With the shearing season in full swing, on this week’s OviCast, we're joined by Pat Coffey, merchant, wool exporter, and member of the Irish Grown Wool Council.

Pat brings four generations of experience to the wool industry and gives us a valuable insight into the current state of the wool market, explaining some of the key factors influencing it today.

We discuss best practices in shearing and how they impact wool quality, including the importance of the Shear Success guide recently distributed to farmers as part of the 2024 census.

Pat also walks us through the journey that wool takes from the farm to market, explaining how it’s often blended with fibres from other countries to meet customer specifications.

We wrap up with a look at ongoing work in the sector, including a new initiative piloted last year that delivered higher returns for farmers.

Shear success guide: 

https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/shear-success-guide-for-sheep-farmers-2/

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast