 |
| Waiting in line for her turn to get her yearly |
After rescheduling twice due to rain, we finally were able to get the sheep sheared.
I was a little apprehensive this year about shearing since the sheep shearer we have used for many years, decided to "retire". Our shearer this year was a local Amish man, who raises sheep as well. I am happy to say, that he did a great job.
We spend the previous day getting ready. Setting up gates, chutes, and gathering supplies. After many years of doing this, we have a pretty good system worked out.
We split the sheep up into two groups, last years lambs were first to get sheared.
The aged ewes were next, they have been through this before and behave pretty well. While they are waiting in line, we give them dewormer, and check their hooves.
The hooves get trimmed if needed.
Next-shearing
 |
| Tunis Ewe being sheared |
 |
| Tunis Fleece |
After the sheep are sheared, the fleece gets put on skirting table.
 |
| Border Leicester Fleece Skirted fleece gets put in bag and labeled with breed and the sheep's ear tag number. |
Waste wool gets taken over to the woods and dumped out.
When the sheep are sheared, we get a better idea of what kind of body condition they are in. The wool hides a lot! Some of the sheep were not in the condition we like to see them in, so we are adding more grain to their daily diet.
We also could see which ewes were developing udders, getting ready to lamb. Two big reasons we like to shear before lambing.
44 fleeces bagged and tagged, that should keep me busy for a while!
Yes, we run into the body condition issue as well, although we've usually lambed by then, so we have to take that into account. But it's great afterwards because you can see who's picking up like they need to and who might still be lagging behind. We always expect them to be slim after lambing and nursing twins, even on hay and grain. But they should catch up quickly once the grass comes in and be fat all summer. :)
ReplyDeletethe ewes were not too bad, the lambs were the ones that did not have the body condition we would have liked to see. I think we need to shear our lambs in the fall.
DeleteLove to see a great set up like yours. One of the farms I work for shears the breeding ewes in the fall, mostly because they are used for a dog trial, but also, as the winter goes on, you can easily monitor body condition and udders... Of course we don't live in Michigan ;-).
ReplyDeleteWe have done fall shearing on on occasion. They are the nicest fleeces.
DeleteVery interesting post, Sandra. Great photos, and I'd love to have watched the process. So interesting... Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThat is one big process, but looks like it's worth it. Thanks for sharing the "how-to" on this.
ReplyDeleteIt is a big process, but we have a lot of help and it goes quickly! Thankfully, it is just once a year :)
DeleteThanks for sharing - loved it. I always wanted Tunis sheep - but, while in 4-H the girls stuck with market lambs - suffolk cross.
ReplyDeleteTunis are nice sheep.
DeleteHaha - it sounds like I need to develop a wool fleece of my own. It might hide MY body issues! ;) I'm glad everything went well with the new guy, and that your weather finally cooperated. Good luck with the fore-coming lambing season!
ReplyDelete:) Thanks!! We had our first lambs a few days after lambing.
DeleteGreat post! I wonder what it would be like to have a sheep or two. Then again, I wonder is they would like the hair cut that I give them. Have you ever been tempted to give one a hat or rabbit ears? Perhaps a Mohawk. Maybe this is why I am not allowed to volunteer at the local farms.
ReplyDelete:) haha, I think a mohawk would be great on our Romneys!
Delete