Branding Fluid Analysis Project
In 2006, AWEX decided to undertake a project that looked at branding fluid contamination
Branding fluid contamination is a major headache for Wool Processors and despite huge investment in developing formulations such as SIRO-Mark that scour out, many exporters will not take the risk on lots as they cannot be sure if brands have had solvents such as petrol or diesel added.
Previous testing projects on brands had relied on branding fluid being applied to wool by the Testing body in order to simulate the paddock situation.
The idea of this trial was to take a more commercially realistic angle by selecting wool from grab samples as they are presented to the trade. It was then hoped to work back through brokers and talk to growers about how and when they applied the marking substance.
AWEX auditors collected 142 brand-affected samples from sale lots with varying intensity and colour from all 3 selling centres. The samples were tested by CSIRO according to AS 4054 “Scourable Branding Substances for Greasy Wool