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Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

Australian Wool Innovation is a not-for-profit enterprise that conducts research, development and marketing along the worldwide supply chain for Australian wool on behalf of about 60,000 woolgrowers that help fund the company.

Our mission is to make strategically targeted investments to enhance the profitability, international competitiveness and sustainability of the Australian wool industry. To do this, we invests along the global supply chain for Australian wool to deliver outcomes that benefit Australian woolgrowers.

Location

Australia

Organisation type

Research funding body
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Related Stories

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close up image of sheep in a stock yard wearing smart tags on their ears
Opportunity

Wearable tech for sheep lets woolgrowers join the smart tag revolution

Australian Wool Innovation is pioneering smart tags for sheep, giving producers the chance to track, monitor and assess their animals in real time – all the time. For an industry left behind in the smart tag race, it’s welcome news. 

  • Led by
    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)
Close up image of a mob of sheep
Wool

New England Merino Lifetime Productivity online field day

The recent New England Field Day was converted from an in-person, on-site experience to an online event featuring the 2018 drop and 2017 drop MLP ewes. A launch webinar and website showcasing sire progeny inspection videos and results, along with a site seasonal overview and associated Merino Lifetime Productivity (MLP) and New England research updates, will now be available online for the life of the MLP project

  • Led by
    Australian Wool Innovation
  • In collaboration with
    Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association
Tony Vuocolo in sheep yards holding a syringe up to a sheep
Wool

Vaccine researchers striking back against flystrike

Australian Wool Innovation is now two years into a major four-year preliminary research project to help develop a commercial vaccine that will protect sheep right across Australia from the Australian sheep blowfly. This $2.5 million collaborative project has achieved much in its first two years. Here, CSIRO project leader Tony Vuocolo provides woolgrowers with an update on his particular area of research on the project.

  • Led by
    Australian Wool Innovation
  • In collaboration with
    CSIRO

Related Opportunities

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Logo for Wearable device for sustainable livestock production
Multiple industries

Wearable device for sustainable livestock production

Opportunity for

  • Animal agtech companies interested in developing new products and services
  • Internet of Things (IoT) technology companies interested in developing new products and services
  • Led by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Opportunity type

    Seeking interest, Seeking investment, Seeking partners

  • Readiness
    Mid (TRL 5-7)
    Proof of concept in the laboratory then in the field resulting in the development of a minimum viable product (MVP).

Research projects

Other research projects
Logo for Zondii On farm Wool Classing
Multiple industries

Zondii On farm Wool Classing

Using patented scientific technology the project aims to enable producers to scan wool in-shed and detect micron, colour and crimp of the wool, by creating machine learning models accessed by affordable non-connected devices. This project will benefit the producer by providing real time wool test results cheaper and quicker than current laboratory options, allowing more sheep to be tested.
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    31 May 2022 - 30 Jun 2022

  • Research organisation

    Zondii

Logo for Next generation wool harvesting
Multiple industries

Next generation wool harvesting

This project will explore the potential for developing an alternative to conventional shearing through R&D directed towards a novel approach, based on delivering a product by feed or injection, which creates a weakened zone in the fleece. The fleece can then be removed by unskilled labour or an automated high-throughput system. If successful, this project will revolutionise wool harvesting, by improving wool quality, eliminating shearer injuries, allowing producers to decide harvesting time, harvesting small numbers of sheep and improving sheep welfare.
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    30 Jun 2022 - 30 Jun 2025

  • Research organisation

    The University of Adelaide (UA)

Logo for Laser for permanent removal of wool foll
Multiple industries

Laser for permanent removal of wool foll

The purpose of this project is to research and develop for adoption alternative technologies for wool follicle removal (lambs 8-12 weeks old) that could apply to mulesing and crutching as well as animal husbandry for the meat industry on older sheep. This project builds on the previous project “Duetto Laser Technology for sheep husbandry” which will validate Laser technology for this application in a controlled lab study.
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    28 Jun 2022 - 1 Feb 2023

  • Research organisation

    The University of Western Australia (UWA)

Logo for Sire Evaluation Link Sires 2022-2025
Multiple industries

Sire Evaluation Link Sires 2022-2025

This project provides strong and robust linkage to all standard sire evaluation sites joining for a 2023, 2024 and 2025 drop. Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association (AMSEA) will oversee the operation of up to 8 sire evaluation sites around Australia. All sites are operated independently and produce results that are specific to each site (Site Reports using within flock raw data, sire adjusted means and flock breeding values). In order for sires entered at different sites to be directly compared (Merino Superior Sires and MERINOSELECT), link sires need to be used across the sites.
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    1 Oct 2022 - 30 Jun 2025

  • Research organisation

    Australian Merino Sire Evaluation Association (AMSEA)

Logo for Assistive technology in shearing: sensing
Multiple industries

Assistive technology in shearing: sensing

The project aims to mitigate the risk of injury to the workforce in sheepshearing and improve the process's productivity. Specifically, it intends to (1) optimize and validate a set of wearable sensors that the shearers can wear to inform the users on the state of fatigue (and the risk of injury) of the users and (2) based on objective data, design and construct a motorised ceiling harness with the appropriate intelligence to vary the amount of support provided while allowing the user to move freely. Conventional harnesses are constructed out of springs, which do not allow a shearer to rest upon it when fatigued completely, require the shearer to pull against it when intending to move and are not capable of adapting the amount of support it provides according to the condition of the user.
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    1 Dec 2022 - 1 Dec 2023

  • Research organisation

    The University of Melbourne

Logo for Moving to a Non-Mulesed Enterpirse
Multiple industries

Moving to a Non-Mulesed Enterpirse

This project is drawing on existing information to develop a one-day workshop (StrateFly) , training for advisors (AmpliFly) and associated resources for woolgrowers focused on building awareness and support for woolgrowers planning to move to a non-mulesed enterprise.
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    11 Mar 2022 - 30 Jun 2023

  • Research organisation

    Schuster Consulting

Logo for Informed Modeling of Blowfly Chemical Resistance
Multiple industries

Informed Modeling of Blowfly Chemical Resistance

Outcomes from the analysis of the genetic characteristics of resistant blowfly phenotype and fitness values and the genes and mutations identified by UoM will be shared with UTAS. NSW DPI will also provide up to date resistance information, in the form of calculated resistance factors for field blowfly populations to the listed insecticides, the associated insecticide usage and flystrike management information (if available) to UTAS. These will inform evidence-based enhancements of UTAS’s Resistance Model, with review from UQ.
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    16 Jun 2022 - 30 Jun 2024

  • Research organisations

    New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), The University of Melbourne, The University of Queensland (UQ), The University of Tasmania (UTAS)

Logo for Predictors of AI Success & Semen Standards
Multiple industries

Predictors of AI Success & Semen Standards

The aim of this project is to comprehensively analyse the impact of both male and female factors on the success of artificial insemination programs in the sheep industry.
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    - 30 Apr 2024

  • Research organisation

    The University of Sydney (USYD)

Logo for Flystrike Extension Package
Multiple industries

Flystrike Extension Package

There is already information available for woolgrowers on best practice strategies for the management of flystrike, including on FlyBoss and …
  • Funded by

    Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)

  • Project date

    15 Dec 2020 - 30 Jun 2022

  • Research organisation

    Schuster Consulting Group Pty Ltd

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