MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Regional News from Pta. Arenas.

Headlines
Market niche for Corriedale wool.
Promoting sheep farming productivity.
NASA researchs Antarctic ice.

Market niche for Corriedale wool

The importance of wool as money making commodity and of mid size fibre producing Corriedale was underlined by a Uruguayan agronomist from the Uruguayan Wool Secretariat, SUL, during an Agriculture Conference held in Magallanes Region.

Roberto Cardelino an expert in Corriedale wool who regularly visits Punta Arenas said that the world market is now looking for finer wools, but this does not mean there's no room for a medium sized Corriedale fibre.

Mr. Cardelino who heads SUL Wool Research and Promotion Department said that people now prefer lighter clothing, "heavy garments are out, fashion has confirmed this line, and more houses and cars have heating so this has a direct influence on the type of wool demanded".

Among those markets Mr. Cardelino named: upholstering for cars, trains and aircrafts because wool is not as inflammable as synthetics that have become the Corriedale wool's main competitor.

Recalling that Corriedale is the main breed of Magallanes region flock, Mr. Cardelino recommended farmers to concentrate all their efforts in improving wool's quality, "a high quality fibre for a specific market niche; it's not worth investing for a wide mid-sized fibre demand because synthetic, acrylic, polyester textiles and their cheaper costs will have the upper hand".

Mr. Cardelino also warned that many Corriedale farmers because of the negative wool prices during almost a decade gradually turned into meat emphasizing lamb and mutton production forgetting about wool quality.

"The world flock has dropped considerably in the last decade and we are now seeing a resurgence of wool demand and profits, but quality wool and fine wool", stressed Mr. Cardelino adding that actually China absorbs 23% of world exports.

Promoting sheep farming productivity

An echograph to help improve ewe fertility and a cross-breeding program are two of the initiatives currently been tested in the Magallanes Region experimental farm of Kampenaike, sponsored by the Chilean Institute for Agricultural Research. The ultra-sound 16,000 US dollar echograph from New Zealand is being used to check ewes detecting multiple pregnancies, time of pregnancy and culling those that have proved unfertile.

"The system is quiet simple to operate and with the screen we can easily detect the good females plus helping us to individualize those with twins and giving us time to prepare for better husbandry conditions", said Francisco Sales chief veterinarian at the Kampenaike farm.

Mr. Sales added that "this very valuable information will help us better organize lambing and for those ewes with multiple pregnancies give them better feeding conditions", helping to an overall drop in the mortality rate in Magallanes that now stands between 30 and 38% according to weather conditions.

Death causes in Magallanes Region flock are listed as: infections; predators' attacks; insufficient food, shelter; genetic abnormalities; lambs born with insufficient weight.

"The greatest mortality is among twin lambs, so if we can ensure sufficient food and proper shelter we'll be increasing productivity and profits", said Mr. Sales.

As to the cross breeding program local Corriedale are being crossed with Finnish Landrace which is known for its high percentage of multiple lambing.

Similarly with Suffolk a cross that delivers stronger and sturdier lambs emphasizing meat production.

"Results so far have been satisfactory", indicated Agronomist Raúl Lira, but "this production system in the range will demand improved feeding conditions: either supplementing with alfalfa and grains or having less sheep per acre. Don't forget we're targeting a greater number of ewes with twins".

The number of sheep per acre in Magallanes Region varies from 0,5 per hectare in the poorest areas to 2,5 in the best fields. Magallanes has two million sheep which represent 52% of Chile's national flock.

NASA researchs Antarctic ice

United States National Aeronautics and Space Agency, NASA, resumed this Monday scientific flights over Antarctica to collect information on Antarctic sea ice and its possible links with global climate changes.

The operation is based in Punta Arenas, involves at least twenty five scientists and is done in combination with satellites and a research vessel.

"The project is called AMSR-E marine Antarctic ice, and we are trying to collect information on the Earth water cycle. The info and data from our research aircraft is checked with information from a Nasa Aqua satellite and a similar Japanese Advance Earth Observing satellite both equipped with advanced radiometer microwave scanners", explained Elena Lobl, coordinator of the program.

"All this information regarding clouds, atmosphere temperature, humidity, rainfall, marine ice snow, sea surface temperature, ice plate thickness helps improve models that are used for studying climate changes", added Ms. Elena Lobl.

"We need to estimate sea ice concentrations, temperature, snow depth, all of which is then checked and validate the satellite information which is also complemented with a scientific research vessel sailing in Antarctic waters".

The AMSR-E operation was scheduled to begin last week but during its first flight the aircraft was forced to return because of engine failure and conditions for an emergency landing had to be set up in Punta Arenas airport.

"Fortunately all worked out fine, and the crew and aircraft landed safely", pointed out Ms. Elena Lobl.

The operation also includes Chilean scientists from Magallanes University who recently returned from Greenland where they were invited to participate with Copenhagen University glaciologists in a similar research involving Artic ice.