Abstract

The wool described by the New Zealand Wool Board's auction data may be considered to be a vector space defined by axes which are the wool processing parameters. Analysis of this wool vector space gives indications of the relative economic values of the wool properties. Data from 1984 to 1990 has been analysed to give relative economic values and, although short term values vary considerably, there appear to be some longer term trends. Wool bulk as predicted from NZWB type shows a general increase in premium, and wool colour, described by objectively measured yellowness and brightness, has shown increased importance for determining wool price, with brightness taking over from yellowness as the more important of the two. The correlation between parameters in the range of wools offered at New Zealand auctions not only makes it difficult to determine the relative economic importance of the wool properties but limits the range of blend specifications a wool processor can work with. Hence although premiums are not always obvious, it is important to the processor that extremes of wool properties are available to allow the maximum flexibility when making up parcels of wool for processing.

J, Cowie

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 51, , 297-298, 1991