MEETING MARKET AND CONSUMER REQUIREMENTS IN WOOL PRODUCTION

The dipping of sheep for the control of fly-strike and lice may result in both direct and indirect environmental contamination. Soil contami nation may occur near dipping sites but this appears to be partially m itigated by the stripping of actives from the dip wash. The disposal o f excess dip wash from both shower and plunge dips is the most obvious form of environmental contamination. Disposal on to well grassed flat land well away from any surface waters appears to be the easiest way of controlling this form of contamination but methods for treating exc ess dip wash are being evaluated. Ectoparasiticide remaining on wool a t shearing result in the contamination of woolscouring effluents. Thes e effluents are toxic and unless adequately treated may have adverse e ffects on both the fresh water and marine environments. Both the UK an d Europe has recognised the toxicity of these compounds and imposed li mits on ectoparasiticide residues on either greasy or scoured wool. Wh ile scoured wool residues can generally be met, compliance with greasy wool residues may prove more difficult to achieve; especially for the finer wool's in our clip.