-famous Harvey Nichols’
Knightsbridge store in yarn as part of Campaign for Wool celebrations.
Fast facts
l The Campaign for Wool has
celebrated its third year in the UK with
a series of events and promotions
held across the country during Wool
Week in October.
l Australian woolgrowers were directly
involved, with producers of a broader
micron donating their fibre for yarn
to decorate the Harvey Nichols’
historic Knightsbridge store.
l Key retailers and designers are
supporting the campaign.
G
rowers of broader micron wool from
across Australia have taken up the
opportunity to be directly involved in the
marketing of their fibre by taking part in a
unique Campaign for Wool event in the UK
as part of the country’s Wool Week.
Broad micron wool (between 22 and
34 micron) donated by woolgrowers
wrapped the historic three-storey Harvey
Nichols’ Knightsbridge building in oversized, brightly coloured wool yarn. The
names of donors can be seen at
www.campaignforwool.org.
Weaving in and out of windows and
around the landmark building for two
weeks during October, the yarn was
joined by a pair of huge knitting needles
to create an eye-catching display and
unveil the world’s largest ball of wool.
The giant yarn was created from
carefully made wool top, made by
international wool supplier and Woolmark
licensee H. Dawson.
H. Dawson CEO, Jo Dawson, said the
Campaign for Wool is an essential global
initiative which helps raise awareness of
wool’s many wonderful natural properties.
“The fact that the campaign is
partnering with Harvey Nichols sends the
message to the world that wool is well
and truly in fashion,” Mr Dawson said.
But it wasn’t only Harvey Nichols
which helped the UK celebrate Wool
Week, retailers across the country filled
their storefronts with wool merchandise
and promotional material.
A major focus of this year’s Wool
Week was an initiative called ‘Wool
School’, which brought an educational
twist to the campaign and paired some
of the UK’s best known retailers with
fashion and textile design students from
7
universities across the country.
Wool School gave the students the
opportunity to design a wool-rich jumper
which was then sold in their retail partners’
stores during Wool Week. The retailers
were: Topshop, Marks & Spencer, Paul Smith,
Harvey Nichols, Pringle, DAKS, John Lewis,
Hobbs, Lyle & Scott, Hackett and Jigsaw.
Other initiatives during Wool Week
included the Chelsea Harbour Design
Centre housing a bespoke wool interiors
installation; and ‘Love Wool’ in which 25
super knitters clicked their knitting needles
in a bid to speedily stitch a Union Jack flag
in the time it took to travel by train from
London to Edinburgh.
Wool Week generated exceptional news
coverage across online, print, broadcast and
radio media including the front page of The
Times, ITV1’s ‘This Morning’, Radio 4’s PM
show and extensive online titles including
Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan and GQ.
And it was not just the UK that
celebrated Wool Week during the northern
hemisphere autumn. Celebrations of wool
unfolded across other key consumer markets,
with more countries than ever before joining
in international Wool Weeks to help drive
demand for wool – see pages 8-9.
Campaign for Wool project manager for
AWI, Susie Stanway, said she was delighted
with how well received the campaign had
been on an international scale.
“Wool Week was not merely limited to
the campaign’s home country of the UK,
but was celebrated in major cities across
the world with unprecedented success,” Ms
Stanway said.
“From events unique to particular
locations, to the ever-popular Wool Modern
exhibition, thousands of wool-lovers are
helping promote the wonderful natural
benefits of the fibre and in turn drive the
demand for wool.
“Receiving wool straight from the
source, thanks to the woolgrowers who
donated their fibre to wrap the Harvey
Nichols store in wool, shows that the
Campaign for Wool is capturing the hearts
and imagination of those involved in the
production of wool as well as the end users
of this wonderful fibre.”
The Campaign for Wool, of which His
Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is Patron,
is a global campaign that aims to encourage
manufacturers, retailers and designers to
choose wool and, in turn, educate
consumers about the fibre’s environmental
benefits.

More information:
www.campaignforwool.org
8
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December 2012
Beyond the Bale
Campaign for Wool:
INTERNATIONAL WOOL WEEK
PATRON: HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES
Fast facts
l
Celebrations of wool unfolded across key
consumer markets during the northern
hemisphere autumn.
l
The Campaign for Wool is being
celebrated on an unprecedented global
scale with more countries than ever
before creating their own programme of
activity to celebrate ‘Wool Week’.
l
The campaign has been instrumental in
driving a new demand for wool on an
international scale.
USA
During the inaugural Wool Week in the USA, Bryant Park in the garment
district of Manhattan was transformed into an interactive, woollen
wonderland (pictured) designed to educate consumers about wool and its
properties. A ‘Wool Fountain’ was installed and sheep grazed freely on the
grassed area of the park.
France
Launched for the first time in France, Wool Week was held in the 16th
Arrondissement of Paris in partnership with the Passy Plaza Shopping
Centre. The week kicked off with a call to action for all French knitters and
crafters who were invited to design “the ultimate wool scarf”. The week also
included a fashion parade and sheep shearing demonstrations (pictured).
Norway
In Norway, the Wool Week program included a “white gold” exhibition at
the National Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, a pop-up shop in
Oslo’s Paleet shopping arcade selling wool, and student events. The week
concluded with a seminar in the Norwegian Parliament about fashion and
business.
Korea
Launched at the British embassy in Seoul, the inaugural Korean Wool
Week was celebrated with a salon show and exhibition (pictured)
presenting the best of Korean and international brands. The week was also
supported by Lotte, the leading Seoul department store with a VIP event
and charity auction, and window campaign.
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December 2012
Beyond the Bale
9
Japan
The Campaign for Wool joined forces with Ginza Fashion Week to
celebrate the best of wool fashion with two leading department stores:
Matsuya and Mitsukoshi. Both stores showcased wool in their windows
and display areas (pictured) throughout Ginza Fashion Week. The annual
Kobe Tweed Walk & Ride also supported the Campaign for Wool.
China
The internationally renowned ‘Wool Modern’ exhibition (pictured)
opened in Shanghai – complete with eight amazing new pieces specially
commissioned from Chinese designers. Vision magazine dedicated its
October issue to the event. Shanghai’s luxury department store SOGO
extended the Wool Week celebrations with an installation of selected
pieces from the exhibition.
Netherlands
An action packed week of activity celebrated the Campaign for Wool
with everything from street based guerrilla stunts to a dazzling launch
event in Amsterdam featuring over 20 wool outfits designed especially
for the Campaign for Wool by established designers as well as alumni
from fashion and design university in the Netherlands.
Germany
After a great start last year with the launch of the Wool Modern in Berlin,
Wool School was the primary focus for the German market to celebrate
the Campaign for Wool in 2012. A series of strategic partnerships with
leading retailers Wormland (pictured), Marc Cain, Horst Wanschura,
Heimat Cologne, and Brooks were established.
Spain
This year saw Spain’s largest ever celebration of urban knitting which
saw key locations around Madrid yarn bombed with amigurumi (knitted
animal) figures, a woolly photographic exhibition in influential local
retailers, a live recreation of the wool production process, a knitting
lounge, and fashion parades (pictured) by Spanish designers and brands.
More information: www.campaignforwool.org
10
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December 2012
Beyond the Bale
T
Vogue’s sheep
station photoshoot
he December issue of Vogue
Australia features a series of
stunning images of Australian actress
Elizabeth Debicki shot on location at
‘Haddon Rig’ Merino wool property near
Warren in central NSW.
Vogue’s Creative Director, Jillian
Davison shot the beautiful 22 year old
actress among the sheep and with the
shearers on the property.
The actress, who stars in Baz
Luhrmann’s much anticipated movie
‘The Great Gatsby’, even tried her
hand at shearing, about which she was
quoted as saying, “It was really hard
work, they buck around and are really
heavy!”
AWI sponsored a special behindthe-scenes video of the shoot.
The video, featuring Woolmark
branding, was made available on the
Vogue Australia website, viewable by
the one million unique visitors that view
the site each month. It has also been
publicised via Vogue Australia’s and
AWI’s social media channels.

More information:
www.merino.com/haddonrig
View the behind-the-scenes
video at www.youtube.com/
woolmarkonline
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December 2012
Beyond the Bale
11
AWI’s Runway 101 Kit
on show
Fast facts
l AWI’s Runway 101 Kit is designed
to provide regional events with
everything they need to easily
produce a good runway show.
l The readymade kit includes
commercially available wool outfits
from Australian brands, as well as
information and accessories to help
run the runway show.
l The kit is available for loan to event
organisers across regional Australia.
clear direction as to which Australian
designers were included and how they
should be showcased.
“My team and I have worked on
industry events such as Australian Fashion
Week, the L’Oréal Melbourne Fashion
Festival and it takes a great deal of time,
dedication and liaison with the designers
to put together and then style a quality
fashion showcase.
“Runway 101 was a wonderful showcase
of Australian designer fashion and we hope
that this important initiative continues so
we can continue to showcase the best
Australian designer woollen fashion at the
Australian Sheep and Wool Show.”
The runway kit is available for loan to
suitable wool-focused events. The kit is
contained in a robust wardrobe case for
ease of storage and transport.

More information: Enquiries from event
organisers interested in borrowing the
Runway 101 Kit should be directed to Kate
Muir at AWI on (02) 8295 3100 or
[email protected]
S
howcasing some of Australia’s
greatest designers and retailers, AWI’s
Runway 101 Kit has been on tour since
July, featuring at the Australian Sheep and
Wool Show in Bendigo, Sheepvention in
Hamiliton, Newdegate Machinery Field Day,
Perth Royal Show and Boorowa Woolfest.
The runway kit was created to assist the
organisers of regional shows to showcase
great examples of wearable wool fashion at
their events.
The readymade kit includes everything
from completely styled wool outfits
to scripts, runway music and apparel
steamers. It has been designed specifically
to make running a runway show as easy as
possible for event organisers.
“The Runway 101 Kit is a great initiative
that brings the latest wool fashion trends to
our regional communities,” explained AWI
Country Manager Stephen Feighan.
“The kit professionally showcases
wearable and commercially available wool
products from the current collections of
AWI’s retail and design partners.”
The kit includes garments from the
Autumn/Winter 2012 collections from
leading Australian designers and brands
including: Camilla and Marc, Carl Kapp,
Collette Dinnigan, Country Road, Danielle
Chiel, Decjuba, Ellery, EMU Australia,
Farage, Ginger & Smart, Magdalena
Velevska, M J Bale, Sabatini, Thurley and
Sportscraft.
“We were delighted to receive the
Runway 101 kit as part of the fashion
presentation of wool at the Australian
Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo,” said the
runway producer for the Show, Alida Milani.
“The kit arrived in perfect order with
Models wearing wool apparel from Australian brands Thurley and Sabatini, supplied as part of AWI’s Runway 101 Kit,
at this year’s Australian Sheep and Wool Show in Bendigo.
12
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Wool lauded by fashion designers
Fast facts
l An exhibition ‘When Wool is in
Fashion’, created by Vogue Italia and
L’Uomo Vogue in collaboration with
AWI, opened during Milan Fashion
Week to reaffirm Australian Merino
wool’s position within the luxury
apparel market.
l The exhibition – attended by some
of the most important names of
the fashion and textile industry –
showcased a photo shoot featuring
10 well-known international fashion
brands who also provided quotes
endorsing the fibre to accompany
the images that appeared in Vogue
publications.
l The project was part of AWI’s global
‘Merino. No Finer Feeling™’ fibre
advocacy campaign that is starting
to get real penetration in fashion
markets.
"W
ool is a luxury material. And when
we speak about luxury we speak
about wool.”
So exclaimed Donatella Versace at the
opening of an exhibition titled ‘When Wool
is in Fashion’, hosted during Milan Fashion
Week by AWI in conjunction with Vogue
Italia and L’Uomo Vogue.
“Wool is one of those fabrics that I
always use; a material so beautiful in its
essence, extremely sartorial by nature it
allows you to play and mix it with different
materials,” the chief designer and vicepresident of the Versace Group explained.
The exhibition is one element of
AWI’s global ‘Merino. No Finer Feeling™’
fibre advocacy campaign and followed
on from the photo shoot featuring 10
well-known international fashion brands
which appeared in the two prestigious
publications, along with a 102-page book
titled The Art of Merino. An Extraordinary
Matter.
Some of the most important names in
the fashion and textile industry attended
the event, showing support to the
woolgrowers of Australia with the aim of
increasing sales and encouraging more
designers to work with wool. Among the
guests were editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia
and L’Uomo Vogue Franca Sozzani, Paolo
Zegna, Pier Luigi Loro Piana, Carla Sozzani,
Teresa Missoni, Michael Roberts and
Raffaello Napoleone and other important
names of the international fashion industry.
AWI’s Chief Strategy and Marketing
Officer Rob Langtry said the entire project
reaffirmed Merino wool’s position within
the contemporary luxury market.
“We are very proud to be working
alongside the most important designers,
media and industry representatives on
behalf of the Australian wool industry,” Mr
Langtry said. “Australian wool is the best
in the world and is being acknowledged as
such through this amazing campaign.
“Working in collaboration with Vogue
– both for the artistic book and magazine
advertorial – propels Australian Merino
wool further into the spotlight and cements
AWI and the Woolmark brand within the
global fashion market.
"One of the ways we measure the
success of our campaigns is engagement
with industry partners. From the two we
started with, and five last year, this year we
are getting close to 40."

