SHEARING BY USE OF CHEMICALS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27992, 12 June 1956, Page 11

SHEARING BY USE OF CHEMICALS

Snags Apparent, Say Scientists POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO. FIBRE (New Zenlanri Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 11. Snags were immediately apparent I in the chemical sheep shearing re- I ported from Brisbane on Saturday I as a counter measure to the Queens- I land-i shearers’ strike, said two Wellington scientists today. The wool and the skin of the sheep 1 were composed of the same materials. I said one scientist. The new wool remover would have to be weak I enough not to harm the delicate wool 1 fibre above the break and yet strong I enough to cut the wool at skin level I still without harming the skin. An agricultural scientist said that I although such a method of shearing would be possible, the several gallons of liquid required to penetrate the heavy fleece of merino sheep would I necessitate an extremely cheap chemical. . ...... I “The method is not fantastic, continued the agricultural scientist. It is probably quite feasible. _ It is just a question of how practical it is. I expect there are lots of snags. “Managing it would be the trouble. If the sheep struck cold conditions the I break would be at the skin which would be left bare.” He said that Australia’s hot sunshine on the naked ■ skin of the chemically shorn sheep ! would present another most serious . problem. . , . I f Mr Godfrey Bowen, the chief shear; . ing instructor of the New Zealand Wool Board, today expressed doubts about the efficiency of the spray. He I ’ said he did not know the details ‘Ol , the chemical the graziers were pro- ' posing to use, but that such methods ' used in the past had resulted in 5 about a 50 per cent, reduction m * the sheep’s next growth of wool, t The wool could also come off in e small pieces and this would affect the 1 quality.