Program Overview

Background and Long-Term Strategy

Alpaca

The industry was established in the Australia late 1980s and is now located in all states, though mainly in the temperate regions. There are two phenotypes-Huacya (90 per cent) and the Suri (10 per cent), 22 natural colour combinations and an average superfine fibre grade of 18-20 microns. The Australian industry is still growing, yet is considered the second largest commercial herd in the world, well behind the population in Peru. Because of the gestation time of 11 months and the rarity of multiple births, the industry can grow at a slow rate and not expand in numbers too rapidly, as has occurred for some other new animal species.

There are over 100,000 registered alpacas, with an average herd size of 25. The main marketing of the fibre is through Australian Alpaca Fleece (Ltd) an industry owned company established in 2004 that now receives 60 per cent of the alpaca fleece produced.

Cashmere

The Australian goat cashmere industry began in the late 1970s and expanded in the 1980s, but has declined since then. The fibre value is in the fine, soft downy undercoat of an average of 16 to 17 micron. Australian cashmere is of superior length, softer to handle, of high texture strength, and possesses a unique lustre compared with cashmere harvested in most parts of the world. Goats commercially raised for cashmere can be used for the biological control of weeds. There is a residue meat value for the goats.

It is estimated that in 2006 there were 75 farms shearing around 13,000 goats. Over recent years, the fine fibre from the undercoat has been separated from the rest of the fleece and mainly sold privately to overseas interests.

Mohair

The Australian mohair industry based on the Angora goat was established in the 1960s. The smooth lustrous fibre is harvested twice yearly and the average fibre diameter of 23 microns for ‘kid' mohair expands in adults up to 36 microns. There are about 50,000 angora goats and 500 holdings, with 20 producers having more than 500 goats. Two brokers, holding two to three auctions per year, sell mohair in Australia.

There has been a worldwide reduction in production of animal fibres. The Australian sheep population was forecast to fall to just 75.9 million in 2009, less than half the 174 million recorded in 1989. Only $2 billion is expected from wool exports with wool production at a forecast of 370,000 tonnes from one million tonnes in the boom years. More than one third of woolgrowers have left the industry over the last 20 years.

Australian production in mohair in particular has decreased appreciably in recent years. Cashmere production is slightly down, yet alpaca fibre is increasing and markets expanding for finished garments.

The GVP at the farm gate while an important statistic does not demonstrate the significance of the rare fibre industries to the economical, social and environmental contribution to Australia. For example, the business investment and trading of alpaca fibre and products is significant with major processing and garment production of Australian fibre occurring in Peru. The majority of trading occurs in China, after re-exporting from Peru. For all the fibres transport, storage, classing and selling arrangements have Australian employment and value adding.

The industries support R&D through the collection of a federal government levy of 1.5 per cent of the value of the fibre sold as mohair and cashmere. In recent years, a voluntary contribution of $40,000 per annum has been received from the alpaca industry.

The following challenges are present in the development of the rare fibre industries.

Export Environment

Fluctuations in currencies are impediments for stable income with the reliance on export markets.

Disease

Although there are challenges from the likelihood of exotic and endemic disease the incidence of diseases in competitive countries can be an advantage for exports e.g. goat diseases in South Africa.

Drought

Reduction in quantity and quality of pastures reduces production. RIRDC has published research reports detailing drought feeding of goats that can be freely downloaded or purchased from our website <www.rirdc.gov.au>

Climate Change/Oil Prices

Even though changes in climate may result in some competitive advantages for goats in arid areas, and alpaca production might be more concentrated in the temperate environments, there is no expectation that there will be any dramatic change in the production base. Increases in the price of oil products affecting the cost of production of synthetic fibre may also be advantageous for the demand of rare natural fibres produced by livestock.

Animal Welfare

Sound animal welfare practices used in the production of rare natural animal fibres will be of benefit to the industry as there is increasing pressure on wool fashion houses to ban Australian wool, due to mulesing practices.

Key long term strategies

• Productivity R&D, particularly by improving genetics for the alpaca and cashmere industries
• Product development, particularly in the supply and marketing of organic enviro-friendly fibre
• Benchmarking analyses
• Market research
• Industry meetings on research planning and communication of R&D outputs
• Encourage international visits for industry and research personnel
• Support the inclusion of post-graduate and post-doctoral personnel in projects to enhance research capacity