DeltaBluez Tess Posted March 10, 2011 Report Share Posted March 10, 2011 Eifion, my shearer from Wales comes over once a year and the first Sunday in March, we shear the flock. I did a quick video of the shearing and it can be viewed at: LINK and some shearing pixs... LINK Enjoy...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaBluez Tess Posted March 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 No sheep were injured but some were embarassed by being almost nekkid! Kodi, the LGD slept through the entire event... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushdoggie Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 looks like a LOT of work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildFlower Posted March 11, 2011 Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Wow! That was impressive shearing! So do the sheep get used to being sheared? What do you do with the wool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dal & Mad's Mom Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 I would have thought they wuld put up more of a fight about shearing. Unless he has a vulcan death grip on the sheep I missed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaBluez Tess Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 The sheep are calm...Eifion is careful with them and they do not fuss...he has been doing it for a few years. I try to sell the wool...but not much luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Wow, how cool is that? I wish I'd thought to time the Aussie who was here doing some local sheering, a couple weeks ago. One of the local small holders hosted him, and folks all over the valley brought their sheep to be shorn, from kids with their one or two 4-H sheep in halters to farmers with 75 head stuck in the trailer. They were sure quick, but two minutes? Dang! Sheryl, from what I've observed, it's like the sheep just give up the fight, once they're tipped on their butts and the shearing begins. They may kick a little, but mainly they just lay there, compliant. It's a wonder! ~ Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 We´ll be shearing our flock in a couple of days (waiting for word from our shearer). We are lucky in that all the wool is sold, this more than covers the cost of shearing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthfieldNick Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Eifion came up and sheared my flock last Friday. He averaged 1 min 45 sec per ewe. The yearling market lambs took him longer- they're smaller, but they wiggle. I'm not sure sheep get used to being shorn, but they do get used to being handled, if they're handled nicely. Some of my older ewes were handled roughly before I got them and they're kickers. Most of the sheep settle down as they age, though. It was chaos here after shearing- the ewes all have little lambs, and the lambs can't find their mothers without wool! Lambs running around screaming with their mothers right behind them screaming... much comedy ensues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Quick update; the guy just called, we shear first thing in the morning (you never get much warning ) . I´m happy as our lambing time is now about six weeks away, can´t wait much longer. This is the best shearer we have had experience with, handles sheep fine, no cuts, and he is very fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 They were sure quick, but two minutes? Dang! I think two minutes is pretty standard for a good "gun" shearer. The 80-year-old shearer (a friend of mine) who's done my sheep for several years still shears a sheep in less than two minutes. Things that can slow a shearer down include condition of the wool (lots of vegetable matter or dirt, cotted wool, wet wool, wool break), sheep in poor condition, cool weather (makes the lanolin stickier), etc. Dal&Mad's Mom, The holds used by the shearer tend to have a "calming" effect on the sheep. I think they realize that they're "trapped" (so to speak) and so generally don't bother to struggle. Some breeds are also less docile than others, and that can make a difference on the amount of struggle. Ben, I had week-old lambs on the ewes here and thought I'd have the usual chaos after as lambs couldn't recognize their nekkid moms, but it didn't happen this year. Don't know why.... J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Wonderful video! I love the nifty tilt table. Maja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Yay, it is done, tired, and slightly bruised, but very happy to say this winter´s shearing is completed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Congratulations! Did any "smalahundurs" help in the process? Maja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smalahundur Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Thanks Maja, and no, the sheep are in the stable in this season, so Táta´s help wasn´t required. Another thing is that we still have a some way to go before we can call her a true "smalahundur"... We are in the starting blocks to pick up training though. I´ve got a very varied group of sheep ready as training sheep, a good size well fenced training field, and for a later stage a very nice landscape surrounding the farm where there is a lot of opportunity to set up different training situations. All set! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maja Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 I am looking forward to reports on "The Making of the Smalahundur" Maja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
in2adventure Posted April 4, 2011 Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 Love the video When I was a kid hanging out at the county fair, I used watch the sheep sheering competition in amazement. They would grab a ewe and a minute later it was naked and dazed Whoa...what just happend I see that Flash is for sale. He was my favotite out of your litter. I wish I had room for 3. If he turns out even just half as nice as Roo, he'll be quite the dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaBluez Tess Posted April 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 Flash still is for sale...the home that he had lined up was not what I wanted for him. He is a very sweet pup and full of himself. Today he was the hit of the parade at the herding lesson. I see a lot of his dad, Roo in him....I think he will be just as sweet natured as him. OK, so for next year, I will do a video of a a sheep being sheared, hoof trimmed etc...the whole works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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