More information:
www.woolmark.com www.merino.com
View a video of the Milan
event at www.youtube.com/
woolmarkonline
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13
DESIGNER QUOTES
The international designers joined the
AWI and Vogue project to celebrate
the excellence and fashion-inspiration
of Merino wool. They unveiled their
own visions and styles through iconic
wool pieces, both men and women, and
a series of personal, amazing quotes
about the fibre that appeared in Vogue
publications.
“Wool has always been an
important material in my
collection, as it all started with
the grey wool suit.” Thom Browne
“Multifaceted and multipurpose:
combed, trimmed, raw, super
light for the summer, enveloping
and comfortable against the
winter cold. Wool, a noble and
versatile fabric, hard-wearing
and natural, lends itself to the
most different interpretations
of modern aesthetics. The
Ferragamo collections play with
wool’s extraordinary adaptability
while reaffirming the brand’s
passion for natural fabrics,
giving it, during each season,
a different soul: in oversized
volumes or slim fits, hand knitted
or high tech, with sculptural
effects or a boho-chic flavor. It is
revealed constantly as a perfect
fiber for every occasion and
use, the exceptional interpreter
of the contemporary spirit.”
Massimiliano Giornetti for
Salvatore Ferragamo
“Knitwear has always been a
fundamental part of our collections.
We used it for maxi pull overs and
cardigans, as well as for the little
v-neck sweaters. We created woven
scarves and the woollen union suits
once used by the shepherds and
farms in Sicily. We love touching
wool, feeling it on our skin, seeing
it worn by men and women alike.”
Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana
“I love the many personalities of
wool, sheer, jersey, pinstripe, twill,
blanketed in tartan. There are endless
expressions.” Donna Karan
“I work with wool as I work with my creations: I like to find
solutions, to speak with my team about how we can innovate
with this natural and traditional material. We experience new
cuts, new design, new prints. And above all new ideas.”
Alber Elbaz for Lanvin
“Wool is a fall essential and this season it is really
what builds the mystery because it is all about
oversized coats with narrow silhouettes. Wool
is very practical, but it can also be glamorous.”
Diane Von Furstenberg
“I consider myself lucky because I have inherited from my parents, Rosita
and Ottavio, an exclusive and specific way of designing knitwear. When
I became creative director in 1997, I was determined to try out maximum
expansions and extreme contractions with iconic patterns, but also to
make knitwear that is increasingly lighter, transparent, with a barelythere feel like tulle, or extremely stiff supported, just like felt. I doubled it
with fabric, interwove it with leather, suede or fur, contributing to make
it increasingly versatile. Sophisticated, sensual and comfortable like a
second skin. A star in today’s fashion world.”
Angela Missoni for Missoni
“Wool: raw, sophisticated and warm.”
Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci
“Outerwear and fabric manipulation
gave me the opportunity to expand on
the richness of wool, such as laminating
tweed and the concept of shrink wrapping
knits to give a surreal, high-gloss effect.”
Alexander Wang
14
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Beyond the Bale
Fast facts
l
AWI and Merino wool were well
represented at this year’s trendsetting Milano Unica textiles fair.
l
The event underpins the strong
relationship between the Australian
wool industry and the European
textile community.
l
Fashion designer Michael Lo
Sordo became the first Australian
to present a collection at the
prestigious On Stage event.
an influential group of buyers, media and
industry.
“It’s such an honour to have been
selected to showcase and represent
Australia for this year’s On Stage at Milano
Unica,” Mr Lo Sordo said.
“To be able to present our designs,
manipulations and creations focusing
on Merino wool is an absolute pleasure.
I previewed my Autumn Winter 13
collection at the event which uses exquisite
new marbling techniques to dye and
characterise my wool so it’s an incredibly
exciting opportunity, especially at this early
stage in my career.”
Milano Unica president, Silvio Albini,
praised the ten young designers and their
inventive creations at the On Stage fashion
show.
“This initiative, in collaboration with
Woolmark, was not a competition but a
constructive happening to promote dialog
between new young designers and Italian
A Merino wool creation of Australian designer Michael Lo Sordo at Milano Unica’s On Stage event,
and European textile manufacturers,” Mr
supported by AWI.
Albini said.
The 10 designers who presented at
WI reaffirmed its presence at this
wool suitable for
On Stage were: Co|Te
year’s edition of Milano Unica – the
warm climates and
(Italy); Huishan Zhang
“This initiative, in
prestigious international textile fair held
environments.
(China); Barbara
collaboration with
in September. Presenting the finest
Presenting partner
Casasola (Brazil);
Woolmark, was
quality products from European textile
of On Stage since
Altewai Saome
not a competition
manufacturers, Milano Unica attracted
its establishment
(Sweden); Michael Lo
but a constructive
more than 21,000 visitors.
in 2009, AWI is
Sordo (Australia) and
happening to promote
dialog between new
AWI ensured that Australian Merino
committed to
Omer Asim (Sudan) for
young designers
wool was extremely well represented,
educating and
women’s wear; Camo
and Italian and
due to its engagement in the textile
supporting emerging
(Italy); Erïk Bjerkesjö
European textile
fair’s signature event ‘On Stage’ and also
designers by inviting
(Sweden); Tim Coppens
manufacturers .”
by doubling its presence inside the fair,
them to discover the
(Belgium) and Matthew
SILVIO ALBINI
attending Moda In as well as Ideabiella.
quality and versatility
Miller (Great Britain) for
AWI showcased its latest edition of
of Merino wool.
menswear.

The Wool Lab, the seasonal guide for
And in a coup for Australian fashion,
Merino wool trends and products for
designer Michael Lo Sordo became the
More information:
autumn winter 2013/14, as well Cool Wool,
first Australian designer to be invited to
www.milanounica.it
the global marketing program conceived
present his collection at the prestigious On
View videos of On Stage at www.
by AWI to highlight the finest Merino
Stage event. The event was attended by
youtube.com/woolmarkonline
MILANO UNICA
ON STAGE
A
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Beyond the Bale
Zegna: a passion
for wool
Fast facts
l Iconic menswear brand Ermenegildo
Zegna is reaffirming its passion
for Merino wool through its latest
campaign.
l Zegna and the Woolmark brand have
had a long-standing relationship,
spanning nearly 50 years.
l The campaign is one element of AWI’s
global ‘Merino. No Finer Feeling™’ fibre
advocacy campaign and highlighted
the fineness, versatility, comfort and
luxurious touch of Merino wool.
A
lmost 50 years ago Ermenegildo
Zegna became the first Woolmark
licensee. Now, the iconic menswear
brand is reaffirming its passion for Merino
wool, featuring the precious fibre in the
company’s stunning new international
advertising campaign which was launched
in association with AWI.
Featuring iconic wool pieces from
Zegna’s latest Autumn Winter collection,
the joint advertising campaign ran from
October to December in some of the most
important men’s fashion publications in
China, the UK, USA and France, with the
objective of informing and educating
Men’s Merino wool apparel is featured in
Ermenegildo Zegna’s new international
advertising campaign, which is launched in
association with AWI.
15
consumers about the wonderful natural
qualities of Merino wool.
The campaign is one element of AWI’s
global ‘Merino. No Finer Feeling™’ fibre
advocacy campaign and highlighted the
fineness, versatility, comfort and luxurious
touch of Merino wool. These qualities have
been achieved thanks to both Zegna’s
craftsmanship and to the passion of
Australian woolgrowers who grow the
world’s finest Merino wool to the very
highest standards.
AWI’s Chief Strategy and Marketing
Officer Robert Langtry said, "The ongoing
partnership between AWI and Ermenegildo
Zegna was solidly based on common
values such as excellence, innovation and
commitment to quality.
“It is essential to continue to educate
and inform consumers around the world
about the extraordinary qualities of
Merino wool. Both Zegna and Australian
woolgrowers have a long lasting
engagement to make the best of this
unique, precious fibre.”
Zegna and Australian woolgrowers have
a close and lengthy association, perfectly
represented by the Ermenegildo Zegna
Extrafine Wool Trophy that was established
in 1963 by Zegna. The award honours the
commitment of Australian woolgrowers to
quality along with their common pursuit for
excellence.
The award was founded to stimulate
the production of the finest Merino wool in
Australia, as Zegna strongly believed in the
potential of fine woollen fabrics. To create
such fabrics, it was essential to get fine
and superfine wool, therefore Ermenegildo
Zegna was primarily interested in
encouraging growers to produce fine wool,
supporting their efforts and attention to
quality.
“The longstanding collaboration with
Woolmark confirms the Zegna Group’s
continued commitment to supporting and
promoting the production of Merino wool,”
says Anna Zegna – Image Director of the
Zegna Group.
“This coming year we will celebrate
the 50th anniversary of the Zegna Wool
Awards, a competition established in
1963 to award and reward Australian
woolgrowers dedication to quality.
“The partnership with The Woolmark
Company confirms, therefore, this deep
and lasting commitment by the Zegna
Group to encourage breeders producing
fine wool to obtain the finest and highest
possible quality of pure Merino wool.”

More information: www.merino.com/zegna
16
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Beyond the Bale
Educating textile
graduates
Twenty-four of the UK’s leading textile students vied for the prestigious Woolmark Texprint Award, which was this year awarded to weaver Sophie Manners (front row,
second from right). Photo: James McCauley.
Fast facts
l AWI supports the UK’s leading textile
graduate design prize Texprint.
l AWI sponsors the Woolmark Texprint
Award in support of the Campaign
for Wool to help educate early career
textile designers about the benefits
of working with wool.
l Designer Sophie Manners won the
2012 Woolmark Texprint Award
due to her technical excellence and
commerciality of her weave designs.
A
WI continues to throw its support
behind emerging textile designers
in key fashion regions across the world.
In the UK, the Woolmark Texprint Award
in support of the Campaign for Wool ran
successfully for the second year attracting
more entrants showing a wider variety of
product.
The award, first launched to universities
and colleges nationwide in 2010, recognises
design excellence in fabrics created with
60 per cent or more Merino wool, whether
presented as printed, woven, knitted and/or
mixed media fabric.
Texprint promotes the UK’s most
talented textile design students and has
the support of industry professionals
worldwide. Texprint provides a springboard
into industry for the 24 talented designers
who are selected each year and their
first experience of exhibiting and selling
their works alongside professional and
established designers.
The Woolmark Texprint Award was
judged and awarded in September at the
‘Indigo’ textile design speciality event –
part of the Première Vision trade show in
Paris. AWI was one of 1867 exhibitors that
participated in the three-day Première
Vision event which attracted more than
46,000 visitors.
Première Vision is a strong supporter
and advocate of Texprint which draws a
strong industry following. This year the
Woolmark Texprint Award was presented
by esteemed trend forecaster Nelly Rodi
along with AWI consultant and IWTO
president Peter Ackroyd.
Ms Rodi reminded the audience of
buyers, press and design professionals of
her passion for nurturing young talent and
her long-held admiration for the British
design education system.
“British schools seem to take a much
freer approach to educating their students,
mixing different approaches such as
photography, art and fashion, leaving
the student to express himself, without
imposed rule…freedom gives a lot of energy
to fashion,” Ms Rodi said.
Mr Ackroyd emphasised AWI’s focus
on “education, education, education” and
reiterated its desire to ensure that young
designers are encouraged to work with
wool, and to understand both its properties
and its potential for fashion and interiors
markets.
Weaver Sophie Manners was the
worthy recipient of this year’s award which
includes extensive training from AWI on the
benefits and uses of Merino wool.
The prize was judged by James E
Sugden OBE, director of Johnstons of
Elgin; James Dracup, group managing
director of Johnstons of Elgin; and
Masahiro Oono, textile design project
manager of Japanese specialist wool
weaver Nikke. Both companies have a long
experience in creating fine wool fabrics for
the luxury market and were exhibitors at
Première Vision.
Mr Sugden said the judges selected
Miss Manners because of her superb use
of Merino wool in terms of the variety of
weights used, technical excellence and the
commerciality of her weave designs. She
has a distinctive style and Mr Oono praised
her tremendous imagination.
“Technically, her fabrics are wellconstructed and executed. There is a
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December 2012
Beyond the Bale
17
commerciality that can be translated into
something saleable,” Mr Sugden said.
Miss Manners, a graduate from the
Royal College of Art, said it was her love for
experimentation which sparked an interest
in wool as a fabric.
“I love experimenting with texture and
wool can provide so many different tactile
effects,” she said.
“I know that Woolmark is constantly
pushing the boundaries of wool and I
would love to find new ways to push
fabric design even further. Wool is a
really versatile fabric and I had a lot of
fun experimenting with it and enjoying
the hugely different effects I was able
to produce with pure wool and blended
fabrics.”

