The wool industry is looking for an alternative to shearing as shearers are hard to find due to turnover, injury, age, and retention. The wool industry is now looking to new technologies to allow wool to be collected.
Professor Philip Hynde from the University of Adelaide is researching the biological harvesting of wool. New technologies are going in a different direction to protein based injection and net to catch wool (BioClip). The new approach is involves creating "a weak point in the fibre in all the follicles and all the fibers across the body," Prof Hynde told The Yarn podcast.
"Wool could be harvested at anytime that's convenient to your property and you're not reliant on shearers turning up at a particular time."
The new protein has been derived from corn and dosages will be based on body weight.
Australian Wool Innovation is partnering with the University of Adelaide, the team are seeking a commercial partner to assist in the injectable biochemical agent developed and commercialised.
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