Wool

[Frank-the-Wool]

I’ve been in one of the depots and seen students grading wool

You might have seen an apprentice grading wool under supervision but it is a very skilled job and will take up to 5 years to become a fully qualified Grader.
Ironically it is somewhat easier to grade very fine wools in Australia as they are far more consistent.

If you ever have a chance go and watch a grader at work and they will tell you all the different facets they have to think about in order to put the wool into the correct grades.
Wool is normally auctioned in lots of 9 tons. There are only a couple of producers in the UK that will have sufficient quantity of the same grade and type of wool to make a sale lot!

 

[tepapa]

I’ve been in one of the depots and seen students grading wool

Who ever graded mine always chose the bottom type if there was more than one class for that type of wool.
1)fine,
2) medium
3)crap, not worth sending, dont bother next time type.
I went to see it grade one year and it maraculously graded better than previous years. Maybe I'm just a bad wool farmer.??‍

 

[hendrebc]

Who ever graded mine always chose the bottom type if there was more than one class for that type of wool.
1)fine,
2) medium
3)crap, not worth sending, dont bother next time type.
I went to see it grade one year and it maraculously graded better than previous years. Maybe I'm just a bad wool farmer.??‍

Grades took a dive when they closed the place in denbigh and take it to Newtown to grade. Don't know why though.

 

[Hilly]

I wonder how much minimum wage and increased running costs of the wool board has eroded this?

And pension contributions etc etc etc

 

[neilo]

I’ve watched some of mine graded at Newtown a couple of times, and been impressed (& surprised initially) at how much detail they were going into and the depth of knowledge the grader showed.
incidentally, he was less than enthusiastic by the yellowing shown in Texel wool, and that of their crosses, which downgraded it somewhat. Think how much of the UK wool crop has a bit of Texel blood in it, then how much is Swale or Blackie cross.
For our own wool, the pure Charollais fleeces graded quite well (but not a huge yield), and the rest was split between Romney types and Texel (yellowed) types. The better grades were valued higher, but 50-60p/fleece is really neither here nor there, and far more easily gained through improving lamb production or reducing costs, so I won’t be selecting to improve fleeces.

Watching the grading was fascinating and Iwould recommend everyone makes time for it sometime. If you’re taking your own wool in, you can make arrange an appointment to see it done (as your presence & the time explaining it, will obviously slow them down), or you can be cheeky and ask if they’re fairly quiet at the time when you drop it off.

 

[Tubbylew]

The venom directed at the BWMB is misdirected, although I certainly accept the front line of any industry cops it by disappointed producers.

To a degree, but this particular crisis only highlights simmering tensions that crop up every year, as you say wool has declined to insignificance globally, but the board don't seem to have made much of a show in looking for alternative markets and promotion, they send out a bit of a forecast and make a big show of putting on training courses - which aren't free, and are fairly dear imo, unless you get it funded from other sources.
It seems like they get a fairly good salary and decent pension for not a lot of work from the perspetive of the primary producer.

 

[hally]

The venom directed at the BWMB is misdirected, although I certainly accept the front line of any industry cops it by disappointed producers.
Lets put some facts into the global situation so we can see the wool industry in the context of world fibre usage.
The projected total fibre production for the year 2020 is expected to be 111 million tons, this is dominated by man made fibres, as natural fibres will only represent 32 million tons.
Total wool production is expected to be around 1.3 M tons or 4% of natural fibres and ONLY 1.1% OF TOTAL FIBRE.

Production is now so low it would not be missed by a large part of the world's population.

But all wool fibre is not equal as it has very different end uses depending on a list of specs the processors and end users demand. Therefore few direct comparisons can be made between producing nations.
Australia is the largest wool producer (expected 475k tons) or 25% of world supply and over 70% of raw wool for apparel wear.
China comes 2nd, (235k tons) produces a mixture of types, largest producer of furnishing fabrics.
USA is 3rd, (148k tons), similar end uses to China, carpet, furnishings and knitwear.
NZ 4th, (100k tons) largely carpet wools.
UK 8th, (48k tons) largely carpet wools.

The apparel wear supply is dominated by Australia and Argentina (5th largest wool producer) with next to the skin woollen wear (under 16 microns) almost all supplied by Australia and NZ. I find it interesting that these very fine fibres are marketed as MERINO NOT WOOL. Apparel wools maintain a premium over stronger wools. However very little of this is produced in the UK. Therefore it relies on furnishings and carpets as the main end uses.
Problems occur with fibre pigmentation (black and grey fibres dye differently to white), fibre tenderness (affect processed fibre length hence yarn strength), scoured colour and pen stain (dyeing evenness) all are prevalent in much of the UK clip. The BWMB does an admirable job sorting lines by specifications from many small and often mixed lots.

Given the declining world production of wool that is already a niche fibre due to its tiny % of world fibre production and that it comes in all manner of types, styles and colour, it is no wonder that continuous price reductions have occurred over time. The only way to reverse this trend is to do what the Merino farmers did by promoting their product and striving for quality as dictated by those who use it. In other words, promote quality niche products.