More information:
www.texprint.org.uk
Judges examining the fabrics of Woolmark Texprint Award winner Sophie Manners, at the ‘Indigo’ textile design
speciality event in Paris. Photo: James McCauley.
PREVIOUS TEXPRINT WINNER:
HARRIET TOOGOOD
I
n 2011 University of Brighton graduate
Harriet Toogood was presented with the
inaugural Woolmark Texprint Award for her
superb woven textile designs, which were
created with 60 per cent or more Merino
wool.
Fast-forward 12 months and Miss
Toogood is now assistant designer to
the product development team at textile
innovators Camira Fabrics. The UK-based
company designs innovative, adventurous
and environmentally sustainable fabrics,
with many of its worsted-spun fabrics
coming from Australian wool.
“My role involves working in the design
team to create core products and working
with existing and prospective customers
to create custom made designs, specific
to their own specifications,” Miss Toogood
said.
“Both core and custom made
developments consist of colour selection,
Last year’s winner of the Woolmark Texprint Award Harriet Toogood has gone on to work with textile innovators
Camira Fabrics, a UK-based company that uses Australian wool in its products and pays particular attention to
environmental sustainability. Photo: Mark Mawston
pattern and textual design and the
consideration of sustainable and green
credentials.
“One of Camira’s most sustainable
fabrics is called Sting Plus. It is based
on the common nettle, which produces
a uniquely strong, soft and naturally fire
retardant textile fabric. It is blended with
pure new wool from Australia, making it a
totally natural and sustainable upholstery
fabric.”
It was Miss Toogood’s highly individual
approach to creating contemporary
woven textiles which saw her win the 2011
Woolmark Texprint Award and help kickstart her professional career.
“My final project at university explored
weaving natural yarn, specifically wool, in
conjunction with plastic materials taken
directly from the farmyard and everyday
life, examining the suitability of the two
within a fabric.
“My father worked on a farm for the
majority of my childhood and it was
through these memories that I chose to
base my work on the farm, using its raw
materials.”
Miss Toogood has exhibited her
personal fabrics at both Spin Expo
Shanghai and Première Vision Paris.
She was also invited to attend ComON
creativity week at Lake Como, Italy, with
three other Texprint winners.
“It was a combination of all these
experiences that helped me gain a job
within the British woven textile industry.
I feel very lucky.”

18
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December 2012
Beyond the Bale
From Flinders
fibre to fashion
Woolgrower Warren Luckraft explaining Merino fibre to some of the young Hong Kong designers.
Fast facts
l Six emerging designers from Hong
Kong recently visited Australia as part
of a study tour designed to educate
the young designers about the wool
production process.
l The designers learnt all about wool
fibre, and the supply chain from the
farm through first stage processing
to fashion.
l AWI aims to raise awareness of
the natural benefits of Australian
Merino wool among fashion
designers worldwide.
"H
aving more knowledge about wool
can push me and inspire me to design
more garments using wool and use the
fibre in a different way.”
That’s the assertion from young Hong
Kong designer Key Chow, who along with
five other emerging Hong Kong designers
recently won awards to visit Australia to
learn more about the wool production
pipeline and be encouraged to work with
wool.
Mr Chow was awarded the Australia
Study Tour scholarship – sponsored by the
Flinders Merino woolgrower group – whilst
the other designers – Yuliya Nip, Tak Shing,
Loanna Lo, Grace Fung and Venus Lo –
won Best Use of Australian Merino awards
sponsored by AWI which enabled them to
visit Australia.
“I’m very impressed with the wool
industry in Australia,” Mr Chow said. “The
knowledge of wool can inspire me to
produce designs that are more creative and
innovative. In fashion it is very important to
be outstanding: using good, quality wool in
my designs can add value directly to them.”
The group visited South Australia’s
Flinders Ranges for a closer look at the
source of the Merino wool they use in so
many of their designs.
John Parnell of the Flinders Merino
woolgrower group said the group was keen
to raise the visiting designers’ awareness of
the natural benefits of Merino wool.
“We have great pleasure in showing
them our sheep and how the process
works out here so that they then have an
understanding of where the fibre comes
from,” he explained.
“The designers have such a fresh
approach to things and sometimes their
themes contain elements that I’ve never
even given consideration to before; so they
really are wonderfully creative and that’s
seen in their designs.”
Flinders Merino has sponsored an
Australia Study Tour scholarship for Hong
Kong designers for several years.
“The annual scholarship came about
six years ago after we visited Hong Kong
Polytechnic University and saw that not
very many of the young design students
were using wool,” explained Geoff Power
from Flinders Merino.
“It’s very important for us as
woolgrowers to be able to relate to
designers, to get them to use our product
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December 2012
Beyond the Bale
in their designs. And what has been really
great for us to see is that most of those
Hong Kong designers are now using wool,
because they value that scholarship.”
It was the first time the designers on
this visit had seen Merino sheep in their
natural habitat. Flinders Merino not only
provided the young designers with intimate
knowledge of how the fibre is produced,
but also offered genuine hospitality,
a glimpse into the life of Australian
woolgrowers and an appreciation of the
Australian landscape.
The young designers also had the
opportunity to visit Adelaide’s Michell
Pty Ltd – the world’s only wholly owned
vertical wool supply chain and an
important supplier of carbonised wool into
the Hong Kong knitwear market. Michell
was well suited to assist the tour and
explain to the designers the complexities of
the wool value chain.
The designers’ tour also included visits
to AWEX and AWTA to offer education
about the pre-export process; RMIT
University’s School of Fashion and Textiles
to showcase their work to Australian
designers and exchange ideas from a
professional perspective; EMU Australia
to understand the quality of wool and
sheepskin used; and the National Wool
Museum to learn the history of the wool
industry.
By sponsoring scholarships and
study tours in Hong Kong, AWI aims to
raise awareness of the natural benefits
of Australian Merino wool among the
young generation of design talent in
this important location. Hong Kong
is one of the world’s major knitwear
exporters. As the gateway for southern
and eastern Chinese wool processors
and manufacturers, it is a global hub for
sourcing wool garments particularly for the
major US and European brands.
While the aim of the tour was to
educate the young designers about
Australian wool, and inspire them to use
more of the fibre in their designs, the
Australian woolgrowers and companies
that the designers visited were also able
to learn about the key market of Hong
Kong and the thoughts of its young fashion
designers.

More information:
A video of the designers’ visit,
including comments from the
designers and the woolgrowers
they visited, is available at www.
youtube.com/woolmarkonline
19
One of the young Hong Kong designers learning the skills involved with shearing.
Woolgrowers from the Flinders Merino woolgrower group being shown some of the Merino wool designs
of the visiting designers.
20
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Beyond the Bale
Australian woolgrowers on a visit to the AWI office in Hong Kong.
Fast facts
l Woolgrowers visiting Hong Kong
said they have been impressed with
the work being done by AWI in the
region.
l AWI does marketing, product
development and education in the
region to help build demand for
wool.
l As the gateway for southern and
eastern Chinese wool processors and
manufacturers, Hong Kong is a global
hub for sourcing wool garments
particularly for the major US and
European brands.
W
oolgrowers visiting Hong Kong have
expressed their support for the
work being done by AWI in the region.
As the gateway for southern and
eastern Chinese wool processors and
manufacturers, Hong Kong is one of the
world’s major knitwear exporters and a
global hub for sourcing wool garments
particularly for the major US and European
brands.
Woolgrower groups from Australia
often travel to the region to visit the
factories involved in transforming their
fibre into yarns, fabrics and apparel
products ready for global retail markets.
And whilst in Hong Kong, the woolgrower
groups also often arrange a visit to the
AWI office to learn about the marketing,
product development and education work
that AWI is doing in the region, on behalf of
Australian woolgrowers, to build demand
for wool.
As part of a woolgrower delegation,
organised by Fox & Lillie, visiting mills
and manufacturers in the region earlier
this year, woolgrower Michael Blake of
‘Bally Glunin Park’, Hamilton, Victoria also
attended briefings at AWI’s offices in Hong
Kong and Shanghai. Following the visit,
Mr Blake said he had been impressed with
what he saw and heard from staff.
“For some years I have been outspoken
against much of AWI’s commitment into
Asia, but my trip really opened my eyes to
what the company has been doing there
and the potential for the future,” Mr Blake
said.
“The presentations and physical
sample products presented to us by AWI
demonstrate this – I could not believe the
practical woollen fabrics that were shown
to us, and their potential. You had to be
there to appreciate the yarn and fabric
development work that was being done
with Merino wool.
“The region’s processing and garment
manufacture is as good as any I have seen
and through their research and utilising
wool’s unique properties their new garment
ranges are brilliant.
“I have also just returned from London
Wool Week and Biella where I showed a
number of processors, fashion houses,
fashion and design students and retailers
some of the Hong Kong samples and
they were very excited about what was
generating from research in Hong Kong.
“While in Hong Kong, my wife Cathy
and I were also privileged to sit in the front
row at the young designers’ fashion show.
We fully support AWI’s initiatives to help
foster young designers to use wool.
“The trip has reinforced my belief that
we can’t go wrong breeding and growing
high quality good processing wools, both
Merino and crossbred.”
A woolgrower tour led by Bevan Jolly
of Elders Dubbo also recently visited the
AWI Hong Kong office. Gordon Cox of
‘Langdene’, Dunedoo, NSW, who was on
tour, said that he was impressed with the
breadth and intensity of work that AWI
was doing in the Hong Kong region, and
also the enthusiasm that the AWI staff
displayed.
“We walked away after the meeting
feeling that the AWI representatives could
not have been more passionate about what
they are doing.
“The staff showed us wool fabric
samples of new product innovations – such
as 3-D, see-through and vintage effects –
that had been developed in collaboration
with AWI’s business partners, and which
are inspiring brands to introduce more
wool into their collections.
“They also put a tremendous effort
into helping educate manufacturers in
the region about Merino wool, regularly
holding seminars on technical topics,
such as garment production, as well as
promotional topics, such as the benefits of
Merino wool.
“There’s of course a big emphasis on
providing marketing support to brands and
retailers, which involves activities ranging
from help in providing point-of-sale
material to providing training to retail staff
to enable them to promote Merino apparel
more effectively to their customers.
“I was particularly impressed with
the amount of work they are doing to
promote Merino and the Woolmark brand
to a younger generation. There was a real
feeling of vibrancy to their work.
“I’d say that the growers on the visit felt
that their levy money was being very well
spent.” 
off-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
21
Marie Claire
promotes Merino
A
cross-media campaign publicised
by Marie Claire magazine in the USA
praises Merino wool as innovative, natural
and forward thinking, dubbing it the future
of fashion.
For the past few months, Marie Claire
has been running an advertorial series
featuring each month a fashion designer
working with Merino wool.
The program was designed to leverage
Marie Claire’s fashion-forward audience
to increase Woolmark brand visibility and
promote Merino wool in the USA.
The multi-platform program has
been reaching out to consumers via an
in-magazine advertorial series, an online
campaign including behind-the-scenes
videos and photos, an in-store event and
via social media platforms.
The partnership with Marie Claire is one
element of AWI’s global ‘Merino. No Finer
Feeling™’ fibre advocacy campaign and
not only provides exclusive insights into
renowned designers, but also educates
consumers about the unique and natural
qualities of Merino wool.
AWI country manager for the USA,
Michelle Lee, said consumer education was
the essence of the campaign.
“Having The Woolmark Company and
Merino wool’s presence across varying
media outlets, including Marie Claire,
enables direct engagement with US
consumers about Merino wool as a natural,
renewable and biodegradable fibre,” Ms Lee
said.
“This media presence will ultimately
raise wool’s presence as a fibre desired by
leading designers and brands, and in turn
a fibre desired by consumers. Consumer
education has always played a crucial role
in all of Woolmark’s campaigns, positioning
Merino wool as an affordable yet luxury
fibre.”
Known for his daring sophistication and
effortless elegance, Peter Som was the first
designer to be featured in this cross-media
campaign.
“For me, wool has become the most
versatile fabric I can think of. It can be the
softest tissue weight wool or you can make
a flowing dress,” he says in the behind-the-
The ‘Behind the Design’ spread featuring designer Ginny Hilfiger that featured in the
November edition of Marie Claire in the USA.
Fast facts
l
AWI and the Woolmark brand
have teamed up with Marie Claire
magazine in the USA to promote
the unique and natural benefits of
Merino wool.
l
The cross-media campaign features
well-known designers who have each
used wool in their latest collections.
l
The three-month campaign aims to
educate consumers about wool as
well as raise brand awareness within
the USA.
scenes video.
“I have used wool since day one. For
this particular collection it was really about
a felted kind of quality which could stand
up the silhouette I wanted.”
Another featured designer is Ginny
Hilfiger of the Ginny H label who has been
designing clothing for over 20 years. The
youngest of the Hilfiger siblings, Ginny
made a name for herself while designing
for her brother’s company Tommy Hilfiger.
“I love working with wool as a designer
because of its versatility,” she says. “Wool
and lightweight form can be treated like
a chiffon; you can drape it, you can ruche
it, you can pin tuck it, you can pleat it, you
can make it into feminine blouses.
“I love that it’s seasonless, tricots in the
summer, wool flannels in the fall, wool felt
for coatings, bouclé for texture. Especially
now I just love taking wool into new forms;
it wears well, it always looks new.”
The Marie Claire online editorial team
ran a “Have To Have It” campaign to
coincide with the partnership, where for
one week all their suggested fashion picks
will be Merino wool features from globally
recognised brands.
AWI has created a microsite via Merino.
com featuring the behind-the-scenes
videos and photos for each designer.

