Australia is the second country of the world where number of sheep is highest while China is the first. Climate and vast pastures of Australia are the ideal conditions for sheep rearing. The climate of the large part of Australia is dry which highly favourable for sheep rearing. Vast pastures covered with bushes and grasses are ideal pasture of sheep. A large number of sheep are reared in the dry parts of the country. This is the reason that Australia is the leader in production. This fact can be realized in the light of the figures that Australia produced 700, 000 metric tones of wool in 2002 comprising 30 % of the total wool produced in the world during the same period. The special breed of sheep in Australia is Merynose which consist of 65 % of sheep reared here. The cross breed of sheep is 33 % here. Best breed of sheep, modern and sophisticated methods of their rearing and arrangement of modern sheep feed are the factors which have made Australia the leader in wool production. The best variety of wool is produced in abundance here. Per sheep wool production in Australia is 12 to 22 kg. Sheep are reared in southern regions, south east and south western regions. Thin population and temperature climate, the demand for wool in Australia is low therefore, surplus wool is exported to America, France, China, Japan and India.
New Zealand
Although the area of New Zealand is small but startlingly, the number of sheep is very high. New Zealand is at number six. New Zealand has specialized in rearing mutton sheep rather than wool sheep because of high moist climate and vast grazing fields. Wool, after all, is one of the most important items of import for New Zealand. Moist climate, vast grass lands and nearness of sheep farms to the coastal areas has made New Zealand the second biggest wool exporting countries and third wool producing country at the global level. The Canterbury plains on the dry delta and in the east of South Island, is the central region for sheep rearing. Moreover, Oakland Peninsula, Hawks Bay region, Tranki and Wanganui Lowlands in North and the Otago region in the South Island are the ideal areas for sheep rearing. 75 % of total wool produced in New Zealand is obtained from Rommey Marsh breed of sheep which are reared here on the very large scale. Middle grade wool is commonly produced in Ne w Zealand.
Common wealth of independent states (CIS)
Former United State of Soviet Russia, before 1990, was on top in having the number of sheep for mutton purpose. The total meet used to be consumed locally. Most of the sheep rearing areas are dry and they exclusively grazed on natural vegetation. Amongst CIS states, Russia occupies 20th position in the number of sheep kept at the world level and 14th in wool production. The other sheep rearing and wool producing states are Kazakhstan, entire Central Asia has highly favourable factor for sheep rearing on the basis of vast grazing fields, moist to dry climate plateaus and mountains.
United State of America
Sheep are important in U.S.A neither for mutton nor wool production. The number of sheep in U.S.A is on gradual decrease. In the Western States of America, sheep are reared both for mutton and wool purposes. Most of the sheep are reared in Texas. USA occupies 20th position for the insufficient even for the local woolen textile industry. Although sheep rearing is not popular in United State of America nevertheless, she is leading in the woolen textile industry. Shortage of supply of wool is catered from import.
Britain
Britain is a small country in area but densely populated therefore, sheep are reared in the areas which can`t be used for cultivation purpose. These sheep rearing regions include mountainous regions of Scotland, Northern Mountains regions of Scotland, Cheviot Hills, Pennies, the Lake Districts, the Welsh Mountains, the Moor lands of Devon, Somerset and Cornwall and part of Eastern Ireland. Sheep are reared here as mixed farming. Sheep rearing provides employment to thousands of people in Britain. Approximately, 42 million sheep are kept here. Woolen textile industry is very old in Britain. Woolen textile and product of Britain are of high quality and demanded all over the world. Britain although produces abundant wool but she, to cater the local needs, also imports wool from Australia, New Zealand. Britain, for the production of mutton lamb is the leader of the world and consumes highest amount of lamb meet per head.
Selling of wool
Marketing Agents
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Producer: Wool is sold directly to buyers, independent coop warehouse, or mill reps on an individual offer and acceptance basis.
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Wool Pools and Coops: The wool pools accumulate members' wool and sell and ship in quantity. They may take advantage of valu-adding opportunities. Clips are consigned to the pool and the sale committee determines when and how to sell the pool. They are the representatives of the individual growers.
