*Income from meat production (US Dollar) and wool production in different countries during 2010.*

*Retrospective Study of Production and Commercialization of Sheep Wool from Mexico DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101970*


#### **Table 3.**

*Sheep population and wool production in different countries (2010).*

**Figure 4.** *Proud Tzotzil women with their lambs (white/black).*

very different from that of Uruguay. However, income from wool production only reaches 0.65% of the total income. If the wool production mentioned in scenario two had been obtained, and the price per kg was modified, taking as reference New Zealand (it is the country that showed the lowest price per kg of wool) we could reach a total income of USD \$ 228,807.63 where 12.55% of the total income would be for wool production. This would result in an increase in the income of both the country and the farmer producer. **Table 3** shows the percentages of the type of wool produced by the main producers worldwide. Australia, besides being the country that produces the most wool, also produces the largest amount of fine wool. In Mexico, there is no official information that indicates the percentage of fine wool produced in 2010, it can only be said that the amount is medium thickness, used to make handicrafts.

If a policy is achieved to encourage or subsidize support for genetic improvement and obtain animals with better production and quality of wool without neglecting the production of meat (main market in Mexico) could be reduced and probably eliminate the import of wool waste in Mexico.

In some Mexican states, there are wool breeds, such as Rambouillet to Australian Merino, Deboullet, and Lincoln, which have been crossed with breeds that have a good daily weight gain, such as the Columbia breed [25]. On the other hand, the Corriedale breed could be introduced to maintain quality and, like the previous

one, not neglect the production of meat. However, to achieve this, it is necessary for farmers to be trained and oriented so that there is a "regression" and their attention is focused on the breeds that have existed for many years in Mexico such as the Chiapas sheep breed (**Figure 4**) [26].

#### **4. Discussion**

#### **4.1 Number of heads of sheep**

Mexico has a great diversity of climates (temperate, humid, and dry), very rugged topographies (hills, mountains, desert, and rain forest), and different economic levels, which makes the production of sheep a favorable alternative (**Figure 1**). Mexico has become more dependent on imports in program crops and meat/livestock between 1986 and 1998, where agricultural activities, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, beef, pork, and poultry, have increased [21].

Sheep production in Mexico has undergone several changes over time and it is very evident that the growth has been slow. From 2010 until 2016, the number of heads has only increased by 8%, unlike the period of 2000–2010 in which there was a growth of 35%. This could be due to the production objective that each Mexican state has and that the majority of sheep producers are oriented to subsistence farms [15].

#### **4.2 Production of sheep wool in Mexico**

The national wool production shows a decrease through the years, being 1980 with the greater production unlike 2019 when the quantity of tons decreased up to 38%. Possibly this may be because sheep breeders have tended to replace the wool breeds with those that do not need to shear, leaving aside the wooly breeds and substituting them for breeds of hair (i.e., Kathadin, Pelibuey, and Blacbelly) or their crosses between these two, which is an advantage due to the low prices of wool and the lack of specialized labor [24].

It is important to mention that about 80% of the sheep registered with AMCO (Asociación Mexicana de Criadores de Ovinos) are of hair breeds and the rest of breeds. This proves the aforementioned [24], so there is an increasing decrease in wool breeds and a much bigger gap in specialized wool breeds, except for the native breed of Chiapas, where it is kept as a dual-purpose breed (meat and wool), for the production of clothing and handicrafts typical of the Tzotzil culture (**Figure 5**).

Another reason why wool production may be decreasing is the cost/benefit ratio of sheep producers, as the breeds are not specialized in wool production, the quality of the wool is very variable and its commercialization in certain areas is not profitable, including the shearing process.

The costs of shearing fluctuate between \$ 3.5 and \$ 4.5 USD per sheep and the shearers take all the wool as part of the profit and therefore, many farmers prefer to throw the wool sheared by themselves [27] than selling it. Finally, another factor is the intermediary or the lack of a direct marketing channel, which buys wool from sheep producers at very low costs, sometimes paying up to an average of USD \$ 0.10 per kilo of dirty wool, which is why they opt for had another alternative as a hair sheep breeds, and another factor that could affect the wool market is the issue of little diffusion and the loss of customers who have suffered wool crafts. The few localities that still have the habit of teaching and practicing the elaboration of handicrafts, increasingly tend to be less visited [19]. On the other hand, since the United States of North America is the main buyer of wool products (99% of the product), the market is affected when demand decreases, as it did in 2009 [28]. It is important