More information:
www.merino.com/marieclaire
22
off-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
Alaska to
Patagonia
Two guys, two bikes and
Merino wool
When 26 year olds Mike Carroll and Maxi Walker
headed off on an extreme adventure, they took
apparel made from a true performance: Merino wool.
off-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
23
Fast facts
l Two mates from NSW pedalled
30,000 kilometres, from Alaska to
Patagonia, wearing Merino woollen
garments.
l The pair was so impressed with how
remarkable the fibre was that they
want to tell producers just how good
their product is.
l What they loved most about the
fibre was the fact it did not smell
after being worn for days.
S
chool friends Mike Carroll and Maxi
Walker have completed the ride of their
lives on an epic adventure which saw them
cross though Arctic climates and desert
terrain.
For 22 months the boys pushed and
pedalled their bikes the 30,000 kilometres
from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, to Ushuaia,
Argentina – the most southern city in the
world. With pannier bags full of essential
items strapped to their bikes, one of the
only constant factors during this adventure
was each other’s company – along with
their use of Merino wool.
Versatile, resilient, comfortable and
warm are a few factors which now come to
mind when Mike and Maxi think of Merino
wool.
“Mum and Dad both grew up on farms
so woolly jumpers were big fashion in
our house in Cooma,” Mike said. “During
university I worked in an outdoor shop so I
built up a collection of woollen apparel and
knowledge of the fibre.
“As soon as we started our trip I knew
that the Merino wool clothes and layers
were going to be very useful.”
They started their bike trip with a
few layers of different weighted woollen
Crossing one of the many rivers in northern Mexico.
Heading towards Copper Canyon, Mexico. These were hot days so lightweight wool T-shirts were perfect
for this part of the world.
garments and thermals. The products
proved to be exceptional in all weather
conditions, particularly when layering
was essential in the extreme cold weather
they endured in the Alaskan Tundra and
down in Patagonia. In these harsh cold
conditions woollen garments of different
micron grades were combined with wind
breakers to maintain the optimum body
core temperature.
Through the deserts of America and
rivers of Mexico, deep in the jungles of
Central America and through tobacco
plantations of Cuba, the two guys on
two bikes overcame heat, humidity and
perspiration thanks to Merino wool.
When actual washing machines are few
and far between, and running creeks and
rivers provide the ultimate laundry service,
both Mike and Maxi were pleased and
amazed at how Merino wool does not smell
after strenuous exercise.
“On large adventures when you have
days and days when you can’t wash your
clothes, Merino woollen apparel holds
off the stink factor for a lot longer than
other fibres,” Mike said. “We found
we could go for days – even weeks –
before washing them in a river; even the
woollen undies were awesome.
“The biggest challenge when riding
is that you sweat a lot, even if it is
raining or quite cold. Finding the right
combination of clothing may take some
trial and error but regardless of the
temperature the first layer was always
something made from lightweight wool.
The lightest garment we had was about
140/150gsm and these worked well even
in the extreme heat.
“With all the range in weights
that are available in Merino woollen
apparel there is always going to be an
appropriate garment to wear regardless
of the activity.”
Cycling had not always been a
passion for Mike; in fact, a bike was
merely a means of getting from A to B.
“I used to ride my bike to primary
school,” Mike said. “That little bike
actually made it onto the stage of a
school assembly when I was in Year 5.
The local police were doing a talk on
bike safety awareness and mine was
there as an example of how not to
maintain one’s bike!”
Fortunately, Mike said his bike
maintenance skills improved during the
two-year adventure, which is lucky since
changing a tyre is one thing Merino
wool could not do for the boys. But as
they pedalled along a 30,000 kilometre
track, both Mike and Maxi found
comfort and security from the few
clothes they were carrying – all of which
were made from Merino wool.

24
on-farm
December 2010
2012
September
Beyond the
the Bale
Bale
Beyond
Fast facts
Trading low productivity
for high protection
lE
verGraze Supporting Site host Rick
Robertson from East Gippsland,
Victoria has used saltbush to
transform his saline flats to a
productive area, ideal for lambing
ewes.
l Shrub hedgerows have been
successfully used to produce
feed and shelter in otherwise
unproductive, saline soils.
l
Wind chill measurements taken at
lambing revealed the hedgerows
reduced the number of times the
wind chill reached high-risk levels.
East Gippsland Merino producer Rick Robertson with saltbush hedgerows at the Bengworden EverGraze Supporting Site.
establishing saltbush
I
n an effort to improve low-lying
unproductive saline land and provide
lambing shelter, Victorian woolgrower Rick
Robertson has established saltbush.
During spring 2004, Rick chose a 16ha
trial site on the lakeside flats, less than 1500
metres from the shores of Lake Victoria.
This site was split into a 10ha treatment
block and a 6ha control block.
The control block was covered in mainly
native grasses, tussocks and weeds and
was left untouched.
The treatment block was disced
and cross ripped. Dolomite was applied
at a rate of one tonne per hectare and
incorporated with a second cultivation. To
maximise shelter for lambs, the saltbush
was established as hedgerow windbreaks,
aligned north to south, with 4.5 metre
spacing between the rows.
Six hectares of the treatment block
were sown to Atriplex nummularis (oldman
saltbush), Atriplex nummularis cv De Kock
(De Kock) and Rhagodia candolleana
(seaberry saltbush), at a rate of 2700
seedlings per hectare, planted with a
lettuce planter hired from a local vegetable
grower, and costing $1000/ha.
The remaining four hectares of the
treatment block were sown with oldman
saltbush seed, at a cost of $150/ha for
seed, using a borrowed homemade
saltbush seeder.
Both the seeds and seedlings
established well, and while the seedlings
were faster to establish, there was little
difference between the two techniques
after two years.
The plants were left untouched for the
first 12 months, reaching an average height
of one metre. The plants were dense and
multi-stemmed, producing a significant
quantity of leaf material.
Grazing benefits
The saltbush certainly achieved the
aim of bringing a previously unproductive
site back into production, providing
significantly more grazing days than the
neighbouring, unimproved control block.
“We found the adult sheep adapted
quickly to saltbush as a feed source
and that they could maintain their body
condition during general feed shortages.
This reduced the time and money we
spent on supplementary feeding. Lambs
were more difficult to introduce onto the
saltbush, as they preferred the grasses in
the inter-row areas,” Rick explained.
“The result was that the 10ha of
saltbush improved the overall carrying
capacity of the farm, adding value to it as
an asset.”
Combating wind chill
To determine the protective value
of the saltbush, as part of an EverGraze
Supporting Site, Rick decided to carry out
a simple demonstration using two flocks
of lambing ewes to compare weaning
percentages on the saltbush paddocks with
the unimproved site.
The Supporting Site was complemented
by concurrent trials performed by Darren
Hickey, Department of Primary Industries,
Victoria, who used equipment to measure
the difference in wind chill between
saltbush hedgerows and unsheltered areas.
The results for the saltbush hedgerows
were again encouraging, and showed that
the hedgerows were effective in reducing
the number of wind chill events and chill
days during lambing periods (see Table 1
below).
“The hedgerows reduced the
occurrence of wind chill events by up
to 90 per cent compared with the open
paddocks,” Rick said, “although this did
not translate into significant marking rate
increases in the study years, which had few
severe wind chill days.”

More information:
The full case study is available on the
EverGraze website www.evergraze.com.au
TABLE 1. Number of wind chill events (where
heat loss exceeded 1000kJ/m2/hour)
2010
2011
Sheltered, hedgerow site (best across sites)
330
640
Open, unprotected site
3292
1615
Percentage reduction
90%
60%
selling more
on-farm
wool
December 2012
Photo: Darren Hickey, DPI Victoria.
Beyond the Bale
East Gippsland producer Rick Robertson and other local producers
inspect seaberry saltbush, one of two species of forage shrubs sown
Photo: Darren Hickey, DPI Victoria.
on the trial site to provide feed and shelter for lambing Merinos.
Anemometers were placed among the saltbush hedgerows on the
25
The EverGraze program
has been developing and
testing new farming systems
in different environments
across the high rainfall zone
of southern Australia. The
program’s aim is to increase profits of sheep and cattle enterprises and at
the same time improve water management, use of perennials, biodiversity
and soil health.
Six research teams at EverGraze Proof Sites in three states have been
testing innovative grazing and livestock production systems to determine
their impact on environmental outcomes and farm profitability. A network
of Supporting Sites is associated with each Proof Site allowing groups of
producers to try new grazing practices and perennial systems under ‘real
farming’ conditions.
EverGraze is an AWI, Future Farm Industries CRC, and Meat &
Livestock Australia research and delivery partnership. The Victorian
Supporting Sites are funded by Caring for our Country through Central
Highlands Agribusiness Forum (CHAF).
AWI has invested in EverGraze since 2007. Between 2007 and 2011
AWI contributed $3.5 million to the Evergraze project out of a total of
$22 million by all parties. The net payoff to farmers successfully adopting
Evergraze recommendations is estimated to be up to $50 per hectare.
To capitalise on R&D outcomes achieved from 2007 to 2011, AWI is
supporting Evergraze Phase VI (for 2011/12 and 2012/13) which seeks to
increase adoption of Evergraze practices. AWI’s investment over the two
years is $1.4million out of a total investment by all parties of $2.8million. 
More information: www.evergraze.com.au
View a video about the EverGraze program at
www.youtube.com/awiwoolproduction
trial site, to measure and record wind speed at 10-minute intervals.
New WormBoss website
W
ormBoss has been a favourite
with sheep producers since it was
launched in 2005 and now it is even better.
Following a major upgrade funded by
AWI and the Sheep CRC, www.wormboss.
com.au is now hosted by the Sheep CRC
and has many new, improved and easy to
use features.
The aim of WormBoss is to reduce
unnecessary drenching and minimise the
onset of drench resistance while increasing
animal productivity and profitability.
WormBoss offers real help for
producers with drenching decisions, and
provides regional Drench Decision Guides,
regional worm control programs, and a
substantial library of information on worm
control.
Free monthly email alerts
about worms in your region
One of the most useful features of
WormBoss is the free monthly WormBoss
News email newsletter that provides access
website (www.flyboss.org.au) also
hosted by the Sheep CRC. The LiceBoss
website (www.liceboss.com.au) will also
be transferred in due course to provide
growers with an interrelated suite of
parasite control websites with the best
information and the most cost efficient
management into the future.

