Christchurch company Woolover has a niche business based on wool. It specialises in producing and marketing woollen animal covers to protect newborn lambs, kids and calves from the elements.

Sheep farmers should maximise the survival of new season lambs, says Woolover managing director David Brown.

“On any farm, adequately protecting newborn lambs from a southerly storm makes good financial sense. With present lamb prices, some farmers are claiming they can earn up to $1500 per hour by proactively covering newborns, particularly multiple births, in the critical hours before any forecast storm.

“Farmers using our covers report significant savings of newborn lambs in a southerly, when compared to lambs from adjoining paddocks that were not wearing our covers, ” he says. 

Woolover covers are made of South Island mid micron hogget and lambswool supplied by Bloch & Behrens and sourced from PGG Wrightson wool grower clients, which are felted, cut and stitched in Canterbury. Covers vary in size, with different wool mixes to suit different species.

“Woolover started making covers in 1992, when a harsh winter storm hit Canterbury in late-August, killing an estimated two million lambs and 40,000 calves. In 1993 we sold 50,000 covers in the first eight weeks of production, and now export to 15 countries.

“Using wool ensures our products give natural thermal protection to reduce the loss of stock to hypothermia during winter weather. As well as that protection, our covers promote production by ensuring an animal’s food intake translates into growth, rather than maintaining body heat. We have evidence of lambs wearing Woolover increasing their growth from the additional warmth and reduced maintenance they need while wearing our covers,” says David Brown.

One of the company’s longest standing customers is the United States’ largest private calf rearer, which raises 6400 dairy heifers per annum, all outdoors, in Wisconsin, where February temperatures can drop as far as 30 degrees below zero. Woolover has provided covers to put on an estimated 30,000 calves raised by this business since 2000.

Woolover covers are available for purchase through PGG Wrightson retail stores.