FROM: MICK DOAK
RE: GOAT NEWS
DATE:3RD MAY 01
CASHMERE BOUNCES BACK
Cashmere prices are on the upward trend once again after several years of turmoil. At long last the Industry seems to have started to get itself organized after a few years of what seemed to outsiders as an industry in disarray. Unfortunately a few disions on marketing the Australian clip went against them, world demand declined, China dumped its large clip on the world market and OJD
Most probably one of the worst things to happen to the Cashmere Industry not only here in WA but also in the rest of Australia has been the finding of OJD (Ovine Johne’s Disease) The slaughter of thousands of the best breeding stock has been a devastating blow to the breeders concerned as well as the small industry. Some are querying the logic of the slaughter of the large numbers of animals especially when nothing has been found. We may become complacent and say we haven't got a problem here in WA but if you talk to the people who have the experience of running a farming enterprise where OJD has been active, they say we don't want it here at any cost. The main worry has to be that it wont take much to get it here if we haven't already got it. The tests for this disease are very inconclusive so even if you purchase an animal from a MN2 flock in the east there is no certainty that you wont bring the disease into this state. Although the chances are, so we are told minimal. The safest way to introduce new blood into your flock is by genetic material such as semen or embryos. This is no comfort to those who have gone through the stress and loss that they have experienced over the last twelve months. Let us hope that it all hasn't been in vain and that we all, including Growers, Industry and Department employees will learn something from the experience.
The good thing about Cashmere and Mohair is that they give you an extra income, over those who run a meat Goat enterprise. Cashmere only has to be harvested once a year mainly in early winter. The shearing procedure does not have to be done by a qualified shearer, as does Mohair so you don't have to employ extra labour if you don't want to.
The best move the Cashmere Industry did was to set up a dehairing facility in Australia, which is positioned at Geelong in Victoria last year. This gives the Australian grower an opportunity to market clean fibre and because the Industry is a small volume one at this stage buyers would be keener to purchase clean dehaired fibre than small amounts containing a mixture of down (Cashmere) and the coarser hair.
At the Australian Cashmere Marketing Corporation's sale in March 15.5 micron white fibre sold for $174.71/kg. The whole Australian clip went to Seal International of England at prices 300 to 600 per cent higher than the last clip. Other prices paid were $169.36/kg for 16.3 micron white Cashmere, $154.11/kg for 17.7 micron white Cashmere and $153.70/kg for 16.6 micron grey (coloured) Cashmere.
Approximately six tonnes was sold.
FOR SALE
or Email: doakmick@bigpond.com.au