MILL CONSIGNMENTS AND THE IMPACT OF SALE-LOT CHARACTERISTICS

This paper focusses on providing growers with information on the contr ibution of individual sale lots in consignments or blends and their su bsequent processing effects. There is a need for more information on t he composition and variability of consignments of Australian wool. The data presented here highlight the key attributes required in commerci al tops and put in perspective the importance of the mean and variabil ity of characteristics such as diameter and length in the raw wool. Te chniques are available to predict the mean fibre length in tops from r aw wool measurements. With improved information-handling procedures, d ata currently available at the farm level but not readily accessible, could be used to predict the risk of other commercially important char acteristics in tops such as dark-fibre and vegetable-matter contaminat ion. The information presented is based on pilot-scale processing rese arch and Industry trials conducted to monitor commercial consignments. Commercial issues such as cost, blend composition, or guarantees for mill orders are not addressed.