Pre-prep for sheep shearing

Being prepared is key, knowing when to shear and having the right equipment is vital.

Choose the right time of year

Most sheep only need to be sheared once a year, although some breeds with faster-growing wool will need to be sheared twice. The best time of the year to shear your sheep is in early spring, before the lambing season starts and the hot summer weather sets in.

• There is a case stated by some that shearing before lambing is good practice, this can however be time critical. Shearing too close to lambing can cause issues with the ewe, and shearing to early can cause issues with wool regrowth, causing the sheep to get warm in the summer. Shorn ewes will benefit from good husbandry and can also take up less space in the lambing shed.
• Those ewes that are shorn before lambing can provide a better start for the lambs. This can be due to the ewes eating more and gaining body fat to keep the lambs warm and this will also allow for strong milk production.

Gather the right equipment

It is very important to have good quality shearing equipment. This will make the whole process much easier and safer for both the shearer and the sheep. There are two options with shearing equipment, one being the use of a motor in the handpiece unit, the second being the use of an  overhead motor unit set up with a drive and handpiece.

The motor in the handpiece unit is ideal for dagging and the smaller flocks, where the overhead machines are for larger flocks and commercial use.

• The Motor in the handpiece units have three main parts – the motor unit, the comb and the cutter. A correctly designed motor unit will be designed to fit comfortably in the hand and the design is based on the professional handpiece. The Comb supplied will be ideal for dagging and also shearing, although the wider combs available will be for those with more experience in shearing, these combs will assist in the process and reduce time. The cutter is a standard item and are available in either full thickness or run in version. Further information can be found on the following website lister-global.com
• It is important to ensure that the comb and cutter are sharp before beginning, blunt gear will create many issues such as:
  • overheating in the complete setup
  • cutting of the animal skin as the unit is forced through the wool,
  • Agitated animal, the sheep will not sit quietly for the shearing

The overhead shearing machine setup offers the ultimate professional shearing experience, this is used on all commercial flocks and at all main shearing competitions. The setup includes a motor that is suspended from a fixed support or shearing stand, with a drive connecting to the handpiece, The Solid Drive is often preferred, with the Flexible Drive being used typically on single speed machines. The handpiece connects at the end of this, with details on this fitting under the “Setting your machine and connecting your handpiece section”

 

For further information on equipment visit the following pages;

For which combs and cutter you will need Click Here