#### **Figure 5.**

*Evaluation of wool by Tzotzil women on the live animal, to see that they are ready for shearing and to evaluate the quality of the wool, the women wearing their traditional clothing, long black woolen skirt, canvas on shoulders and braided hair.*

to note that wool is not a highly processed material, as it is only cut from the sheep, cleaned, and spun, having the characteristics of being reusable, recyclable, and biodegradable. In addition, the animals do not need complex feeding, with good grazing management and supplementation at certain times of the year is enough for the sheep to produce wool [6], so it is of utmost importance to maintain the tradition of the production of handmade fabrics as a heritage, as it also helps to improve the economy of the different regions (i.e., Region Gualupita, Temoaya in the state of Mexico, Peña de Bernal in Queretaro, Region Tzotzil in Chiapas, etc.), besides being one of the factors that maintain the genetic diversity of sheep in Mexico [29].

#### *4.2.1 Scenario 1*

When comparing Mexico with wool-producing countries, it could be mentioned that, despite having a greater number of sheep, Mexico does not produce the same in wool; such as Uruguay, which in 2010 had 95% of heads of sheep that Mexico has and obtained a production 7.4 times greater than Mexico (**Table 3**). In the case of Australia, which is considered one of the main wool-producing countries, we can notice a big difference referring to the number of sheep, as well as wool production. On the one hand, Mexico only has 11.9% of sheep that Australia has and the production of wool in Mexico reaches 1.32% of the total of the Australian country. Another clear example is New Zealand, which in 2010 had a wool production 37.64 times more than Mexico with a sheep population four times more than Mexico [30].

#### *4.2.2 Scenario 2*

Mexico produces mainly coarse wool, since as mentioned, the crossing of the wool breeds with wool to have a greater production of meat, 95% of the national inventory is made up of native Criollo sheep, and only the remaining 5% belong to specialized breeds for wool or meat production, which has caused the quality of the wool to decrease considerably, however, this cannot be considered as a disadvantage since it is mentioned that thick wool (which is above 30 micron) is showing a growing trend worldwide, in greater demand than fine wool, which is being used in the manufacture of fabrics, carpets, blankets, among another uses [6, 12, 13], so it

#### *Retrospective Study of Production and Commercialization of Sheep Wool from Mexico DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101970*

can be a solution so that the production of wool in Mexico does not disappear, since it's a developing market, some countries are not meeting their internal demands and Mexico could export this product instead of considering it a waste.

Another wool-producing country is Italy, which is not one of the main producers, however with its 6.3 million head of sheep, it produces 14,000 tons (from 1.2 to 1.3 kg of wool per sheep, depending on the breed), but only 5% of the production finds a commercial point of sale, so it presents a market very similar to that of Mexico, in addition to mainly producing coarse wool, if this wool is not transformed it represents a waste with additional cost [31]. So, Mexico could learn from the strategies that have been carried out in Italy and other countries, with the management and marketing of its wool, which it allows. Obtain added value and make it more attractive for producers to carry out the shearing in a more orderly manner and find a market that favors all sectors. Nowadays the Italian wool presents projects financed by private companies which try to support the local sheep producers, promoting the wool of autochthonous crosses, which is being destined to the production of handicrafts, handmade textiles, and the application of ecological constructions, based on the technological properties of local wool such as high insulating power, high water repellency, and high resistance to compression [32]. The financing of private organizations could be a solution for sheep Mexican wool farmers as well. However, governments are currently not supporting domestic producers and the outlook is very disappointing because 80% of the national sheep flock belongs to producers with low economic resources and low technological levels [13].

#### *4.2.3 Scenario 3*

Considering scenario 3, banks [33] discussed the evolution of the Australian lamb industry during the period of 1980–2003. The industry was negatively affected during the 80s and early 90s by the low prices of wool received by farmers and began a slow recovery in the late 90s. However, since 2000, the industry has experienced exceptional growth, where several sheep meat industry development programs helped in this recovery (e.g., Trim Lamb Campaign, Fresh Australian Range Lamb, and Lamplan). In this sense, the crossing was proposed to maintain the production of wool and meat, which was not considered in Mexico.