to the latest regional worm outlook from
around Australia and feature articles.
Content is coordinated by a technical
committee of sheep parasitologists from
WA, Queensland, NSW, SA, Victoria and
Tasmania, and features input from private
More information: www.wormboss.com.au
veterinarians and consultants and
government veterinarians from
around Australia.
To subscribe, click the
Subscribe to WormBoss icon on
the home page and fill in your
details. If you have previously
subscribed to the WormBoss
News email newsletter you
will continue to be sent the
newsletter, but if you are no
longer receiving it then please
contact WormBoss through the
feedback section at the bottom
of the home page of the new
website.
The WormBoss website
complements the FlyBoss
A screenshot of the new WormBoss website.
26
on-farm
December 2010
2012
September
Beyond
Beyond the
the Bale
Bale
Young guns tackle
climate variability
Woolgrowers James Walker, Kathleen Allen and James Hegarty, who will link researchers and producers through the Climate Champion program.
Fast facts
PROGRAM OUTLINE
JOINING THE CHARGE
l AWI has recently given three young
woolgrowers the opportunity to
join the national Climate Champion
program, giving them direct access
to the latest R&D results on climate
variability.
l The Climate Champion program uses
producers to link the latest research
findings to on-farm management
practices.
l Each Young Climate Champion
grower is already adapting their
management in response to
climate variability, but is keen to
learn and do more.
In broad terms, the Climate Champion
program aims to get climate-related
research information out to the agricultural
community, by recruiting those who are
most likely to be adopting tools and
practices to help them better manage their
climate.
In turn, the Climate Champion
participants are expected to feed
information from farmers back to
researchers, about what farmers need
to better manage climate risk on their
properties.
For the AWI Young Climate Champion
woolgrowers, much of what they will do
under the program involves showcasing
to their peers the practices and farming
systems they already use to manage
climate variability and mitigate greenhouse
gas emissions.
They will also be expected to review
draft climate-related research outputs and
tools relevant to their location and farming
system, and draft communication products
such as fact sheets and website materials
to ensure they meet the needs of their
fellow farmers.
These young producers will also have
the opportunity to contribute their own
ideas to those businesses developing
new climate management tools and
technologies.
Recently recruited Young Climate
Champion grower James Walker runs
15,000 sheep under semi-arid conditions
near Longreach and Isisford in central
Queensland.
Over his two properties, covering
36,500ha in total, James expects to receive
150-380mm of rain each year, and has
therefore modified his production practices
to account for climatic and seasonal
variability.
“We have adapted our management by
revamping our livestock watering system.
We have now provided watering points for
our sheep only 1-1.5km apart, using 62km of
poly pipe and 40 new troughs to do it,” Mr
Walker said.
“We have also begun to harvest grass
during times of peak production, to capture
feed quality while it is available – we made
1000 tonnes of hay this year.”
When the 2012 Nuffield Scholar was
asked about his interest in the Climate
Champion program, he was quick to point
out the benefits of addressing climate
variability.
“It’s important to create best practices
within the industry, as adopting on-ground
activities to address climate variability has
a beneficial impact on farmer productivity.
“Addressing climate variability and
lifting agribusiness productivity go hand
D
uring September 2012, AWI began
funding young woolgrowers James
Walker, James Hegarty and Kathleen Allen
to become Young Climate Champion
woolgrowers.
All three producers are under the
age of 40 and are passionate about wool
production and keen to step up in the
industry.
The Climate Champion program has
already recruited 34 other Australian
farmers from a variety of enterprises,
recognising them as leading producers
particularly interested in managing climate
variability.
Beyond the Bale
in hand; once we realise this, developing
agricultural systems and resource
accountability will become synonymous.”
USING FORECASTS
James Hegarty is also from Longreach,
where he runs 9000 wool and meat sheep
and agistment cattle on his 13,500ha
property.
He is keen to learn all he can about the
technologies available to predict seasonal
conditions.
“With the rising costs involved with
farming, and the need to run a profitable
business every year regardless of the
season, we need to plan ahead using the
latest technologies,” Mr Hegarty said.
“If we can predict these things like
periods of above or below-average rainfall,
we can come up with a plan for the year
and budget for dry times.”
Mr Hegarty and his family currently
use a satellite internet service to monitor
a variety of weather-related websites and
adapt their farming practices according to
predictions.
“If it looks like it’s going to be a dry
year, we will buy grain when it's cheap and
store it in silos so we are ready when the
dry comes.
“We also look carefully at short-term
forecasts as we have a lot of creek systems
on our property. Website forecasts usually
give us enough time to move stock off the
creeks to prevent them from drowning if a
big wet is predicted.”
For the past 50 years, Mr Hegarty and
his family have kept rainfall records for their
entire property, with each paddock having
its own gauge that is recorded each time
it rains.
“This information is very useful in
determining rainfall patterns, although
I would like to learn about combining
these records with other data to increase
its usefulness and accuracy in predicting
seasonal conditions in this area.”
SOUTHERN INFLUENCE
Even in higher rainfall areas of Australia,
woolgrowers such as the third Young
Climate Champion grower Kathleen Allen
are aware understanding climate trends
is crucial for their future production and
enterprise survival.
“Extension activities and
communicating the latest scientific
research in the area of climate variability
is critical, so farmers can make informed
decisions about their management
practices and change them if appropriate,”
she said.
selling more
on-farm
wool
“Climatic conditions impact on soil
health and pasture production, which
directly affects the sustainability of our
operations.”
Kathleen runs 830 superfine Merino
wool sheep over two properties totalling
205ha near Yass in central NSW. These
properties receive 625–650mm of rainfall
each year.
She already uses climate predictions
as part of her farm management, and has
adapted her practices accordingly.
“We make decisions such as stocking
rate and the timing of grazing based on
pasture availability and recovery, which
depends on rainfall and growing season.
“Over the past 12 years, we have moved
from a set-stocking program to a more
rotational grazing model.
27
“Under this system, the stocking density
is higher but for shorter periods, and is
matched to pasture availability.
“This has allowed us to better manage
our native pastures.
“We have also incorporated a program
of rye-based pastures into a number of
paddocks and have undertaken extensive
erosion control and tree planting works
to ensure ground cover and shelter
throughout the property.
“We carefully manage weeds to
maximise pasture productivity and reduce
competition, especially during drier
periods.”

More information: Sarah Cole, Manager,
Climate Champion program, (07) 3846 7111,
[email protected]
LEARNING FROM THE LOCALS
Photo: Simone Christie, Buloke Times
December 2012
James Walker (second from left) and James Hegarty (right) discuss local production issues with Victorian
producers David Drage and David Smith at a recent Climate Champion workshop.
During October, the Climate
Champion program descended on the
Victorian towns of Birchip and Horsham,
to hear from local researchers and
farmers about how they are adapting to
climate variability.
The program participants toured the
Birchip Cropping Group’s crop trials,
the Free-Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment
(FACE) project and the Australian
Temperate Field Crops seedbank
collection, run by the Department of
Primary Industries, Horsham.
This gave program participants
the opportunity to explore climate
management issues in more depth. Local
farmers David Smith (Birchip), David
Drage (Warracknabeal), Susan Findlay
Tickner (Horsham) and Ian McClelland
(Birchip) also hosted farm visits and
talked about the practice changes they
have made over the years to their sheep
and cropping operations.
“The most valuable thing is talking
to different growers in different areas,
and learning from them how they have
adapted to climate conditions,” said one
Climate Champion producer.
The Climate Champion program
participants also met with Bureau of
Meteorology (BOM) climate experts
Andrew Watkins and Oscar Alves.
These scientists discussed multiweek and seasonal forecasting, as well
as climate tools, with the participants. In
turn, many producers suggested a phone
app that shows BOM climate and weather
information would be an invaluable tool.
28
on-farm
selling more wool
December 2010
2012
September
Beyond
Beyond the
the Bale
Bale
AWI 2013
Fast facts
Nuffield scholar
M
atthew Ipsen, from Wareek in Victoria,
has been awarded the prestigious
2013 Nuffield Scholarship supported
by AWI. He will use his scholarship to
investigate world’s best practice in sheep
reproduction and lamb survival.
Mr Ipsen is a director of a private
agricultural company with his parents and
together they own and operate an 820ha
property in central Victoria, consisting of
3000 sheep and 400ha of crop.
The major enterprise is wool production
along with sheep meat, hay and cereals.
They also own and manage a Merino sheep
stud and contract harvest business.
As well as working on the farm, Mr
Ipsen runs a small business in sheep
artificial insemination (AI) and pregnancy
scanning. It is this business mix that
has prompted Mr Ipsen to focus on the
reproductive performance of sheep
through his Nuffield scholarship.
“Australian lamb marking percentages
have barely increased in the past 30 years,
creating opportunities for producers to
improve profitability, put greater selection
pressure on reproductive and production
rates, as well as counter animal ethical
issues by improving the survivability of
lambs,” he explains.
Mr Ipsen hopes to improve the
survivability of lambs, and in particular
twin-born lambs, in the first 48 hours of
life.
“I am hoping by studying intensive
housing of sheep and different feeding
systems, both indoors and paddock
systems, I may be able to improve the
health of pregnant ewes allowing them to
birth without difficulties.
“I am also looking to gain an
understanding of how Australian producers
can improve on current conception rates
and build on management systems that will
allow for increases in litter size,” he says.
Mr Ipsen is planning on visiting New
Zealand, Europe, the USA and South Africa
to conduct his research.
“Australian Wool Innovation is proud
to continue its partnership with Nuffield
Australia through a wool scholarship.
Matthew has shown commitment to the
wool industry and undertaking a Nuffield
Scholarship is the natural next step for
l
Matthew Ipsen, from Wareek in
Victoria, has been awarded a 2013
Nuffield Scholarship supported
by AWI to investigate world’s best
practice in sheep reproduction and
lamb survival adjustments for various
sized sheep.
l
Mr Ipsen hopes his studies will help
improve and the survivability of
lambs, and in particular twin-born
lambs, in the first 48 hours of life.
l
He is also looking to gain an
understanding of how Australian
producers can improve on current
conception rates and build on
management systems that will allow
for increases in litter size.
him,” says Dr Jane Littlejohn, Head of
On-Farm RD&E.
“His study topic is very relevant and
will no doubt enable him to compare
best practice from around the world,” she
concluded.
Nuffield Australia is an organisation
which provides an opportunity to
Australian farmers to travel overseas on
an agricultural research scholarship. It is a
16-week program consisting of both group
and individual travel.

More information: Nuffield Australia Farming
Scholars website: www.nuffield.com.au
Matthew Ipsen: [email protected]
REcent AWI Nuffield woolgrower scholars
•
•
•
•
•
•
2012 – James Walker, Longreach, Queensland. James is currently studying if the
multiple reproductive cycle trait of ewes can be capitalised to speed up the lamb-to-lamb interval using real-time, remote weight and health management.
2011 – James Robertson, Renmark, South Australia. James studied animal
nutrition, focussing on weaning and feedlotting.
2009 – David Cussons, Kojunup, Western Australia. Report: “Talking agriculture a study of communication techniques and approaches to crisis communication”.
2008 – Ben Ranford, Cleve, South Australia. Report: “The role of farmer
collaboration in creating supply solutions”.
2007 – James Walker, Carrick, Tasmania. Report: “Wool and sheep production in
the global market”.
2007 – Andrew Bouffler, Lockhart, NSW. Report: “How to fully utilise and rapidly
improve the Australian maternal ewe flock (including Merinos) to ensure continuity of supply into our valuable meat and wool markets”.
More information: The reports are available on the Nuffield International Farming Scholars
website www.nuffieldinternational.org
PHOTO: Lachy Steed, Maryborough Advertiser
Recent AWI Nuffield woolgrower scholars and their study areas or report titles are:
Woolgrower Matthew Ipsen from Wareek in Victoria
has been awarded a 2013 Nuffield Scholarship
supported by AWI.
selling more
on-farm
wool
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
29
Baiting
helps
wild dog
control
Fast facts
l AWI-funded community baiting
coordinators are helping sheep
producers and communities tackle the
wild dog problem.
l The coordinators help deliver
training, bait supply, technical
support and coordination of land
managers.
l Sheep producer Craig Lloyd from
Ensay, Victoria says a collaborative
approach by the baiting
coordinator and the farming
community is helping reduce dog
numbers in his locality.
C
raig Lloyd is a sheep producer from
the high country area at Ensay in East
Gippsland. He is one of several landholders
in the area who are active in combating
wild dog predation and encouraging the
local community join in their initiatives.
Craig says the local community’s
activities, assisted with funding from
AWI, have resulted in a reduction in dog
numbers and lower incidence of predation
on his own property and neighbouring
properties.
“The impact of dogs on our farm
enterprises is not as significant as it once
was, which is enabling us to get on with the
business of raising sheep,” he says.
“It wasn’t uncommon to see packs
of six or seven dogs walking across your
paddock. But things have really quietened
down for now – which is good for the
stock, and the local wildlife. It has also
alleviated a lot of the stress that producers
have been feeling about stock losses.
“AWI’s support for dog control has been
extremely useful in the Ensay area. Brian
Dowley, the AWI-funded community baiting
coordinator, helps facilitate the baiting. For
Sheep producer Craig Lloyd (left foreground) and Community Baiting Coordinator Brian Dowley
(centre) with Bestwool/Bestlamb Chairman Jason Trompf (right) at a meeting of the Ensay
Bestwool/Bestlamb group that Craig facilitates.
instance he ensures the correct number
of baits are supplied and distributed. It’s
important that the baits are on the ground
across a large baiting area within the same
24 hours – this helps increase the chance
that dogs within an area will take a bait.
Collaboration with neighbouring and local
farmers is vital.
“The funding for the actual baits and
trap kits by AWI has been a real boost. The
funding acts as an incentive for farmers
to get involved. Trapping remains an
important part to pick up dogs that the
baits don’t get. We’ve been having a lot of
success with reducing the number of foxes
too."
Craig knows that to make good
progress against wild dogs, landholders
should have an ongoing, integrated
approach to wild dog prevention.
“Baiting is just part of an effective
control strategy,” he says. “Other important
considerations include competent wild
dog controllers, shooting and trapping.
Well maintained electric fences are also an
effective means of keeping out the dogs –
they enable me to sleep better at night.
“I know that some people in other
areas outside of Ensay have traditionally
been a bit skeptical about baiting – but by
introducing it as a complement to other
control methods hopefully they’ll begin to
see its value.”
Craig is also a coordinator for his local
Bestwool/Bestlamb group.
“Initiatives such as Bestwool/
Bestlamb – also funded by AWI – provide
a complementary role to the on-ground
activity by keeping producers focussed on
their business. It’s important to keep the
dog problem in perspective – killing dogs
is just a means to an end, we make our
money by raising sheep.
“This is a great region for sheep, but
the wild dog problem over the years drove
many farmers to turn to cattle. There used
to be about 25-30,000 sheep in the area,
but numbers fell to about 3000. Now
with reduced dog numbers, there is a real
potential for farmers to come back to
sheep, which they can make good money
out of in a region like this.”
Baiting coordinator Brian Dowley
is part of the AWI’s wild dog project in
Victoria which involved the establishment
of coordinators in the wild dog affected
areas of Gippsland and the north east of
the state.
“I am here to help producers develop
cooperative programs that will provide long
term benefits,” Brian says.
“Coordinated baiting programs
are an effective, proven model for the
management of wild dogs across Australia.
The communities affected by wild dogs
within this project will benefit from an
organised program of locally delivered
1080 training and accreditation, bait
supply, on-going technical support and
coordination of all land managers to
achieve effective wild dog management.”
AWI’s wild dog project in Victoria
complements similar AWI projects under
way in NSW, Queensland and South
Australia.

