Traprock shears to length

The Bartletts run about 14,000 fine and medium wool-producing Merino wethers on three properties - Dunblane, Wyngarra and the leased Orungal. The properties cover some 8500 hectares (21,000 acres) in the prized Traprock region of south-east Queensland.

Their aim is to shear when the average stable length is at 85mm, which is achieved about every 10-and-a-half months.

"After 12 months, the staple length is 95 to 100mm," Mr Bartlett said.

"At that length, the staple is too long and less appealing to wool processors.

"It is not where the best return is in growing wool."

Mr Bartlett said shearing to length would also help avoid shearing in the sometimes difficult July/August period.

"Cold, bleak weather and rain in this country during winter can be very hard on freshly shorn sheep.

"I have seen 600 sheep lost on a bitter August day after 80mm of rain."

The wethers, which are often required to forage in the tougher months, also physically do better carrying less wool, he says.

"In this hilly country, sheep that are carrying 12 months' wool can become very heavy. There is the risk they will tip over and it can be hard for them to get up again."

The decision to move to shearing to length is part of the Bartletts' constant drive to maximise the efficiency of their wool-growing business.

The Bartletts will also trial baling largely unskirted wool from 1100 lambs to be shorn early next month.

"We'll make sure there is no stain and keep the bellies separate from the fleece wool.

"As long as it's free enough around the edges from vegetable matter and free of hard cots, the cost saving from employing fewer staff in the shearing shed should result in a better bottom-line return."

At present, there is no apparent discount in the market for unskirted wool, particularly for lighter VM under 2 per cent and wool under a 60mm in length.

Unskirted wool is sold with a D certificate, denoting it has not been prepared to the AWEX code of practice but has been prepared to standard.

Mr Bartlett said their country to the east and south of Inglewood was enjoying the best season in 10 years after good rain in January and February.

During last year's tough drought, medium-wool wethers were producing 4 to 5kg of 18.5 to 19.5-micron wool.

This year it is expected the same sheep will produce 5 to 5.5kg.

"It's all about cutting as many kilos as possible from each sheep and maximising the cents a kilogram.

"It's also about minimising costs with the aim of maximising profitability."

Wethers are generally bought at about a year-and-a-half of age, when they are cutting their two teeth, from breeders in south-western Queensland and north-west NSW.

The sheep are shorn by local Karara-based contractor Geoff Cullen, with the bulk of the clip sold through Elders.

Crutching is done by Yetman-based contractor Aaron McMillan on his mobile crutching trailer.

All of the sheep are put through a horseshoe-shaped Peak Hill plunge straight off the board to guard against lice.

The sheep are drenched three to four times a year depending on the dung testing, to determine the overall worm burden of the flock.

The sheep are also dosed with a Beachport nutritional supplement containing selenium to improve the performance of each animal.

The Bartletts' dedication to producing top-quality wool was recognised at the weekend's Inglewood Show.

The Bartletts' ultrafine 3.3kg 14.2-micron fleece with a commercial value of $56.62 was named the grand champion fleece.

It is the fourth year running Dunblane has claimed the top prize.

Mr Bartlett said dogs remained the single greatest challenge for the region's wool growers.

He said there was significant concern over the apparent lack of maintenance of the barrier fence that was the responsibility of the Toowoomba and Western Downs regional councils.