CSIRO Livestock Industries is supporting Australia's livestock and allied industries to become stronger global competitors in the 21st century.

We increase global demand for Australian wool by expanding wool's uses into new high-value technical markets and developing innovative products.

Ground breaking findings by an international consortium of scientists who sequenced and analysed the bovine genome, could result in more sustainable food production.

The success of international and local efforts to bring South America’s llama-like Vicuña back from the brink of extinction holds valuable lessons for Australia, according to the co-author of a new book on the project, CSIRO’s Professor Iain Gordon.

Using leading-edge breeding and production technologies to boost the value, competitiveness and sustainability of Australia’s beef and seafood industries.

By developing food materials science and food design technologies, Australia is staying at the forefront of new product and ingredient development to deliver foods with added health and processing benefits.

Better understanding of the sheep genetics, chemistry and surface properties of wool fibres are the goals of CSIRO’s fundamental wool research.

Demand for CSIRO’s pesticide residue testing service is expanding as woolgrowers and brokers prepare for tougher environmental requirements in Europe.

This video animation, produced by CSIRO, looks at the various elements of the wool fibre and the properties that each part contributes to wool's usefulness. (3:30)

Domestic sheep common to farms around Australia have come along way from their wild relatives and ancestors. Over many years of domestication, sheep have been bred for their commercially important traits by selectively breeding through trial and error, something that is about to change thanks to a new genomic tool. (3:29)

Two new CSIRO technologies that improve the convenience and comfort of wool clothing could soon be in a store near you: QuickDry Merino which has the drying time of polyester and Active-wear Merino fabric which feels drier and cooler during exercise.

By studying complex arrays of natural nanofibres, Dr Tony Pierlot hopes to develop new technical applications, which will generate sustained demand for Australian wool and other natural fibres.

This article from Farming Ahead looks at recent research in central Queensland that has proven that the argument for integrating farm forestry with grazing may be more compelling than previously thought. (3 pages)

This article from Farming Ahead contains three stories on the fate of nitrogen in the dairy environment, new biotechnology laboratories and a Foot and Mouth Symposium and Workshop. (1 page)