By Reagan Cotton MSU NEWS SERVICE
BOZEMAN—Montana State University’s leading wool and sheep expert was featured recently in Time magazine, highlighting ongoing work to explore novel uses for wool.
Brent Roeder, MSU Extension sheep specialist and a faculty member in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Animal and Range Sciences, appeared in the article, “Farmers are Using Wool to Save Water in the Drought-Ridden West,” published Dec. 23. The story highlights wool producers and scientists who are advancing knowledge and developing products that capitalize on wool’s ability to retain water and its high nitrogen content.
Nitrogen is a key nutrient in many commercial fertilizers and without supplementation, crop production often strips soil of its natural nitrogen stores. By using waste wool—material from the belly and hindquarters of sheep that is often not accepted by processors and ends up being thrown away—producers may be able to repurpose a waste product, reduce dependence on synthetic fertilizers and save water, writes Lindsey King in the article. King notes that wool can hold up to 35% of its weight in water, so incorporating it into soil via products like wool pellets or mats can keep water in the soil longer and reduce the need for irrigation.
“We’ve really just scratched the surface of wool’s uses,” said Roeder in the piece.
In Montana’s cold, dry climate, finding new ways to reduce synthetic inputs and use wool that would likely otherwise end up in a landfill could be beneficial for both growers and sheep producers, the story notes. Research across the nation is exploring the best ways to use wool as both fertilizer and irrigation catalyst, including projects at MSU.
The Time story highlighted one MSU project that will aim to quantify the impact of wool pellets on crop production and water retention on large Montana farms. As new wool products aimed at boosting agricultural efficiency emerge, the aim for scientists is to increase both knowledge and awareness of the fiber’s potential.
More information about MSU sheep and wool research can be found at montana.edu/woollab.
Brent Roeder, MSU Extension sheep specialist: roeder@montana.edu