In Mexico, 95% of the consumption of sheep meat is as a typical food, in "Barbecue" (which consists of placing the meat in a hole in the ground, previously heated with firewood, and once the charcoal is bright red, the cuts of meat are introduced, placing a pot at the bottom, to contain the meat juice, and a grate so that it does not mix with the meat, this is covered with a few maguey stalks, and is left to cook for 12 hours, later it is uncovered and is ready for consumption) (**Figure 6**), which makes it difficult to have a quality standard of the produced carcass, since there is no distinction of cuts, and the only thing that is sought is the commercialization of animals weighing more than 40 kg [12, 13], regardless of breed, age, sex, body condition, or feeding system. After this period, Banks & Ross [34] showed that the genetic improvement in productivity and product quality increased by 4% per year at the end of the 1990s, generating a very competitive product (heavy lamb carcasses and lean, 18 kg–22 kg). This genetic success was associated with a positive combination of aggregate improvements throughout the sheep industry, which included better agricultural management, genetics, commercialization, and a consumer-centered industry. Continuous progress in the qualities of the carcass can be achieved by improving lean quality and increasing muscle [34], which in turn will result in more efficient production systems and higher meat yields. Gardner et al. [35] affirmed that the lamb industry can implement additional improvements through the strategic and intensive use of these genetic tools (i.e., artificial insemination or embryo transfer).

**Figure 6.**

```
Process of elaboration of "barbecue", as a typical regional dish of Mexico.
```
In a genetic improvement program, it is important to monitor the genetic progress obtained to verify if the improvement objectives are achieved, or if adjustments are necessary. One way to analyze the genetic gains obtained is to visualize the average reproduction values of the different characters evaluated by generation, as well as to study the direction and speed of change in each trait [36]. In general, it is considered that annual genetic progress of approximately 2% would be the maximum to achieve within a closed population that concentrates on the selection of a single characteristic [36], in our case and with the genetic diversity should generate strategies that lead to the selection of meat-wool breeds, without neglecting the autochthonous breeds that maintain the production of artisanal wool in certain regions of Mexico. Tzotzil women and men wear spun wool clothing for ceremonial or everyday use in different colors (deep black coats and skirts, white ponchos, brown blouses, and gray blankets), which is a clear example of the selection made by the shepherdesses and indigenous craftswomen [20].

Another clear example of these systems of meat-wool crosses has been in Uruguay where the genetic program of Texel (terminal crossbreeding) uses quantitative and genomic selection. From this program, some preliminary estimates for carcass quality traits (hot carcass weight, French rack, leg weights, intramuscular fat, and carcass fat indicator) resulted in moderate to high heritability (h2, ranging *Retrospective Study of Production and Commercialization of Sheep Wool from Mexico DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101970*

from 0.3 to 0.5) [36], without affecting wool production. When we look at the quality data of wool produced in Mexico and we want to compare it with other countries, but due to the lack of information it is not possible, but it can be said that the main wool production is from 27 to 40 micron. According to Perezgrovas and Castro [20], 36% of the income of indigenous communities in the southern region of Mexico (Oaxaca and Chiapas) comes from the realization of clothing and handicrafts. China in the present is one of the world's leading producers of wool, one of the reasons for the high production is the political and economic importance that ethnic minorities give to wool production since it is their main source of income [37]. Mexico not only has to give importance to wool production, wool quality, producers management training (as China does) but also must consider the climate and feed resources available in each region.

#### **5. Conclusion**

Wool production in Mexico continues to be deficient and therefore cannot meet domestic demand, having to resort to wool imports. It is necessary to consider that Mexico will not be able to completely cover the national demand since most of the commercial wool is of short and thick diameter, this is due to the great influence of meat breeds, such as Suffolk and Hampshire, which also have a great amount of black and brown fibers. The use of native resources of the region, such as the "Chiapas sheep breed" allows the development and maintenance of traditional ancestral culture, such as the Tzotzil, and the manufacture of handicrafts typical of each of the regions of Mexico; it is clear that Mexico will not improve its wool quality in the short term, however, the management of long-term programs through the inclusion of dual-purpose breeds, wool and meat can be a viable alternative for the development of the wool industry in Mexico, without affecting the production of sheep meat.

#### **Author details**

Lizbeth E. Robles-Jimenez1 , Paola Alejandra Fernández Estrada1 , Jorge Osorio Avalos1 , Raul Perezgrovas2 , Oscar Chavez-Rivera<sup>3</sup> , Einar Vargas-Bello-Pérez4 , Carlos Palacios Riocerezo5 and Manuel Gonzalez-Ronquillo1 \*

1 Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Instituto Literario 100, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico

2 Instituto de Estudios Indigenas, Boulevad Javier Lopez Moreno SN, Universidad Autonoma de Chiapas, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico

3 Departamento de Regularizacion y Registro de Productores Veterinarios, Mexico

4 Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

5 Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Ambientales, Departamento de Construcción y Agronomía, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

\*Address all correspondence to: mrg@uaemex.mx

© 2022 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

*Retrospective Study of Production and Commercialization of Sheep Wool from Mexico DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101970*

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#### **Chapter 3**