The current collapse in the market affects all fibre producers, both natural and synthetic. All mills and supply lines will get back to normal once the current pandemic wains.

Tbh I’m not reading much venom, just constructive criticism that will hopefully be absorbed higher up the food chain and savings shared back down again. I don’t think anybody has a problem with a guys wage package if he is delivering a cost benefit to the producers.
As I get older ( and more cynical ) I am starting to feel that a lot of these organisations including councils, some charities and other various government quangos are getting less bothered about looking after their clients/customers and more about looking after their own interests

 

[yellowbelly]

I’ve watched some of mine graded at Newtown a couple of times, and been impressed (& surprised initially) at how much detail they were going into and the depth of knowledge the grader showed.

Yes, they are very clued up. They can pick out the tup fleeces in a sheet and, in Lincolns (I don't know about other breeds), fleeces that were clipped before being fully grown (by the 'bird's eye, or lack of it at the end of the staple).

incidentally, he was less than enthusiastic by the yellowing shown in Texel wool, and that of their crosses, which downgraded it somewhat.

That will be excess lanolin. Whilst lanolin is valued for face creams, soaps etc. all lanolin used for them is imported . Our lanolin just causes extra work for the scouring plant to wash out. It finishes up as a mucky, greasy sludge that goes abroad to prawn farms as, apparently, they thrive on it's mega high protein content.
Here's a few pics of Bradford. Stamford is just the same, only smaller.
Wool in ..............................Grading tables
Waiting for baling ........................Baled

A couple from the scouring plant (nothing to do with BWMB-it's sold by then)
Drying ...............Carded tops finish up like this

 

[Nithsdale]

Can anyone confirm the top salary is £200k at the BWMB

The UK Prime Minister doesn't earn that much

How much does the Prime Minister get paid? - Full Fact

How much the Prime Minister makes is a hot search topic at the moment. Theresa May's job comes with a salary of £150,402.

fullfact.org

I've no problem with the BWMB or how it operates but when you look at it, they maybe are paying themselves a bit too much, respectfully

 

[yellowbelly]

Can anyone confirm the top salary is £200k at the BWMB

April 2019 are the latest I can find....

...not £200k, but not far off
The financial arrangements look very complicated (to a peasant like me anyway). Looks like there's a lot of pension liability too.
They look like they're looking after themselves.

EDIT. Here's the full report for anybody that wants a look...

https://www.britishwool.org.uk/ksupload/userfiles/British%20Wool%20Annual%20report%202019.pdf

 

[Highland Mule]

Can anyone confirm the top salary is £200k at the BWMB

The UK Prime Minister doesn't earn that much

How much does the Prime Minister get paid? - Full Fact

How much the Prime Minister makes is a hot search topic at the moment. Theresa May's job comes with a salary of £150,402.

fullfact.org

I've no problem with the BWMB or how it operates but when you look at it, they maybe are paying themselves a bit too much, respectfully

https://www.britishwool.org.uk/ksupload/userfiles/British%20Wool%20Annual%20report%202019rev1.pdf

I don’t think it is.

 

[hally]

I get it to 176 but I never know if cars, phones, health etc are covered under the benefits section, presumably so.

 

[rhifsaith]

Would wool be any good on top drainage pipe before the stone? Tempted to throw mine away.

 

[Guleesh]

My wife suggested today we use our fleeces to cover our veg plot as a weed suppressant for over the winter, and just scrape it off and onto the compost heap in spring.

 

[JD-Kid]

My wife suggested today we use our fleeces to cover our veg plot as a weed suppressant for over the winter, and just scrape it off and onto the compost heap in spring.

dose work well there was a outfit here making a felt matting out of dags for around new trees to keep grass down
have used dags here around trees cost more to send them in than what yer get payed for them
I'd be more inclined to leave it. as a covering in areas and just part it. were planting some. crops. cabbages etc etc.

 

[ImLost]

My wife suggested today we use our fleeces to cover our veg plot as a weed suppressant for over the winter, and just scrape it off and onto the compost heap in spring.

dose work well there was a outfit here making a felt matting out of dags for around new trees to keep grass down
have used dags here around trees cost more to send them in than what yer get payed for them
I'd be more inclined to leave it. as a covering in areas and just part it. were planting some. crops. cabbages etc etc.

Would there not be mileage in more wool based garden products similar to these?

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

Technical question . Always deliver 12/1400 kgs a year . How much would i need to send this year to activate last years payment IE a minimum weight

 

[neilo]

Technical question . Always deliver 12/1400 kgs a year . How much would i need to send this year to activate last years payment IE a minimum weight

I always take mine in in several batches, as we shear various flocks. I’ve always taken a dozen bags or so in in mid-June, which triggers the payment for last years.
I wouldn’t have thought there was a minimum, and you can get it if you ring up, if you were ceasing production, or presumably if you decide to jump into bed with the Irish devils.?

 

[spin cycle]

of course the other option is not to shear this year

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

As there is no demand was just going to stack it up this year , may use it as litter base in sheds it does breakdown as always put belly wool and dag wool from 2.5k store sheep in the mixen . As its of little value at the moment why oversupply the market.??