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Warehouses: The warehouses are the most important single type of marketing agency within the domestic wool marketing system. The sharp decline over the past 20 years in domestic production of grease wool has affected the location, number, and size of wool warehouses in operation. Warehouses purchase wool at four stages of marketing: prior to shearing, at "the farm gate", at the warehouse door, or at the warehouse after consignment.
Methods of Selling
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Private Treaty: The method used when there is a single marketing agent and a single buyer. There is limited buyer competition.
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Sealed Bid: This is a popular method of selling in wool pools. There are various buyer and buying firms. A letter is sent to buyers soliciting bids.
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Auction: This method involves two or more buyers. They each have equal opportunity to bid on the wool. A minimum price is often listed below which bids will not be considered.
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Descriptive Marketing: This is quickly becoming the preferred method of marketing wool in the U.S. This method uses objective measures of wool production to market and sell the wool.
Instructions for Washing Wool Fibers at Home
1. Remove and dispose of any fibers that are extremely soiled with manure or mud.
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Pay particular attention to fiber that comes from the underbelly, anal/genital region and legs.
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Wool that is dirty, but not matted may be washed and processed.
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Remove any burrs, chaff or other organic debris.
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Remove as much trash as possible.
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The more time spent on these procedures the more valuable ($$$$) the end product will be!
2. Fill the washing machine with HOT water (top loaders only), or use a wash tub.
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Add double the amount of laundry detergent you would normally use for washing clothes.
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Put 5-7.5 pounds of wool into the machine.
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Gently push the wool down into the water, spreading it out evenly.
3. DO NOT allow the machine to go into agitate cycle!
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Doing so will cause the fiber to turn to felt---LEAVE THE LID UP!
4. Allow the wool to soak for 10 minutes
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Gently move the wool around from time to time.
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Avoid vigorous motions, this will too cause felting.
5. You may use the spin cycle to remove the dirty water
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Spinning will not cause felting, on agitating does.
6. Repeat steps 2-5.
7. Rinse the wool by repeating steps 2-5, without the laundry detergent.
8. Allow the wool to air dry.
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Spread it out, while turning it occasionally to prevent mold.
Steps to Commercial Fiber Processing
1. Scouring
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the removal of all impurities from grease wool.
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use water, detergent, and sometimes a mild alkali.
2. Carbonizing
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Wool containing excessive amounts of vegetable material is carbonized using an aqueous acid treatment followed by heating which converts the cellulose base defect into carbon.
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Neutralization and re-scouring complete the process.
3. Drying
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The amount of water held by the wool is reduce to below 15%.
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Moisture in wool is removed by hot, dry air blown through the wool prior to being exhausted from the dryer.
4. Carding
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Number of cylinders and rollers of equal width but variable in diameter and covered with short wires.
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Carding disentangles and separates scoured wool fibers.
5. Gilling (pin-drafting, drawing, blending)
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A blending and drawing operation that is applied to card sliver before combing.
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The contact with pins and rollers opens and straightens the wool fibers.
6. Rectilinear Combing
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Removing vegetable matter and short, tangled fibers from wool.
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Arranging fibers in parallel configuration, forming a continuous, twistless rope of combed sliver.
7. Top Finishing
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Further blending fibers into a uniform weight and thickness per unit of length and winding into a ball known as top.
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Fourteen to 18 combed slivers are combined and drafted in an autoleverller-controlled gill box.
8. Spinning, Roving, Winding, and Twisting
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Final drawing to the desired yearn count or thickness.
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Includes insertion of a predetermined amount and direction of twist.
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Delivery of yarn to appropriate package.
9. Weaving
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Interlacing of two sets of yarn to form fabric.
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A modern loom performs several sequential functions, such as required weaving type and color combinations.
10. Knitting
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Interlacing of yarn in a series of connected loops by needles to form a fabric.
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*Hand knitting yarns have less strength than those from machine knitting.
11. Finishing
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Anything that happens to a wool fabric after leaving the loom until it is ready for the cutter.
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Characterized as mechanical, aqueous, drying, and chemical.
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Pictures taken from SID: Sheep Production Handbook
