The shearing industry is no stranger to labour shortages, but some producers have found innovative ways to attract workers and reduce work-related injuries.
Jarrod King, a farmer from Gairdner on Western Australia's south coast, has upgraded his shearing shed to combat staffing issues and increase productivity.
Behind the shearing stands, he has installed a race that channels sheep directly to the shearer, instead of the traditional set up of over 10 sheep to a pen.
"We've worked on average shearing another 10 per cent [of the] sheep a day, and at the end of the day the shearers walk out ready to come back to work," he said.
Mr King said the concept had been used overseas for a number of years, but had not been widely adopted in Australia.
He designed about 95 per cent of his set up, the other 5 per cent coming from a module designed by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI).
After enduring labour shortages throughout his time in the industry, a big incentive for Mr King to upgrade was the promise of keeping workers on deck.
"We wanted to create a facility … to attract people to come and work … and keep coming back," he said.
Alleviated back pain
It is predicted about 75 per cent of all shearing injuries come from using the catch-and-drag method.
The areas most prone to injury for a shearer include the back and hips.
With the race system Mr King installed, shearers do not need to go into the pen or drag the sheep a significant distance.
There is less strain on the shearer, thereby reducing the likelihood of injury.
"[In the traditional system] the shearer walks in and catches one and then drags it back out through the doors," he said,
"On average … most shearing systems [have] about five-and-a-half metres of drag … we've alleviated all of that."
Mr King expected the race system would be adopted by other producers, as installing the system was not difficult.
"You don't have to build a brand new shed to implement this system," he said.
"It can be renovated into any existing sheds with a bit of knowledge."
Innovation interest
AWI was so impressed with Mr King's set up, they put it on display at a demonstration day last year.
The industry group has also designed its own automated system similar to Mr King's, in collaboration with Haynes Engineering.
AWI chairman Jock Laurie said there was a lot of interest from wool producers.
"People have been very keen to have a look to see what other options they have when it comes to crutching and shearing,” Mr Laurie said.
"We need to continue to find work ways to increase productivity, to remove some of the more physical components out of it."
Mr Laurie said innovation and adaptation in wool production was critical in a competitive labour market.
"Being able to utilise different components of technology right through that system is obviously what's going to continue to attract people into the industry — and keep people in the industry."
