Strategic use of sheep coats can improve your economic return

Merino wethers from a mixed bloodline flock in western New South Wales were coated for varying periods of time after shearing between August 1999 and August 2000. The coated and a similar number of uncoated control wethers from each of nine bloodlines (three fine and six superfine) were grazed together as part of a larger mob. Dyebands were placed in the fleeces of each wether before fitting of the coats and were removed before shearing when a midside sample was taken and several subjective assessments and objective measurements were made of each fleece. It was concluded that coating sheep for 6 months after shearing is as effective in improving the quality of the Merino fleece as coating for the entire 12 month period between annual shearings. Strategic coating of sheep after shearing is a viable option for wool producers to both reduce some of the management implications of coating and extend the useful life of sheep coats. Importantly, the magnitude of the net financial gain will vary according to the prevailing micron premium and premiums and discounts applied to style and vegetable matter. A software tool is described that allows producers to identify the potential financial gain in any market scenario.