Wool Workshops

The department organised Owner Classer woolclassing workshops in 2005 to ensure that Falkland Island wool continues to be prepared to a better than world standard class. These workshops were conducted by an Australian instructor in wool classing. 85 people either in the farming industry or associated with the wool industry attended the comprehensive 4 day workshops.

Of those that attended, they represented 73% of Falkland Islands sheep. By ensuring we have a standardised wool classing system brokers/buyers can be confident in buying Falkland Island wool, knowing that it is prepared for sale in a manner that is free of contaminants and accurately described. Falkland Island wool has unique characteristics which could demand further premiums in the market place.

One of the common requests from participants was for more information on sheep selection.

As a follow up in 2006, a South African wool classer was brought to the Islands to facilitate a series of workshops on sheep breeding and sheep selection. Over the duration of four workshops, 49 people attended, representing 23 farms and over 50% of the sheep population in the Islands.

General consensus from participants was that Falkland Island farms needed to concentrate on a type of sheep (rather than on any particular breed) that produced high value wool with strong lamb production capability (ie a dual purpose type).

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Falkland Islands Government

Background picture supplied by Siân Ferguson