Interest in wool shown at WA harvesting event
Woolgrowers attending a recent AWI event in Western Australia witnessed the high level of training provided to shearers and wool handlers in the state, as well as seeing modular sheep delivery units in action.
An AWI Wool Harvesting Industry Workshop was held in March for the third year running at Rhodes Pastoral in Boyup Brook, WA. The event was attended by woolgrowers, shearers and wool handlers who showed a positive outlook for the wool industry.
The day included a shearing and wool handling workshop for experienced shearers and wool handlers to develop their skills under the guidance of top level AWI trainers. Woolgrowers that attended the event could witness what wool harvesting training comprises – from grinding combs and cutters correctly to best practice footwork and technique – all designed to increase skills, productivity and woolgrowers’ returns through improved clip preparation.
The high quality of AWI-funded wool harvesting training was on show at the busy event in Western Australia.
AWI Wool Harvesting Ambassadors in WA were there to assist the trainers and also demonstrate to woolgrowers the modular sheep delivery units manufactured by RW Engineering at Darkan – see box below. The shearers and wool handlers in AWI’s Wool Ambassadors Program are selected as positive role models for the wool harvesting industry, thereby helping to attract a quality workforce, raise wool harvesting standards and improve the culture in shearing sheds. There are ambassadors in each Australian state.
AWI director Neil Jackson and Industry Relations Officer WA Tennille Norrish were in attendance to talk to woolgrowers and answer questions about AWI’s broad range of wool harvesting initiatives – from shearing shed design and safety to training.
“The event was a great opportunity for woolgrowers to not only witness first-hand where their wool levies are being invested by AWI, but also meet with the trainers and other industry representatives. It also gave growers the opportunity to gather with other growers and discuss what is working best in their wool enterprises,” said Tennille.
“There was a lot of genuine interest in all the activities on display. It was a very busy shearing shed full of motivated shearers, wool handlers and woolgrowers, with plenty of positive discussions about wool.”
The Wool Harvesting Industry Workshop was funded by AWI and offered to attendees at no cost. AWI thanks Rhodes Pastoral for providing the facilities.
Sheep delivery units in action
RW Engineering’s modular sheep delivery units were on display at the event.
The sheep delivery units manufactured by RW Engineering at Darkan that were on display for growers at the AWI Wool Harvesting Industry Workshop are based on the design developed by AWI.
The sheep delivery units provide a system that delivers sheep directly to the shearer, minimising the time and energy that shearers spend on the catch and drag. It also minimises the chance of injury to the shearer from the dragging and twisting movements.
The design focuses on a modular concept in which portable singular shearing stands can be joined together to make a multi-stand shearing platform, which can be stored away after use.
Each modular unit holds sheep in a race at the back of the unit (you can see the sheep moving up the race at the right-hand side of the above image). The shearer simply opens the gate (white gate in the above image) and collects the sheep from the race and manoeuvres the sheep the metre or so to the centre of the board before starting shearing.
The potential benefits for woolgrowers and the industry of the sheep delivery unit include:
- increased attraction and retention of shearers to the industry
- decrease in shearer injuries
- improved productivity for workers
- cost effective option when upgrading infrastructure
- provides an avenue for multipurpose sheds.
There are six manufacturers across Australia now manufacturing commercially available systems based on the AWI design and are fulfilling more and more orders from woolgrowers.
More information: www.wool.com/sheep-delivery