More information:
www.wool.com/pestanimals
THE OJD MENACE IS A THREAT
TO YOUR FLOCK
Vaccination with Gudair has been highly successful in protecting many flocks,
but Ovine Johne’s disease is still threatening properties all across Australia.
Safety
vaccinator.
Now available.
If OJD gets onto your property, your sheep will slowly waste away, destroying
your bottom line and limiting your trade opportunities.
Due to the persistent nature of OJD bacteria, it’s important to keep up your
Gudair vaccination program. In fact, experience shows that OJD can
re-appear if vaccination is stopped.
So give one dose to lambs at 4–16 weeks and protect them for life.
For more information on how to protect your flock, talk
to your Pfizer Sheep Product Specialist on 1800 814 883.
Sheep Health. Performance. Growth.
Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd, 38-42 Wharf Road, West Ryde, NSW 2114. ABN 50 008 422 348.
® Registered Trademark of Pfizer Australia. 06/12 PAL0724/BB.
VACCINATE LAMBS WITH
selling more
on-farm
wool
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
31
Shearing competition
support
Fast facts
l A
WI is providing support to
shearing competitions at local,
state and national levels.
l The aim is promote excellence and
encourage better techniques in
shearing and woolhandling.
l AWI supported the National
Championships and Trans-Tasman
Tests that were held at the
Warrnambool Show at the end of
October.
A
WI provides support for shearing and
woolhandling competitions across the
country, with the main aims of promoting
excellence within the shearing industry,
and to encourage young people to join the
industry.
Support is being provided to local
and regional competitions that are
affiliated with, or offer a clear pathway
to, the state and national competitions
conducted by Sports Shear Australia
Association – the internationally recognised
body representing shearing industry
competitions in Australia. About 40-50
competitions take place across Australia
each year, with over 90 per cent affiliated
(directly or indirectly) with Sports Shear.
AWI Program Manager for Shearing
and Industry Development Ian Evans
says AWI is keen to raise the profile and
status of the shearing industry by enabling
participation in well conducted shearing
and woolhandling competitions.
“Competitions help encourage better
techniques in shearing and woolhandling,
which is for the benefit of the woolgrowing
industry from which they derive", he said.
"AWI’s support aims to encourage a quality
workforce, an interest in wool, and an
appreciation of the art and skill of shearers
and woolhandlers."
“AWI’s financial support for
competitions makes a significant impact
on the viability of many competitions. In
addition to supporting local and regional
competitions, AWI also provides support to
competitions at state and national
levels."

Angela Wakely from NSW competing at the National Woolhandling Championships. Angela came
2nd in the Final, qualifying her as a member of the Australian Team, along with fellow NSW Team
member Kayla Garner. Photo: Aimee Snowden
NATIONAL SHEARING AND WOOLHANDLING CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
The National Championships, held at the Warrnambool Show at the end of October,
were supported by AWI. A Trans-Tasman Test was also held. The results were:
NATIONAL SHEARING
FINAL
NATIONAL
WOOLHANDLING FINAL
NATIONAL BLADES
FINAL
1. Shannon Warnest (SA)
1 Kayla Garner (NSW)
1 John Dalla (SA)
2 Justin Dolphin (SA)
2 Angela Wakely (NSW)
2 Peter Artridge (NSW)
3 Robbie Glover (Tas)
3 Jessica Whatley (Tas)
3 Ken French (Vic)
4 Wayne Hosie (NSW)
4 Michelle Walker (Tas
4 Nick Denniss (NSW)
5 Daniel McIntyre (NSW)
5 Mat Stasinowsky (SA)
5 Richie Foster (Vic)
6 Roger Mifsud (Vic)
6 Sarah Moran (Vic)
6 Garry Griffin (Vic)
National Team Finals (combined shearing and woolhandling results)
1 South Australia
2 New South Wales
3 Tasmania
TRANS -TASMAN
SHEARING TEST
TRANS-TASMAN
WOOLHANDING TEST
TRANS-TASMAN BLADES
TEST
1. Australia
1 Australia
1 New Zealand
2 New Zealand
2 New Zealand
2 Australia
More information: AWI has produced a video of the shearing and
woolhandling competitions at the National Championships, which includes
interviews with participants and plenty of action from the boards. To view
the video, go to www.youtube.com/awiwoolproduction
32
on-farm
December 2010
2012
September
Beyond
Beyond the
the Bale
Bale
Shed
upgrade
a 'shear
delight'
Stuart Mitchell outside the shed at ‘Cashel Vale’, Queenland.
Fast facts
l S
tuart and Ba Mitchell from Bollon
Queensland upgraded their shed
over a period of years to help
spread the costs
l The Mitchells wanted to create the
best working environment they
could for shearers, to improve the
shed’s efficiency and produce a
better clip.
l Mr Mitchell says obtaining input
from shearing contractors
and regular shearers into the
redevelopment was important to
ensure success.
W
oolgrower Stuart Mitchell
says creating a good working
environment is critical to attracting and
retaining shearers, and has the added
benefit of improving the shearing operation.
“The shearing shed on our property
was built in the 1950s and while it had
‘good bones’, parts of it were in need of an
upgrade and we could see an opportunity
to make a number of improvements.
“The design and layout weren’t
working nearly as well as they could for
us. Everything was bolted down, which
meant there was no flexibility to shift the
configuration to meet the needs of the
shearing team each season.
“A good example is this year, where we
had a lot of seed in the wool following a wet
season. The wool handlers needed more
time to work with the wool, and having
everything fixed in place would have made
it much more difficult.”
APPROACH
Around 10 years ago the Mitchells
started planning upgrades to the shed to
bring it into the twenty first century. Having
been in many a shearing shed, Mr Mitchell
had a clear idea of the changes he wanted
to make, which he tested with his shearing
contractor and regular shearers
“I think talking to the shearers
beforehand was critical,” he says. “While
I felt I had a good understanding of what
was needed and would make a difference,
it’s the shearers that use the shed and their
input is invaluable."
In planning the improvements, Mr
Mitchell wanted to address the following
elements in the shed’s design and layout:
1. Good lighting – This is important for
shearing and critical for wool classing.
2. Work space flexibility – Having a modular design means the layout can
be adjusted to meet the changing needs
of the shearing team.
3. Health and safety – Providing a safe
work environment is a necessity,
but addressing health and safety
considerations can also make day to
day work easier on the team and help
to improve the longevity of shearers’
careers.
4. Equipment – Having modern equipment in good working order helps to maximise the number of sheep
shorn daily.
While good airflow is essential in
keeping the shed cool, this was working
well and wasn’t something the Mitchells
needed to improve.
Proper lighting in the shed is especially important for wool classers.
on-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
33
“We wanted to create
the best working
environment we could
for shearers, knowing
that if we achieved
this, we could improve
the shed’s efficiency
overall and arguably
produce a better clip.”
STUART MITCHELL
White walls improve lighting and help keep the shed cool.
IMPLEMENTATION
The Mitchells made the majority
of changes over three years and have
continued to make small improvements
each year. This staggered approach
enabled them to budget for and spread the
costs over several seasons.
The first year was focused on
modernising equipment essential to the
shearing operation and involved replacing
the original 1950s shaft driven gear with
electric equipment.
The Mitchells saw this as the most
important step in enhancing the working
environment for shearers, safety-wise and
efficiency-wise. Swings were also installed
for the harnesses, helping to reduce the
strain and stress on shearers, meaning they
work more comfortably throughout the day
and pull up better the following day.
In the second year the Mitchells
invested in better lighting to enhance
conditions for the wool handlers, classer
and shearers. Proper lighting enables the
wool handlers to work more efficiently in
moving fleeces across the table without
straining their eyes. It also gives shearers
a clearer view of the sheep being shorn,
helping work towards a better clip.
In the third year, the Mitchells painted
the inside of the shed white to enhance the
new lighting that had been installed the
year before, the reflection brightening all
working areas of the shed. Shearers in the
shed also say that having the shed painted
white makes it cooler, with heat possibly
reflected off the roof and exterior walls
which are also painted a light colour. In
the same year, Mr Mitchell also set about
custom making modular bins for the wool
that sit on runners and can be easily moved
around the boards.
In the years following, while the
Mitchells were working on gaining
green tick accreditation for Cashel Vale,
occupational health and safety (OH&S)
improvements were implemented, including
the installation of safety rails and signage,
the reduction in fire hazards, and the
inclusion of well-marked fire extinguishers
and first aid kits for emergency situations.
INVESTMENT
Investment in shed infrastructure has
been made over a decade, enabling money
to be spent in line with farm cash flow and
be broken down into a per head figure for
the flock.
“In the past ten years for every sheep
that we’ve shorn in this shed we’ve
spent approximately 40 to 70 cents
on safety, equipment and maintenance
improvements,” Mr Mitchell says.
“The big ticket item was running
underground power to the shed, which
cost us approximately $20,000 to install.
Replacing the old shaft driven gear was
$12,000 and the biggest improvement we
made for the shearers.
“Painting the inside of the shed was
reasonably inexpensive and we were
able to build the modular bins and safety
railings ourselves on-farm, saving money.
"Signage was a reasonable cost, though
we managed that by making purchases
over time rather than all at once.”
Mr Mitchell says that measuring return
on investment can be difficult in monetary
terms; however improved efficiencies
and safety have made the investment
worthwhile.
“We wanted to create the best working
environment we could for shearers,
knowing that if we achieved this, we could
improve the shed’s efficiency overall and
arguably produce a better clip.
“We have a really happy shed and the
same guys are back every year. Having
an above-average shed for the area also
means we can expect an above-average
job at shearing time.” 
More information: The full case study and
video featuring the Mitchell’s shed are
available at www.bestprac.info
AWI’s shearing shed guidelines are
available on the AWI website at
www.wool.com/sheds
Having work space flexibility and modern
Modular bins which can be easily moved help create a
equipment were essential to the shed’s upgrade.
flexible work environment.
34
on-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
New shed developed
from scratch
Fast facts
l P
araway Pastoral has built a new
shearing shed on its Steam Plains
Station, located 35km north east
of Conargo in NSW, to replace the
former 110 year old shed.
l The company needed a shed that
would support shearing 40,000
sheep every six months.
l The new shed has a working
environment that is safe, efficient,
functional and enjoyable, which
has also resulted in improved
woolhandling and clip preparation.
S
hearing is a big undertaking at Paraway
Pastoral’s Steam Plains Station, located
35km north east of Conargo in NSW. The
47,000ha property runs approximately
40,000 sheep, which are shorn twice a
year.
When Paraway Pastoral acquired Steam
Plains, the existing shearing shed was well
over 110 years old and in a state of disrepair,
so a decision was made to build a new
shed.
Magnus Aitken has been the property
manager at Steam Plains for six years and
he led the project from start to finish. While
planning for the new shed began in 2006,
Magnus Aitken, property manager "Steam Plains", standing in the shed built in 2010 by Paraway Pastoral.
the severe drought reduced sheep numbers
and meant that the final design was not
completed until 2010.
Mr Aitken says he wanted to have a
shed that was functional and efficient for
shearers and for Paraway.
“Attracting and retaining shearers
is one of the biggest challenges facing
woolgrowers and the industry,” Mr Aitken
says. “Shearing should be no different
to any other industry and we have a
responsibility to provide good working
conditions, as you would expect in any
workplace."
SHED DESIGN
Horseshoe design
With so many sheep to be shorn every
six months, Mr Aitken wanted to ensure
that shearing could get completed in four
weeks. This meant there needed to be
ten shearing stations, plus an eleventh to
support a left handed shearer who is part
of their regular team.
A horseshoe layout is efficient because
it keeps the shed together, with the
shearing stands surrounding the classing
tables in the middle. The furthest distance
from the board to a table is about six to
eight steps.
Utilising gravity
Raised boards make for easy woolhandling.
The shed incorporates features that use
gravity to the shearing team’s advantage.
This approach means a shed that operates
on three levels.
A raised board, along with the catching
pens, makes up the top level. The catching
on-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
pens are slightly sloped, with the wooden
grating running lengthways. The sheep
naturally stand facing away from the pen
doors, with their heads ‘uphill’. When the
shearers enter to drag a sheep out for
shearing, they are already facing in the
right direction and are simply tipped and
dragged downhill, making the process
efficient and easier on the shearer.
The shed hands work one level lower
on the classing and sorting floor. This
means they don’t have to bend down to
pick up the wool. The raised board allows
shed hands to lean in to collect the fleece
with minimal strain on the back. The raised
board also ensures that shed hands are
in good position to remove any stained
wool as it comes off the sheep, without
interfering with the shearer.
The bins are on casters and once full
can be rolled over to the edge of the floor
and tipped into the wool bin on the level
below for baling.
Sheep are loaded into the shed at the
upper level and once shorn, they move
down the chutes to a holding area below
where they can be drenched, vaccinated,
etc.
Enough space
There is more than the minimum
required amount of distance between each
shearing station, creating enough space for
the shearers and shed hands to easily move
around and do their jobs.
The shearing platform is also wider than
usual, allowing shearers to move sheep
around easily if they are having any hassles,
without disturbing their neighbour. It also
allows enough space for fleeces to be partskirted on the board as the shed hands are
going past.
35
Bins on casters make for easy movement around the
High quality facilities for the shearing team at Steam
shearing shed.
Plains.
Facilities
environment, you get the most out of
people and as a result a better job at the
end of the day,” Mr Aitken says.
“Our woolhandling and clip preparation
is probably around 50 per cent better than
what it was, and that’s enormous. The
feedback we get from the people buying
our wool is that the clip preparation is first
class.”
The response from shearers, shed
hands and contractors has also been
overwhelmingly positive.
“The feedback we get is that it’s a great
environment to work in. If you provide
good conditions for people they appreciate
that you value the work they are doing.
That’s what it’s all about.”

