Water-Saving Wool

As the west faces growing drought conditions, producers are finding innovative ways to utilize livestock as means to conserve water. Montana State University was recently highlighted in a Time magazine article titled, “Farmers Are Using Wool To Save Water in the Drought-Ridden West,” by Lindsay King, for their research regarding the use of wool as a fertilizer for large-scale agriculture production.

Below is a summary of their work and others to mitigate the effects of climate change and drought in the West:

Albert Wilde, a sixth generation Utah sheep rancher, noticed that when their sheep went for a swim, they came out twice as heavy as they were when they were dry because of how well the wool takes on water and holds it. This led him to an experiment. He wanted to see if he could utilize wool’s water capacity to help water his wife’s plants while they were away on vacation. Wilde explained that in the past, his wife’s plants were dying because they did not receive enough water while the family was gone, so he decided to put his wool scraps to use.

Before they left, Wilde placed the wool scraps, that he referred to as “waste wool,” and saturated them. When they returned from vacation, the plants looked great, showing no signs of water stress and indicating that his experiment was a success.

Inspired by the success of the wool with regards to watering his plants, Wilde wanted to incorporate wool into other areas, so he turned to his compost pile. Before integrating the wool into his compost Wilde wanted to be sure that wool – which can hold 35% of its weight in water – wouldn’t degrade it’s quality, so he began researching. He found a study from 2012 that cited wool as an effective fertilizer for tomato plants due to its high nitrogen contents, minimal potassium, and no phosphorous, so he decided to pivot from compost and think about wool’s potential elsewhere.

Wilde wanted to spread the word about the potential value of waste wool, which would normally wind up in the landfill. When he began looking into wool as a fertilizer he found a relatively untapped market, despite the opportunity of wool to have a positive impact on soil health. Its organic nutrient content, relatively-high water capacity and porosity (which can promote oxygenation) seems like the perfect trifecta, so he began looking into the feasibility of turning the wool into an easily distributable form, like a pellet. In 2018, Wilde’s wool pellets were launched online, and his passions have inspired others to pelletize their waste wool.

Alicia Rux, co-owner of Cottonwood Creek Wool, is also utilizing their wools scraps to create what she describes as a “natural renewable fertilizer.” Rux is hopeful of the potential of wool as a fertilizer, citing marketing as their biggest obstacle.

The wool pellet market currently caters to small-scale gardeners. Without proof of the efficacy of wool pellets compared to synthetic fertilizers, it will likely be difficult to make a shift to large-scale application. This is where partnerships become essential. Wilde has partnered with the University of Vermont, Montana State University, and the Idaho Department of Transportation to expand research of wool pellets. Funding opportunities for research, such as this is also expanding. Organizations such as the USDA, through their Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, and Colorado-based LOR Foundation are helping support projects that could help build drought resilience and foster climate-smart practices.

In 2024 Montana State University applied for a grant through the USDA’s Sustainable Research and Education Program, with the goal of executing a multi-year study with large-scale Montana farms to determine if wool pellets can increase crop production and water retention. The generally silty soil and low precipitation (11-14 inches annually) make Montana farms excellent candidates to see the effectiveness of wool pellets.

Aside from its use as a fertilizer, Brent Roeder, a sheep and wool specialist with Montana State University Extension, is optimistic that we may be able to utilize wool scraps in many ways in the future, stating, “We’ve really just scratched the surface of wool’s uses.” A few examples of the potential of wool that Brett and others provided were: wool mats to stabilize plants; pillows to stabilize eroding stream banks; land reclamation of mining areas; roadside vegetation implementation; and more.

Developing and initiating drought resilient practices is a growing necessity in our region. The utilization of scraps and what would be waste to create this is exciting, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the application of wool pellets and other practices.

To read the original article, visit: https://time.com/7202460/farmers-waste-wool-save-water-drought/