A characterisation of Tasmanian wool quality and that of similar wool producing regions on the Australian mainland for the 1991/92 to 1996/97 seasons

摘要

Tasmania produces a small proportion, between 2-3% of Australia's wool. Theudwool produced has the reputation worldwide of producing a high quality fineudproduct. There is however no supporting evidence or general characterisation ofudTasmanian wool quality. It is thought that if the superiority of Tasmanian wooludcould be demonstrated that it could be used to optimise and develop markets forudTasmanian wool. The Tasmanian wool clip is not uniform but rather a highlyudvariable product and this is expressed by the region of production, sheep breed andudtype, farming system, seasonal conditions and flock management. The interactionsudof these factors have resulted in considerable variation in the productivity of sheepudbetween different regions.udThe characteristics of Tasmanian wool have been analysed using wool test resultsudacross the season's 1991/92 to 1996/97. The Tasmanian areas analysed incorporatedudthe East Coast, Midlands and Flinders Island. The results of this characterisationudshowed that Tasmania's wool quality varies considerably between seasons andudacross the state. It also determined that: 1. Tasmania had high levels of staple strength faults across the state.ud2. Colour fault levels were low except for the northern part of the state where theudannual rainfall is high and influences the clean colour of the fleece.ud3. Vegetable matter fault was at very low levels across the state and rarely reachedudabove the 1.1% level in the fleece wool. The only significant type of vegetableudmatter present was seed/shive. Burrs and hardheads occurred at minusculeudlevels.udKey competing areas, with Tasmania, in NSW and Victoria were selected and alsoudcharacterised so to determine the advantages or benefits of Tasmanian wool. Thisudcharacterisation also showed the high levels of variation between states and seasons.udUpon comparing the levels and variation of the various faults across the three states,udit indicated: uda) Tasmania had the lowest levels of vegetable matter fault across the three states. udb) Colour levels within the fleeces were influenced by the climatic conditions of theudseason and followed a seasonal pattern across the six seasons (1991/92 toud1996/97) within all states. Tasmania had the lowest levels of colour faultudexcluding the northern area of the state.udc) Staple strength is the area of wool quality that is Tasmania's downfall whenudcomparisons are made with NSW and Victoria. Tasmania has a higherudoccurrence of strength faults across the state than either NSW or Victorian areas.udAlthough strength faults have been reduced within Tasmania across the six seasonsudit is still not uncommon for over 20% of fleeces to have a strength fault within anyudone season. However a number of areas within Tasmania have managed to reduceudthe occurrence of staple strength faults over the last six seasons.udThe key to improving strength across the state is to determine the combination ofudmanagement practices that are producing sound wool. Identifying the growers thatudare producing sound wool and determining the methods with which they areudreducing the occurrence of faults and variation within their clip may do this. Theuddifferent management practices may also be looked at between the states touddetermine why NSW and Victorian areas have a lower occurrence of strength faults. Once the key issues have been identified the knowledge must be transferred to alludwool producers so as to reduce the amount of strength faults within Tasmanianudwool. Therefore, allowing Tasmania to produce sound wool and uphold andudmaintain their world reputation for producing the best quality Merino wool in theudworld.