Sheep shearing always feels like the start of a new year. Maybe because it happens in spring. Maybe because it is the one time we get to have a good look at our flock and see where we're excelling and where we're falling short. Maybe because we know lambing is coming up next.
Shearing is a bit of an anxious time. A sheep without her fleece is pretty naked looking, and her nakedness exposes a lot. On shearing day any flaws in the ranch feed and health program are glaringly obvious.
When to Shear
We always like to have our sheep shearing done before lambing commences. Usually about a month before. This way the ewes are still a few weeks away from full pregnancy so the process is little easier on them.
We also like to shear when there is hope of fair weather for the animals. Going from a full thick winter wool coat to almost no coat is a bit of stress, more so if the weather is cold. Since we lamb in the late spring/early summer we often shear in April.
Shearing before lambing helps to keep the animals cleaner during birthing as they won't have a full fleece for blood and afterbirth to collect in. Some shepherds also believe the lambs have an easier time finding the udder on a shorn ewe.
Shearing usually takes place somewhere under cover and structures used for this purpose are called shearing sheds.
The amount of wool clip that comes off an animal and its quality depends on the breed and care of the animal. On average a wool clip from one commercial range sheep will be around 8 to 10 pounds. One thing is for sure, our current domestic sheep no longer produce the fleeces their ancestors once did.
Why do we shear?
Sheep shearing is a wool harvest that happens in one or two days depending on the number of head to be sheared. Just like a grain harvest the pace can be hectic and the days long.
You can check out this link if you're interested in sheep shearing tips that will help the day progress smoothly.
Sheep cannot be left to go without shearing. The wool continually grows and will become heavy, soiled and unhealthy if not annually sheared.
With a dual purpose flock being raised mainly for meat shearing is for the benefit of the animal. Today there is little to no profit to be made off the sale of commercial wool. Producers are lucky if they can recoup the cost of shearing. Or they find other means to market their wool.
Flock owners who are raising sheep for the quality of the fleece will treat the process of shearing very differently and will stand to make a profit off their product as well. These producers may also treat the process of raising sheep differently, supplying their animals with different minerals, and putting them in coats in order to ensure a higher quality wool product from start to finish.
We always like to have our sheep shearing done before lambing commences. Usually about a month before. This way the ewes are still a few weeks away from full pregnancy so the process is little easier on them.
