Sheep shearing.

[farthing]

I thought some of you might be interested to see how a sheep is shorn. We have a farmer friend who comes and does it, and has a good check over the sheep at the same time. Thankfully, although some of the older ones are thin, they are all healthy and have no problems. Hopefullly now they are on grass they will put some weight on. Even better news, the 5 rescue sheep have put on weight and have hoof growth.
Setting up-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00372-1.jpg

into position-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00373.jpg

start on the belly-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00374.jpg

onto the side-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00375.jpg

the head next-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00375.jpg

the back-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00376.jpg

the other side-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00377.jpg

finished-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00379.jpg

tidying up the fleece-
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk67/halfpenny_bucket/sheep/DSC00380.jpg

[Tink]

wow that is neat and look how much comes off..amazing!

[pinklizzy]

Great photos Farthing, I love watching the sheep shearing competitions at the Royal Welsh Show they're just so fast and accurate. Glad the rescue sheep are doing well.

[calismum]

She will feel the benefit in this weather. She looks well. Glad to hear the rescues are doing away nicely on the grass.

We do ours in two weeks time. Still a bit too cold on the hill at nights but need to be careful to look out for maggots now. It never ends. I usually roll the fleeces. I love how soft the lanolin makes my hands.

[farthing]

She will feel the benefit in this weather. She looks well. Glad to hear the rescues are doing away nicely on the grass.

We do ours in two weeks time. Still a bit too cold on the hill at nights but need to be careful to look out for maggots now. It never ends. I usually roll the fleeces. I love how soft the lanolin makes my hands.

Ours were done later last year, but Doris had a touch of flystrike, so we asked that they be done earlier this year. We also wanted to see what was going on under the rescue sheep's fleeces. They also have a shelter if it gets too cold, so hopefully will be fine.
I'm allergic to lanolin, so stear well clear of handling it!

[dandysmom]

That was really really interesting; never seen it before (City girl). Do they just lie there uncomplainingly while they're being shorn? Amazing how much wool has come off, poor sheep looks so skinny without her winter coat! Thanks for posting those.

[alexgirl73]

That is so amazing to see :D Thank you for posting.

[random]

Lovely pictures and she looks a good customer, lol!

[farthing]

That was really really interesting; never seen it before (City girl). Do they just lie there uncomplainingly while they're being shorn? Amazing how much wool has come off, poor sheep looks so skinny without her winter coat! Thanks for posting those.

Some aren't too bad, but some are real wrigglers. Issac, Badger, Jacob and Folly were the worst, Folly was terrible. Thing is if they fight they are more at risk of being cut, those clippers are really sharp.

[yola]

Wow - nekkid sheep!! :shock:
So much wool comes off - do you sell it . . . and if so, do you know what it ends up as?

A very interesting insight indeed into rural life. The closest I get to sheep is visiting petting farms at lambing times with the boys. Good to see real countryside in action :D

[farthing]

Wow - nekkid sheep!! :shock:
So much wool comes off - do you sell it . . . and if so, do you know what it ends up as?

A very interesting insight indeed into rural life. The closest I get to sheep is visiting petting farms at lambing times with the boys. Good to see real countryside in action :D

We are on a local environmental forum, so offer them for free on there. Quite a few people take them for hand spinning and then knitting and weaving, some also gets used for felt making. There are such a number of types, colours and varying quality they aren't worth much anyway, but its nice to see they don't get wasted.
Some of our sheep are 10-11 years old and you can see the difference in the thickness of their fleeces compared to when they were 5-6 years.