What does the certification consist of?
- A bale shear sample of approximately 1,000 grams should be taken from each batch of wool.
- All bales must be sampled and weighed at the same time.
- The samples are labeled and sent, with the precaution of avoiding contamination or confusion.
- The certificates printed by the NZWTA are delivered against payment of the certification.
Certificate information:
- Fineness (micronage)
- Rinde al lavado
- Color
- Percentage of vegetable matter
The importance of each farmer certifying their wool lies in:
- It allows to improve the sales options by having access to more buyers.
- Increases the bargaining power of the producer.
- It gives access to other markets.
- It builds competition.
- Its characteristics and batch weights are known with objective and supported data.
- Gives access to better prices according to the market.
- Generates high price sensitivity for each fineness range.
- It matches the information of the producer and the buyer.
- It provides a comparative view between seasons and serves as an evaluation tool for improvement programs.
- Allows management and investment decisions to be made.
Recommendations when storing bales of wool
The ideal way to avoid damaging the wool is to store it in a closed cellar, protected from humidity.
If bales are left outdoors, consider:
- Do not store the wool in places that can be flooded or have excessive moisture on the ground.
- Store the bales in a vertical position, taking care that the lid is up.
- Do not leave the bales directly on the ground, it is necessary to do it on pallets or platforms, so that the air can circulate.
- Carefully seal the finished bales to prevent them from becoming damp during storage.
- If the bundles have to be outdoors for a long time, they should be covered with a tarpaulin to prevent them from getting wet in the rain. Prevent bales from being stored near gutters or downspouts of the sheds.
Tips during shearing
Avoid the presence of agents or products that contaminate the wool in the shed during shearing. This includes:
- Bags of seeds, food, fertilizers and other products that must be stored in polypropylene bags.
- Animal hair or other polluting fibers, from dogs, pets or leather.
- Paints, solvents or any similar product.
In order to avoid the presence of pigmented or medullated fibers, it is recommended to shear your animals in the following order:
- Animals of wool breeds (low risk of presenting medullated fibers or pigmentation).
- Animals of white breeds that have lived with sheep of breeds or crosses with greater pigmentation and medullated fibers.
- Animals and crosses of meat breeds with a high level of medullated and pigmented fibers.