Australian Production

 

December 2012  ABARE* forecast:  

Sheep numbers 75 million.  Approximately 50% of these will be merino

Wool production 345 million kgs greasy (approx 245 million kgs clean weight).

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Australia is generally considered the most reliable source of high quality merino wool and is the largest individual producing country. It produces 80% by volume of the merino used in textiles.

There are approximately 30,000 wool farms in Australia.

Wool production reached its lowest level since 1925 in the year 2011-12.

Production is forecast to increase by 0.9% in 2012-13

 

 

 

 

 

Approximately 50% of the total sheep numbers will be merino.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The breeding population at the end of February 2011 was 38.7 million head of which pure merino type was 53% or 20.5 million.

At the same date it was estimated there were 24.1 million head of lambs of which 58% were merino or 13.9 million.

This indicates that 42% of merino ewes are being joined to meat sheep breeds (terminal sires).

Click this link to to see ABARE*  Outlook Forecast

 

* Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics