Technology that could revolutionise the wool industry could be available to Australian sheep producers within the next five years.
The method, which could eventually provide an alternative to shearing, involves injecting the sheep so that its fleece can then be broken off.
“It’s peeling the wool off like an orange skin,” lead researcher Phil Hynd from the University of Adelaide said.
Researchers will demonstrate the method at a field day near Deniliquin, in southern New South Wales, on Friday.
Previous attempts at biological wool harvesting focused on temporarily stopping wool growth, which resulted in fleece shedding.
The next 18 months will be critical in developing the method.
“We will know whether the injectable works the way we think it will, we'll have made progress on developing some engineering solutions to plucking it off,” Prof. Hynd said.
The new approach aims to create a weakened zone of wool, with the idea that it doesn’t break off in the paddock under normal grazing conditions.
The wool continues to grow beneath the weak point, protecting the sheep after the fleece has been harvested.
But researchers say while early trials are looking promising, they still need to work out what mechanical devices can be created to remove the weakened wool.
“Ultimately, we would see the system being fully automated,” Prof. Hynd said.
“It won’t have a handpiece, it won’t have anyone involved, it will be a machine that runs across the sheep, with a range of little plucking devices, removing the wool and then sucked off with a vacuum system.
“Once we get to that stage, if that’s successful, then it would be a very attractive alternative to shearing.”
Jock Laurie, the head of Australian Wool Innovation which helped fund the research, says while he doesn’t expect the technique to replace shearers, it will give farmers options.
A shearing shortage in recent years has increased interest among the nation’s 60,000 woolgrowers.
“All across Australia, everybody wants to know where this technology is up to,” Mr. Laurie told AAP.
“It’s something that industry have been wanting for a long time.
“Many big wool growers are really looking at this option, but they need to shift numbers to make it viable on their farm.”
The method would need to be approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority before being available to farmers.
