Data capture and analysis for the Lincoln College Wool Measurement Service: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) at Lincoln College

Abstract

Although wool is an important contributor to New Zealand's agricultural exports, it represents only 5 % of the world fibre market. Major competitors in this market include other natural fibres as well as synthetic fibres, all of which are becoming of increasingly high quality. Manufactured competing fibres can be readily specified by three basic measurement : - fibre diameter - fibre length - fibre type, i.e. chemical composition

Consequently the processing characteristics of these fibres are easily predicted. Wool on the other hand is prone to natural variability determined by both genetic and environmental factors which significantly alter its processing traits. Thus with the increase in synthetic fibre production over the last ten to fifteen years, there has been a need to establish tests to measure wool characteristics. The implementation of such tests enable wool to remain competitive against the synthetic products which are becoming increasingly prominent in the market.

Under the New Zealand wool marketing system (Fahy, 1987) it is possible for price premiums to be paid for desired wool characteristics. This, in turn has allowed farmers to incorporate selection for specific wool characteristics into their breeding programmes. As wool represents up to 90 % of gross farm revenue for merino farmers, 70 % for halfbred farmers and more than 40 % for crossbred farmers (New Zealand Meat and Wool Board Economic Service. 1986), this payment for quality is of vital importance to farm income. Consequently any positive gains in wool quality, i.e. those characteristics that are desirable for wool processing, obtained from price signal information will directly stimulate farmers' income.

The requirement of price premiums is that wool characteristics can be uniquely measured and reported. This has necessitated the establishment of measurement services for farmers and also the industry. These services generate large quantities of data that need to be analysed for use in bulk wool auction sales and also in individual farmer's selection programmes. An aim of this project is to review the literature on wool characteristics which are recorded for breeding selection purposes with a view to developing an electronic data capture system for the Lincoln College Wool Measurement Service (LCWMS).

Electronic information handling systems have developed rapidly in the last ten years and as a consequence have tended to lack uniformity to users. Also there has tended to be a reticence on the part of some people to involve themselves with computers because of real and perceived fears. These fears have not been aided by the complexity and preciseness demanded by earlier computer languages (Forester, 1985). More recently the large productivity gains enabled by electronic information systems have seen a need for people with limited computer skills to effectively operate complex systems. This has necessitated the development of "user-friendly" programs which provide a uniform and logical interface between the user and machine. Therefore an important part of the LCWMS data capture design will be that of developing a "userfriendly" program.

Further goals of this project are : - to establish a database for the storage and further analysis of LCWMS sample data on an IBM personal computer - to facilitate a data transfer system between the three different computers involved (EPSON PX8, VAX and IBM PC).