Wool bale
Encyclopedia
A wool bale is a standard sized and weighted pack of classed wool
compressed by the mechanical means of a wool press. This is the regulation required method of packaging for wool, to keep it uncontaminated and readily identifiable. A "bale of wool" is also the standard trading unit for wool on the wholesale national and international markets.
, prior to the use of synthetic fibres. Jute packs were relatively heavy, weighing several kilograms each. In the 1960s polypropylene
and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) packs were manufactured and used to make wool bales. Loose fibres from these packs, caused contamination of the wool in the bale and led to nylon
becoming the regulation fabric used in Australia, In South Africa
woven paper was tested but discontinued in 1973 due to poor wet strength and high cost. Regulation standard white nylon packs now have a 280 mm label sewn onto the top flap of the wool pack for inclusion of the farm brand, wool description, bale number, woolclasser stencil number and bin code. Each bale of wool packs contains 50 packs that measure 70 x 70 x 98cm and have 46cm flaps.
Wool bales have been transported by camel
, horse teams
, bullock wagons
, paddle steamer
, boats
and later by rail
and trucks
.
s. In small sheds, the pressing may be done by the woolclasser, wool handler or sheep owner. A woolpresser may perform the combined duties of woolpressing and penning up the sheep for the shearers. The latter arrangement means less interruption to the flow of the wool across the table and into the wool bins.
The woolclasser oversees the duties of the woolpresser during the entire shearing. The presser ensures that the wool pack is free of any contaminants before he places it into the wool press and secures it there. He then carries the wool from the selected wool bin, removing any contamination, before placing it into the press.
It takes about 60 skirted fleeces to fill a wool bale, depending on the size and age of the sheep. The presser closes the bale with four internal and five external metal bale fasteners, before weighing the bale, if the press does not have an inbuilt scale. Bales should weigh between 110 kg (242 lbs) and 204 kg (449 lbs), unless the wool is under 18.6 microns, in which case they may be a minimum gross weight of 90 kg (198 lbs). Bales that weigh less than 110 kg are known as a butt and those over 204 kg will not be sold at auction without repacking at the vendor’s expense. The maximum wool bale length is 1.25 metres (49 inches). Overlong bales may create problems with over wide loads when trucking, in brokers' stores and in the jamming of dumping equipment.The presser is responsible for completing the wool book and then branding the bale head and face with the owner’s brand, contents description, number and wool classer ID.
Once a sufficient volume of fleeces of a particular grade has filled a grading bin, the wool is compressed into a bale by a packing machine, producing a single bale equivalent to the capacity of some 5 1/2 wool sheets, a weight of 330 kg. Such bales are most economical for shipping purposes, but clearly require mechanised lifting equipment.
The collection process for wool in England has remained the same for many centuries. Shepherds brought their fleeces to a local collection point, for example Chipping Camden for wool from the Cotswolds
, where it would be graded, paid for, consolidated into bales, sold to wholesalers and shipped to the manufacturer. The existence of bales in ancient times is attested by the custom of the English Lord Chancellor
to sit on the so-called Woolsack
from which he presides over the House of Lords
. This seat is therefore not in reality a "sack", in which the shepherds probably brought 20 or so fleeces, probably two per mule, being the equivalent of today's "sheet", but is rather a bale, compacted by the weight of human feet at the merchant's premises.
sales in Sydney
, Melbourne
, Newcastle
, and Fremantle
which are conducted by the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX). There are about 80 brokers and agents throughout Australia.
After transportation by rail or road to the woolbroker’s store, each wool bale’s brand is carefully inspected to see that it corresponds with the classer’s report. It is then weighed by sworn weighers (this weight is marked on the bale and recorded and is the basis on which buyers are invoiced), and then core sampled. This sample will then be tested for micron
, yield and vegetable matter as a minimum. Wool that is to be sold by sample has a minimum of one grab, of a specified weight, taken from each bale and a minimum of 20 grabs, from each lot. Specialty wool is often traditionally displayed in original wool bales with the test results displayed. Wool not sold by the traditional display system will be directed to various parts in the warehouse for stacking and storing. An index is maintained showing the location of all bales so that, when their turn of offering-which is based on the equitable method of order of receipt into store approaches, they may be easily found.
The sale's programme in all centres is arranged, in the first place, by the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers after consultation with the buyers' organisations. Later, state allocation committees attend to details, such as individual sale dates and the quantity of wool to be offered by each broker in each series of sales at the centres concerned.