Paraway has also invested in high
quality facilities beyond the shearing
shed that form an important part of the
workplace environment. The shearers’ huts,
bathroom and kitchen facilities have been
rebuilt to a high standard.
Health and safety
Health and safety considerations
underpinned much of the shed design and
elements that were incorporated in the
build. In addition to the elements outlined
above, this also included the height and
width of the shearing board and classing
tables, placement of equipment, multidirectional design of the gates in the
catching pens, safety railings, warning
signs, mounting points for the use of
harnesses and so on.
RESULTS
“By creating an enjoyable work
More information: The full case study and
video featuring the Steam Plains shed are
available at www.bestprac.info
AWI’s shearing shed guidelines are at
www.wool.com/sheds
Lighting
Getting the lighting right took some
work. Mr Aitken wanted to create a natural
light to aid in wool classing. He also wanted
to prevent shadows being cast when
shearers were leaning over the sheep or in
any way over the wool classing tables. This
made the bulbs, type of lights and their
placement all-important in achieving the
desired effect.
Airflow
There are Riverina shutters along the length
of the walls, and the shed is a couple of
meters off the ground, which encourage
airflow. Fans are located across the boards
to keep the team and the sheep cool. The
ceiling is also slanted, with openings in the
roof ridge that allow the hot air to escape.
With a horseshoe layout, the furthest distance from the board to a table is about six to eight steps.
36
on-farm
December 2010
2012
September
Beyond
Beyond the
the Bale
Bale
Sheep handling
innovations
Fast facts
lS
heepConnect SA supported
by AWI has coordinated and
undertaken farm innovation
days to promote sheep handling
innovations.
l
The events focused on labour
saving opportunities to increase
profits within the sheep business.
l
The events included working
demonstrations of the latest
sheep handling machinery and
innovations.
David Willersdorf demonstrates the capabilities of the Racewell sheep handler to producers at the Cummins
Farm Innovations Day.
S
heep producers on the Eyre Peninsula
and Mallee of South Australia have
attended Farm Innovation Days to
get ideas on ways to improve on-farm
infrastructure and management practices
within their sheep businesses.
Run by the AWI state network
SheepConnect SA, the events aimed to
increase sheep producers’ knowledge and
understanding of how to reduce labour
and lift profits.
A total of 624 producers and industry
stakeholders attended seven events –
mostly hosted by local sheep producers –
in Murray Town, Coomandook, Turretfield,
Willalooka (completed in April 2012) and
Lameroo, Cummins and Cleve (completed
October 2012).
The events consisted of a series of
presentations in the morning covering
issues relevant to improving the sheep
enterprise and labour saving options,
followed in the afternoon by practical
demonstrations of the latest range of
machinery and innovation displays for
sheep management.
The innovations included auto drafters
and weighers, sheep handlers, auto
jetters, shearing equipment, BioClip,
sheep crutchers, pregnancy scanning,
Pedigree Matchmaker, and electronic
identification systems. As the events
were hosted on-farm, sheep were used to
demonstrate the practical application of
the innovations.
There were also displays from Natural
Resources Management Boards, Agriresellers, AWI, PIRSA Biosecurity SA,
National Livestock Identification Scheme
(NLIS) and animal health companies.
Speakers included agribusiness
consultant Ken Solly of Solly Business
Services who discussed labour efficiencies
and costing out of infrastructure
improvements for sheep enterprises.
Jason Trompf of JT Agri-source presented
on easy care and productive sheep and
their management.
Brendan Loechel of farm equipment
manufacturer Magnus Australia informed
the audience what to look for when
considering investing in a new shearing
shed or sheep yards and how to decide
whether to modify existing set-ups or
consider a new design.
Mr Loechel says new innovations in
sheep yard and shed design can assist
producers to make the job of working with
sheep a lot easier.
"The yard and shed designs of today
include all the latest technologies which
are so much better than before," Mr
Loechel said. "The new designs are more
focused on saving time. You know the job
that you need to do, and you want to be
able to just get in and do it. Most yards
are designed now so that they can be
operated as a one man and a dog team."
Wool producer Don Baillie from Tumby
Bay on the Eyre Peninsula attended the
Turretfield event in April to get design
ideas for renovating his shearing shed
and yards, plus he was interested in sheep
handling equipment.
“We were keen to introduce raised
boards to our shed and wanted to get
opinions on the most appropriate height
and depth of the board, and information
on drop chutes,” Mr Baillie said.
“It was very useful to talk to people at
the innovation day about their experience
and get their views. We also benefited
from hearing about options for yard
designs.
“I also attended the Cummins event
with my son Julian. We enjoyed the day
immensely and as a result of attending
were motivated enough to take action to
make working with sheep easier on our
property.
“The renovation of our shed is now
complete and we’ve had new yards built.
We’ve had our first shearing, and we’re
pleased that our investment in the shed
and yards is making our sheep handling
and our shearing operation easier and
more efficient.”

More information:
www.sheepconnectsa.com.au
37
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38
on-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
Merino Superior
Sires 18 released
Fast facts
l T
he latest version of Merino
Superior Sires was released in
November.
l Site reports that provide detailed
results for each site are available
online.
M
erino Superior Sires No. 18 has been
released and is available in hard copy
and from the Merino Superior Sires website
www.merinosuperiorsires.com.au
Merino Superior Sires No. 18 contains
the results of sires evaluated at 11 central
test sire evaluation sites across Australia
over the past five years (2007 to 2011
drops).
These sites include New England
(NSW), Macquarie (NSW), Bluechip
Livestock Temora (NSW), South West
Slopes (NSW), Elders Victoria, North East
Victoria, Yardstick (WA), Badgingarra
(WA), Tasmania, Bollon (Qld) and
Longreach (Qld).
Individual Site Reports can also be
found on the Merino Superior Sires website
under “CTSE sites and reports”.
New features in this edition of Merino
Superior Sires include details on:
•
Three new MERINOSELECT indexes
•
Genomic Breeding Values for Poll/
Horn
•
Top 50 sires ranked on Index over the
past five years for each of the three
indexes
•
Individual results of the 238 sires
evaluated at each of the 11 breeder
managed Central Test Sire Evaluation
sites.
An all time (1989-2011 drops) “Top 50”
sire list for each index can also be found on
the Merino Superior Sires website.

Recommended ewe tail length on a
"SkinTracted" Sheep
SiNcE 1989
Central Test Sire Evaluation Results
NUMBER 18 – 2012 | 2007 – 2011 Drops
10
7
1
8
2
5
11 9
3
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
New England
Macquarie
Elders Victoria
North East Victoria
Yardstick
Tasmania
7. The Queensland cTSE
8. Badgingarra
9. South West Slopes
10. Longreach
11. Bluechip Livestock Temora
4
6
Regular updates are available at:
www.merinosuperiorsires.com.au
Merino Superior Sires No.18 was released in November.
More information:
www.merinosuperiorsires.com.au
For hard copies of the Merino Superior
Sires No. 18, contact the Executive Officer
of the Australian Merino Sire Evaluation
Association, Ben Swain, on 0427 100 542
or [email protected]
Tail length
literature review
Fast facts
l A
literature review of over 30
publications on tail length since
the 1930s is on the AWI website.
l The current recommendation is
to dock the tail of ewe and ram
lambs, “immediately below the
third palpable joint” (the so called
medium-long tail).
rts
e repo
e
ed sit
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T
he docking of lambs’ tails reduces
the life-long susceptibility of sheep
to breech strike, dags, shearing cuts and
grass seed infection. The move back to
unmulesed sheep has resulted in some
producers questioning the current
recommendation for tail length.
The current recommendation is to
dock the tail of ewe lambs, “immediately
below the third palpable joint” (the so
called medium-long tail) and “males can
be docked one joint shorter”. This results
in the healed tail protecting the anal
region and extending to the tip of the
vulva in ewes.
The tail length recommendation is
largely based on a series of research trials
in the 1930s and 1940s at five “low dag”
sites from Central NSW to Cunnamulla,
on over 10,000 unmulesed sheep and
from trials in the 1970s using mulesed
sheep. This research revealed that the
best protection from breech strike and
shearing cuts was obtained by docking
the tails immediately below the third
palpable joint. Docking the tails of
unmulesed sheep at the second joint or
shorter resulted in an inferior result, with
these sheep experiencing two to three
times the rate of breech strike as sheep
with the recommended length. Short
length tails took longer to heal and were
more likely to be infected.
Nearly all the tail length trials were
conducted in low-dag country.
A literature review of over 30
publications on tail length since the 1930s
is on the AWI website www.wool.com 
More information: www.wool.com
on-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
39
Sheep Genetics
website revamped
Fast facts
l
The Sheep Genetics website has
been restructured and updated to
make it easier for users to navigate
and find information.
l
AWI and Meat and Livestock
Australia invest in Sheep Genetics
with the overarching goal of
facilitating increased rates of genetic
improvement in the sheep industry.
l
MERINOSELECT is the part of
Sheep Genetics that can help
woolgrowers identify Merino sheep
in terms of their benchmarked
genetic potential and the value
they can bring to their business.
The home page of the new Sheep Genetics website.
T
he Sheep Genetics website has been
updated and restructured to make
the items that are most used front and
centre, such as the web search, access
to Elites and lists of “Service Provider”
businesses (data management, scanner,
genetic advisors).
Further website changes are planned
with additional content to be added and
updated over the next twelve months. Key
features are:
•
Easier ways to search for animals, and
breeder information
•
Sale and semen catalogues
•
Trait percentile tables
•
Mating predictor
•
Leading sire lists by wool type and
index
Members can use an updated
dashboard section which assesses
their rate of genetic gain, print
reports on demand and can direct
upload data and reports.
A guide to essential services is available
by clicking on the presentation "Navigating
the Sheep Genetics website" available in
the Resources >> Presentations section.
Animals can be searched for a wide
range of attributes, such as: having
minimum or maximum ranges of any
number of traits, number of progeny and
•
Search page of the sire with most progeny.
progeny sites assessed and if they have
been used at Sire Evaluation or the Sheep
CRC sites. Animals meeting the search
criteria can be ranked in increasing or
decreasing order for any trait or index. The
pedigree of animals can be investigated
with animals going back over many
generations.
A sire born in 1992 has the most
progeny to date with 4,040 progeny tested
over 46 sites. Below is his search page.
Averages are for the 2011 Drop.

