HILL farmers have been warned to take care with wool from Blue-faced Leicesters.

The British Wool Marketing Board this week said a number of complaints have been received from buyers.

It believes that international manufacturers are losing confidence in British wool generally, and Blue-faced Leicester in particular, because of fleeces contaminated by other dark wools, kemp and polypropylene.

Blue-faced Leicester is one of the finest wools in the British clip and, with its lustrous, soft handle it is competing with fine Merino types for apparel.

In Japan, Blue-faced Leicester has been used for men's light-weight suits, where any imperfection in the fibre is clearly visible, and UK buyers fear manufacturers will stop buying British wool if the complaints persist.

Stephen Spencer, wool board appraiser, said that, traditionally, Blue-faced Leicester was a very marketable wool. The latest sale price (Grade 454) was 110p/kg, with less volume generally available following foot and mouth disease. However, there was every chance of this improving in the coming season, providing the wool was clean and of good quality.

"Blue-faced Leicester owners are growing a superb natural product and are entitled to the best price we can obtain at auction. It really is worth taking care of it," he said.

The board suggests that producers take the trouble to keep Blue-faced Leicester away from other wools and extraneous polypropylene twine during shearing and to pack the fleeces separately, ideally in a paper bag within the wool sheet, to avoid contamination.