by
Susan Schoenian
Date of last revision:
28-Dec-2005 0:03
Click
HERE to download as a MS Word file.
Most breeds of sheep grow wool continuously, so it is important to shear them
at least once per year. In 2004, the average sheep in the U.S. produced 7.4
lbs. of grease wool. Shearing is usually done in the spring, so sheep don't
get overheated in the summer. Sometimes, sheep are sheared in the winter prior
to lambing. There are many advantages to shearing sheep prior to lambing. Sheared
sheep take up less room in the barn and around feeders. It is easier for lambs
to nurse sheared ewes. However, sheep that are shorn in the winter require good
nutrition and shelter. Some producers shear their sheep twice per year.
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Freshly
shorn sheep in Switzerland
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Sheep
that hasn't been
sheared in several years |
Anyone can attempt to shear a sheep, but not everyone can do a good job. Shearing is a specialized skill and hard work. Shearing requires skill so that they are shorn efficiently without cuts or injuries to the sheep and shearer. If shearing is not carried out skillfully, it is stressful to the sheep. It is best to hire professional shearers to shear sheep. Small sheep farms often have a difficult time getting shearers. Small farms can save money by bringing sheep to a central location for sheearing. Producers can learn to shear by attending shearing schools.
Before electric shears (up until about the 1880's), sheep were sheared with hand shears or blades. In some parts of the world where electricity is limited or not available, sheep are still blade sheared. Compared to machine shorn sheep, blade shorn sheep will have more wool. The New Zealand method is the most common method of shearing. Many shearers of Spanish or Mexican descent use a style of shearing that requires the legs of the sheep to be tied.
Electric shears have three basic parts: the handpiece, the comb and the cutters. Commercial sheep shears, having a powerful electric motor attached to the ceiling. Portable electric shears have the motor inside the handle of the handpiece. Expect to pay $250-500 for a good set of electric shears. More teeth on a comb generally mean a cut closer to the skin. Cutters generally have 4 points, triangular protrusions, and attach to the handpiece by way of four "fingers" that press them firmly against the comb. Cutters are the first thing to dull, and you will probably want about 3 cutters for every comb. Changing cutters is quick, and it ensures a sharp tool. Remember, dull tools are dangerous tools. Cutters cost $10-15. When purchasing shearing combs, it is important to buy a type of comb that is best suited to the sheep you will be shearing.
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Shearing
Equipment
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 Hand shears (for blade shearing) |
Shearing
Machine |
 Electric Shears |
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 Cutter |
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 Comb for general shearing |
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 Comb for close shearing |
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Preparing
sheep for shearing
A sheep sheared should be contacted well in advance of shearing time. Sheep
should be penned before shearing. They should be sorted into the following groups:
lambs, yearlings, rams and ewes by breed and/or grade. Sheep should be fasted
before shearing. This will result in a much cleaner shearing floor. A full stomach
also contributes to animal discomfort during shearing. Wet sheep should not
be shorn. Sheep should be sheared on a clean, dry surface (e.g. wood, carpet,
canvas, or concrete). The shearing area should be swept after each sheep to
provide a clean surface for the next.
Skirting Fleeces
After
shearing, belly wool and tags should be separated from the rest of the fleece.
Every sheep producer should learn how to skirt and roll a fleece. To skirt,
throw the fleece flesh side down, so the dirty end of the fleece faces up. Remove
off-color wool, tags around the breach, very short and matted wool, and other
contaminated areas. Then roll the two sides of the fleece in toward the middle
and roll the fleece from one end to the other. The flesh side will face out,
created a clean, attractive package for the buyer. It is usually not necessary
to tie fleeces. If fleeces are tied, only paper twine should be used.
Small producers can package their fleeces in cardboard boxes or plastic garbage
bags. Wool should not be packaged in poly feed sacks for burlap bags. Large
producers should pack their wool in large square bales. The preferred packaging
material is clear plastic wool bags.
Different grades or classes of wool should be packaged separately. All belly wool, tags, off-color, burry, seedy, chaffy, cotted, stained or dead wool should be handled and bagged separately. Black wool should be kept separate from white wool. Bags of wool should be labeled. Properly sorted and labeled wool will bring more money to the grower. Wool should be stored in a clean, dry place until ready for market.
Improving
Wool Quality
There
many things producers can do to improve the quality of their wool clip. Since
black and colored fibers can seriously undermine the value of a white wool clip,
black, colored, or spotted sheep should be sheared last and black wool should
be kept separate from white wool. One of the major wool contaminants is polypropylene:
hay baling twine, poly tarps, and poly feed sacks. Polypropylene should never
be allowed to come into contact with wool. Paint branding can be damaging to
wool. If paint brands are used, only approved scourable solutions should be
used. Sheep should not be paint branded prior to shearing time. Medium size
paint irons should be used and the paint should be applied lightly. Vegetable
matter (e.g. seeds, straw, chaff, and burrs) is a primary source of wool contamination.
To help prevent this type of contamination, sheep should not be bedded on hay
or straw before shearing. Overhead hay feeders should be avoided. Hays which
allow sheep to poke their heads through will also result in wool contamination.
Poor nutrition can weaken the strength of the wool fiber and result in breaks
in the wool fiber.
The widspread popularity of hair sheep breeds poses a threat to wool quality. Hair is damaging to a wool fleece. The fleeces from hair x wool crosses should be discarded. Hair x wool crosses should be sheared last.
Crotching/Crutching
Crotching is a short, quick modification of shearing. Only the wool in the vulva
area and around the udder is removed. If ewes are ot sheared before lambing,
it is a good idea to crotch them. Crutching offers some of the same advantages
as shearing prior to lambing. Crutching is the removal of wool from the crutch
of a sheep to keep the area dry and less attractive to blowfly strike.
Not
All Sheep Require Shearing
It is generally not necessary to shearing hair sheep. In addition, many of the
primitive breeds will also naturally shed their coats.