More information:
www.sheepgenetics.org.au
40
on-farm
selling more wool
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
Progress in the fight
against breech strike
Producers can take advantage of “curve bender” sires when breeding sheep resistant to breech strike.
Fast facts
l Research findings show an integrated approach to
preventing breech strike remains the most effective
strategy.
l Breeding sheep resistant to breech strike remains a key
tool for producers, by culling affected animals and using
breech trait scores to reduce susceptible animals.
l In high-dag country, managing dags is the greatest
challenge for controlling breech strike.
l Chemicals remain a critical tool but must be used
carefully to avoid resistance developing.
l Research and development is continuing into mulesing
alternatives such SkinTraction®.
A
WI presented its third National Wool Research and
Development Technical Update on Breech Strike
Prevention in Sydney in August.
Presentations were made by researchers from throughout
Australia, including the Department of Agriculture and Food,
Western Australia, CSIRO, the Mackinnon Project (University
of Melbourne), Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (Armidale),
Cobbett Technologies, Sheep CRC, Joan Lloyd Consulting and
Australian Wool Exchange.
This article outlines the key messages from the August 2012
Update, and the direction of future research and development
into breech strike prevention.
Figure 1 Breech wrinkle, dag and breech cover scores.
Breeding for resistance
Good research and development progress has been made in
breeding for breech strike resistance.
Encouragingly, breech strike is both highly heritable and
repeatable. Culling breech struck sheep is therefore an obvious
way to reduce problems both now and in the future.
There is also a strong relationship between key breech trait
scores and the risk of breech strike.
These traits include breech wrinkle, dag and breech wool
cover and the range of these scores are shown in Figure 1.
The risk of strike is reduced by every 0.1 reduction in any of
these component breech scores.
The key breech trait scores producers should target are 2:2:3
for breech wrinkle score, dag score and breech cover score
respectively.
This combination can provide the equivalent protection to
mulesing.
The risk of breech strike increases quickly when any of the
individual scores rise.
on-farm
December 2012
Beyond the Bale
Environmental aspects
While quicker progress can be made through breeding to
improve wrinkle and breech cover scores, improving dag score
in Mediterranean winter-rainfall dominant regions is much more
difficult as many other environmental, non-genetic factors come
into play.
In this region of Australia, producers must contend with an
environment that causes significant dag levels in sheep, making it
‘high-dag country’.
Dags in southern Australia can swamp genetic progress made
by selecting low wrinkle and low breech cover sheep.
The selection of low-dag and low worm egg count in sheep in
high-dag country is still recommended, despite the slow progress
which will be made.
Good worm control is important and research into dags from
hypersensitivity reactions to larvae continues.
Dags also cause other production issues such as high
numbers of crutching cuts and levels of stain in the wool clip.
Management issues
In high-dag country, crutching prior to the ‘high-dag season’
of mid-winter to late spring, and chemical prevention are often
required in addition to mulesing to achieve adequate breech
strike control.
For the remaining months of the year or in low-dag country,
mulesing provides very effective control.
Since mulesing was first adopted, there has also been an
increase in improved pastures and use of fertiliser leading to
much higher stocking rates and prevalence of dags in these
southern winter-rainfall dominant areas.
41
TABLE 1. The ABSVs and percentiles for a Merino
sire with 350 progeny (pictured below)
ASBV
Merino ASBV
Percentile
Yearling body weight
5.6
Top 20%
Yearling fat
0.9
Top 1%
Yearling eye muscle
2.5
Top 1%
Yearling greasy fleece weight
11
Top 30%
Yearling fibre diameter
-1
Top 50%
Yearling staple strength
0.5
Top 50%
Yearling worm egg count
-15
Top 10%
7
Top 10%
Breech wrinkle
-0.4
Top 20%
Breech cover
-0.8
Top 1%
Dags
-0.2
Top 10%
Merino production plus index
155
Top 10%
Dual purpose plus index
166
Top 1%
Trait
Number lambs weaned
Source: MERINOSELECT database
This sire has very low
ASBVs for breech
Facts and figures
wrinkle, cover, dags
There has been a rapid adoption of breech flystrike indicator
traits by MERINOSELECT studs throughout Australia, expressed
as Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs).
The correlations between breech score and the key
production traits of fleece weight, fibre diameter and fertility are
low.
Fortunately for commercial producers, there are good
numbers of sheep which have low wrinkle, cover and dag scores
and also have high fleece value and high fertility.
The studs who have focused on breeding ‘curve benders’ for
low wrinkle and high fleece weight, have bred sheep with lower
correlations between these traits.
This further increases the number of sheep good for all the
key breech strike and production traits in these studs.
The ASBVs of one such sire, with over 300 evaluated progeny
in the MERINOSELECT database, are shown in Table 1.
The best way for commercial producers to manage multiple
trait correlations (both favourable and unfavourable) is to
understand and use ASBVs when selecting sires.
and worm egg count
Preventative measures
Research has shown high-wrinkle sheep in high-dag country
that have been treated with breech clips need to be managed as
though they were unmulesed.
The breech clips are not providing sufficient reduction in
wrinkle and dags compared to mulesing in high dag country.
There has not been any formal breech strike clip trials on
low to moderate wrinkle sheep in low-dag areas, although some
breeders in these areas are reporting adequate reductions in
yet has a Merino
Production Plus Index
in the top 10 per cent
and Dual Purpose Plus
Index in the top 1 per
cent (see Table 1).
breech strike if moderate to low-wrinkle sheep are treated with
clips.
Chemical prevention using Dicyclanil (Clik®) has been shown
to provide good protection from breech strike for all sheep
irrespective of wrinkle and dags.
Reducing dags in high-dag country is the topic of ongoing
research and development, with only limited success to date,
other than continued good worm control and breeding for lower
worm egg counts and lower dags.
Reducing resistance
To reduce the risk of future resistance to chemicals in
Australian sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) populations, it is
important to balance the chemical and non-chemical means of
making sheep less attractive to flies.
This approach is commonly referred to as Integrated
Pest Management (IPM) and typically involves best practice
combination use of chemical prevention, crutching and breeding.
It is important producers use different chemicals when
treating fly-struck sheep and preventing flystrike.
Applying chemicals effectively is critical to slowing resistance.
42
on-farm
This includes checking the most appropriate time for
treatment and using the web-based Sheep CRC resource
FlyBoss, which is available at www.flyboss.org.au
A breakdown in the efficacy of the available chemicals has
the potential to expose large numbers of unmulesed sheep to a
high risk of breech strike, and all sheep to body strike.
AWI and the NSW Department of Primary Industries are
funding a trial to look at cyromazine and dicyclanil resistance in
blowflies.
They are seeking assistance from producers in collecting
maggots to conduct resistance testing.
More information can be obtained by emailing Garry Levot
at [email protected] or telephoning him on (02) 4640
6376.
Mulesing alternative
Research trials continue into SkinTraction®, an intradermal
alternative to mulesing carried out post-weaning.
This is a low-stress method of increasing the breech and tail
bare area and reducing breech wrinkles.
SkinTraction® uses an intradermal application of sodium
lauryl sulphate (SLS) to modify the skin in the target area.
The full effect of SkinTraction® requires several months to
occur.
Early trials showed considerable variability between sites, but
this seems to have been largely overcome by adopting the new
treatment protocols that have been developed.
These protocols include the need to keep lambs well
hydrated and vaccinated against tetanus at the time of
treatment, and not treating lambs during the fly season or
during cold, wet and windy weather.
The protocols also recommend applying antiseptic to the
breech area prior to treatment, and only treating sheep greater
than 30kg, in a condition score greater than 2.5 and with breech
wool less than 8mm in length.
While there have been encouraging results in on-farm trials
the speed of treatment needs to be increased.
If it is approved for release by the APVMA, it will be rolled
out at a controlled and modest rate through trained contractors.
Improvements aimed at reducing the age, weight and
condition specifications for treatment are being planned.
At this stage it is a more technical and complex tool than
most other tools in the flystrike prevention strategy basket.
December 2010
2012
September
Beyond
Beyond the
the Bale
Bale
Pain management
The latest research into pain management during animal
husbandry procedures suggests a combination of analgesics is
more effective than single drugs in managing acute (immediate)
and chronic (longer term) phase pain.
This could involve a combination of short- and long-acting
drugs within one class, or drugs from two or more classes with
different modes of action.
Unfortunately there is a limited number of pain relief products
for sheep currently registered for use in Australia, and there is no
easy way to overcome the considerable hurdles and costs to get
new products developed and approved.
There are a number of other considerations driving product
development, including the potential for analgesic products to
improve productivity.
However, researchers believe this should be viewed as a bonus,
with a reduction in suffering being the main goal of pain relief
products.
Since the first release of accessible pain relief products in 2006,
grower adoption at mulesing has been rapid, with an estimated 70
per cent of mulesed sheep now being treated with pain relief at
mulesing.
Money talks
A report was given by Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX)
as part of the updates about the performance of wool based on
mulesing status over the past four years.
For wool sold using the National Wool Declaration (NWD) and
auction system, bales labelled as ‘Not Mulesed’, ‘Ceased Mulesed’
and ‘Pain Relief’ have risen from nine per cent to 20 per cent of all
wool sold last year.
During the 2012 season there are currently only small premiums
and discounts for wool according to mulesing status, which is likely
to continue until larger volumes of classified wool are sold.
These findings were backed up by another study from the
University of Sydney, which found between 2008 and 2011, these
premiums and discounts were small.
Direct sales offer the most potential to increase the prices
received for unmulesed, ceased mulesed and pain relief wool.
While direct-sale premiums exist, there is a lack of data to
determine their size and consistency.
Where to now?
Breeding breech strike resistant sheep will continue to be a
research and development priority.
Areas which will be studied include odours which attract or
repel flies, urine stain variation and the use of DNA technology.
It is possible ASBVs for urine stain, face cover, neck wrinkle and
perhaps odour will be created in future years.
Reducing the incidence of dags in high-dag country will be
another research priority, with a series of projects under review by
AWI. There will also be ongoing R&D into the efficacy of pain-relief
products.
Finally, work will continue to increase the engagement of
producers in the use of best management practices for breech
strike prevention in their sheep.

The modified pulse, needle-free tube applicator for SkinTraction®
More information:
• Presentations from the August 2012 Update are available at
www.wool.com/flystrikeRnDupdate
• Further information about flystrike prevention is available at
www.wool.com/flystrike and www.flyboss.org.au
Readers’
photos!
1
Have you got any interesting
photos that you’d like to
share with other readers
of Beyond the Bale?
We are always keen to
see and hear what people
working with Australian wool
are up to. If you want to share
any photos with us, please
email the image and a brief
description to the editor of
Beyond the Bale Richard
Smith at richard.smith@wool.
com. The photos could portray
any feature, be it humourous
or poignant, informative or
provoking, gritty or beautiful.
We can’t promise that we’ll
print every photo, but we’d
love to see them. Here are
a few that we have recently
received from readers.
2
1. “BUT I WANT TO DRIVE”
Lynley Anderson of Kojonup, WA sent in this
photo of “Lambie” who was orphaned when
she was young and reared by the family until
being weaned out into the paddock with the
other sheep. Lambie is seven years old now and
content to be a sheep but still loves to see her
people friends!
2. “MY MANS HANDS”
Mary-Rose Townsend from "Willow Vale" of Evans
3
Plains near Bathurst, NSW sent in this photo of her
husband admiring some beautiful staples of their
Merino wool.
3. “DINNER FOR SIX”
Graem Murray sent in this photo taken near
Augathella in western Queensland of a goat being
stalked by six wild dogs during the big wet; the
scene epitomises the reason for the decline in
sheep numbers in Queensland.
4. “WORKING CLASS BOY”
Kaye Payne of 'Glenlee' from North Yalgogrin,
NSW sent in this photo of her 15 year old
grandson Jack shearing his 100th lamb for the
day in front of his city and country cousins.
4
worms.
Kill them in sUmmer or
theY’ll Kill YoU in winter.
sUmmer drenching.
the KeY to winter prodUctivitY.
Ki l l s
>99.9%
s
of wor m
2
If the drench you use this summer is not up to scratch it’ll hurt you all through
winter. So if you want to maximise your livestock performance, then you need
to stop worms on pasture now.
That means insisting on ZOLVIX® for your crucial first summer drench.
•Kills>99.9% of worms,1 even resistant worms.
•Prolongsthelifespanandefficacyofotherdrenches.2
•Zeroresistance.
XAVIER_NAH30702_1112
www.zolvix.com
worms don’t stand a chance
References
1. Kills ›99.9% of barbers pole, small brown stomach and black scour worms. A pooled analysis of the efficacy of monepantel, an amino-acetonitrile derivative against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep. Hosking et al., Parasitol Res (2010), 106: 529-532.
2. Minimising the development of anthelmintic resistance, and optimising the use of the novel anthelmintic monepantel, for the sustainable control of nematode parasites in Australian sheep grazing systems. R.J. Dobson et al., AVJ (2011), Vol. 89, No 5.
ZOLVIX contains 25 g/L monepantel, a member of the Amino-Acetonitrile Derivative (AAD) class of anthelmintics. ZOLVIX® is a registered trademark Novartis AG, Basel, Switzerland. For full product details contact NOVARTIS CUSTOMER ADVISORY LINE on 1800 633 768
TOLL FREE between 8.30am and 5.30pm E.S.T. Monday to Friday. Novartis Animal Health Australasia Pty Limited, ACN 076 745 198, 54 Waterloo Road, North Ryde NSW 2113.