The traditionally displayed bales of wool on the floor are opened for examination by the brokers, buyers and wool growers. The sale by sample lots will have their grab samples displayed in boxes across the show floor. Catalogues are prepared by the woolbroker which list all test and other details of each lot of wool.
A valuation of every lot, based on current market rates, is also made by the brokers' staff, this being used by the growers as a guideline for the subsequent auction. The lots are sold by nominating each lot in turn and it is sold by open cry auction.
After the wool is sold at auction the bales are usually “dumped” i.e. compressed to a higher density, still in the original wool bale, for shipment to overseas mills. Three bales that have been dumped and secured with a metal band are known as a “tri pack”.
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
compressed by the mechanical means of a wool press. This is the regulation required method of packaging for wool, to keep it uncontaminated and readily identifiable. A "bale of wool" is also the standard trading unit for wool on the wholesale national and international markets.
Wool packs
Packaging of wool has not changed much for centuries except that the early wool packs were made from juteJute
Jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fibre that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is produced from plants in the genus Corchorus, which has been classified in the family Tiliaceae, or more recently in Malvaceae....
, prior to the use of synthetic fibres. Jute packs were relatively heavy, weighing several kilograms each. In the 1960s polypropylene
Polypropylene
Polypropylene , also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles , stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes...
and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) packs were manufactured and used to make wool bales. Loose fibres from these packs, caused contamination of the wool in the bale and led to nylon
Nylon
Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station...
becoming the regulation fabric used in Australia, In South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
woven paper was tested but discontinued in 1973 due to poor wet strength and high cost. Regulation standard white nylon packs now have a 280 mm label sewn onto the top flap of the wool pack for inclusion of the farm brand, wool description, bale number, woolclasser stencil number and bin code. Each bale of wool packs contains 50 packs that measure 70 x 70 x 98cm and have 46cm flaps.
History
Very early wool presses were made from wood boards and had a wire winch mechanism to compress the wool and also hollow logs where the wool was tramped into a pack. During the late 19th century various forms of the Koertz wooden wool press became the standard. The steel Ajax wool presses were also used. Woolpressing with a manual woolpress is hard, tiring work that required tramping the wool into a box and then pressing it further with a manually operated lever activated cable. Nowadays power operated, self pinning wool presses with inbuilt scales have made a major contribution to shearing shed productivity.Wool bales have been transported by camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
, horse teams
Australian Draught Horse
The Australian Draught Horse is a hardy breed of Australian draught horse noted for its strength and a good temperament.-Characteristics:...
, bullock wagons
Bullock cart
A bullock cart or ox cart is a two-wheeled vehicle pulled by oxen . It is a means of transportation used since ancient times in many parts of the world. They are still used today where modern vehicles are too expensive or the infrastructure does not favor them.Used especially for carrying goods,...
, paddle steamer
Paddle steamer
A paddle steamer is a steamship or riverboat, powered by a steam engine, using paddle wheels to propel it through the water. In antiquity, Paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans...
, boats
Ship transport
Ship transport is watercraft carrying people or goods . Sea transport has been the largest carrier of freight throughout recorded history. Although the importance of sea travel for passengers has decreased due to aviation, it is effective for short trips and pleasure cruises...
and later by rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
and trucks
Road transport
Road transport or road transportation is transport on roads of passengers or goods. A hybrid of road transport and ship transport is the historic horse-drawn boat.-History:...
.
Method
Pressing and branding are typically carried out by a woolpresser in the larger shearing shedShearing shed
Shearing sheds are large sheds located on sheep stations to accommodate large scale sheep shearing activities.In countries where large numbers of sheep are kept for wool, sometimes many thousands in a flock, shearing sheds are vital to house the necessary shearing equipment, and to ensure that the...
s. In small sheds, the pressing may be done by the woolclasser, wool handler or sheep owner. A woolpresser may perform the combined duties of woolpressing and penning up the sheep for the shearers. The latter arrangement means less interruption to the flow of the wool across the table and into the wool bins.
The woolclasser oversees the duties of the woolpresser during the entire shearing. The presser ensures that the wool pack is free of any contaminants before he places it into the wool press and secures it there. He then carries the wool from the selected wool bin, removing any contamination, before placing it into the press.
It takes about 60 skirted fleeces to fill a wool bale, depending on the size and age of the sheep. The presser closes the bale with four internal and five external metal bale fasteners, before weighing the bale, if the press does not have an inbuilt scale. Bales should weigh between 110 kg (242 lbs) and 204 kg (449 lbs), unless the wool is under 18.6 microns, in which case they may be a minimum gross weight of 90 kg (198 lbs). Bales that weigh less than 110 kg are known as a butt and those over 204 kg will not be sold at auction without repacking at the vendor’s expense. The maximum wool bale length is 1.25 metres (49 inches). Overlong bales may create problems with over wide loads when trucking, in brokers' stores and in the jamming of dumping equipment.The presser is responsible for completing the wool book and then branding the bale head and face with the owner’s brand, contents description, number and wool classer ID.
Purpose
Following shearing at the farm, woollen fleeces are placed together in "sheets", that is to say large sacks containing about 20 rolled fleeces each. These sheets are bulky yet are light (weighing about 60 kg) and convenient for the small famer to transport to his local wool collection centre. Here they are opened for grading and sorting into one of several dozen different qualities, based on breed of sheep, which dictates fineness of wool, and physical condition of the wool, for example damp dirty or stained fleeces will be graded lowly.Once a sufficient volume of fleeces of a particular grade has filled a grading bin, the wool is compressed into a bale by a packing machine, producing a single bale equivalent to the capacity of some 5 1/2 wool sheets, a weight of 330 kg. Such bales are most economical for shipping purposes, but clearly require mechanised lifting equipment.
The collection process for wool in England has remained the same for many centuries. Shepherds brought their fleeces to a local collection point, for example Chipping Camden for wool from the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
, where it would be graded, paid for, consolidated into bales, sold to wholesalers and shipped to the manufacturer. The existence of bales in ancient times is attested by the custom of the English Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
to sit on the so-called Woolsack
Woolsack
The Woolsack is the seat of the Lord Speaker in the House of Lords, the Upper House of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From the Middle Ages until 2006, the presiding officer in the House of Lords was the Lord Chancellor and the Woolsack was usually mentioned in association with the office of...
from which he presides over the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. This seat is therefore not in reality a "sack", in which the shepherds probably brought 20 or so fleeces, probably two per mule, being the equivalent of today's "sheet", but is rather a bale, compacted by the weight of human feet at the merchant's premises.
Sale of wool
Most Australian wool is sold at auctionAuction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
sales in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, and Fremantle
Fremantle
Freemantle is a suburb of Southampton in England.Fremantle or Freemantle may also refer to:- Places :* Fremantle, the port city to the capital Perth, Western Australia...
which are conducted by the Australian Wool Exchange (AWEX). There are about 80 brokers and agents throughout Australia.
After transportation by rail or road to the woolbroker’s store, each wool bale’s brand is carefully inspected to see that it corresponds with the classer’s report. It is then weighed by sworn weighers (this weight is marked on the bale and recorded and is the basis on which buyers are invoiced), and then core sampled. This sample will then be tested for micron
Micron (wool)
A micron is the measurement used to express the diameter of a wool fibre. The lower microns are the finer fibres. Fibre diameter is the most important characteristic of wool in determining its greasy value....
, yield and vegetable matter as a minimum. Wool that is to be sold by sample has a minimum of one grab, of a specified weight, taken from each bale and a minimum of 20 grabs, from each lot. Specialty wool is often traditionally displayed in original wool bales with the test results displayed. Wool not sold by the traditional display system will be directed to various parts in the warehouse for stacking and storing. An index is maintained showing the location of all bales so that, when their turn of offering-which is based on the equitable method of order of receipt into store approaches, they may be easily found.
The sale's programme in all centres is arranged, in the first place, by the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers after consultation with the buyers' organisations. Later, state allocation committees attend to details, such as individual sale dates and the quantity of wool to be offered by each broker in each series of sales at the centres concerned.
The traditionally displayed bales of wool on the floor are opened for examination by the brokers, buyers and wool growers. The sale by sample lots will have their grab samples displayed in boxes across the show floor. Catalogues are prepared by the woolbroker which list all test and other details of each lot of wool.
A valuation of every lot, based on current market rates, is also made by the brokers' staff, this being used by the growers as a guideline for the subsequent auction. The lots are sold by nominating each lot in turn and it is sold by open cry auction.
After the wool is sold at auction the bales are usually “dumped” i.e. compressed to a higher density, still in the original wool bale, for shipment to overseas mills. Three bales that have been dumped and secured with a metal band are known as a “tri pack”.