The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: tommytink on May 17, 2019, 06:30:21 pm

Title: Shearing sheep when they’re wet
Post by: tommytink on May 17, 2019, 06:30:21 pm
Sorry - another shearing question.

I contacted someone about shearing and they said they could book us in provisionally depending on the weather, unless we had somewhere to bring them inside from the rain. Being a novice I thought this was just about shearing them in the rain, and said yes, I had somewhere that it could be done undercover, but someone has mentioned to me today that sheep shouldn’t be shorn when they’re wet. So it appears I may have misconstrued the purpose of them asking if I had somewhere to bring them inside out of the rain, in that they would be suggesting I do it early to stop them getting wet in the first place. And that’s not something I am really set up to do at the moment (keeping them in overnight).
Is this right? Just before the shearer calls I wanted to check. Everything I read seems to say no shearing when sheep are wet so guess it is  ::)
What happens if it’s dry initially and then it starts spitting with rain? It should be rescheduled?
 :gloomy:
Title: Re: Shearing sheep when they’re wet
Post by: shep53 on May 17, 2019, 06:56:03 pm
Sheep are better if they are inside overnight ,this ensures the fleece is dry so can be stored easily ( you can clip them wet but you then have to hang them out to dry )   wet fleeces will make the shearer wet and this will rub and be uncomfortable ( but if you only have a few then waterproofs can be worn ) .  Inside over night  ensures the sheep have empty stomachs so that they will not pee and poo all over the shearing board or  tarp , it also causes less stress to the sheep when sitting on its bum ( sheep can die during shearing ) .  The shearing machine may be electric so not ideal to use in the wet !!  IF it is dry over night and on the day of shearing , then just bringing them in to stand quietly  and empty their stomachs a bit will work .   Shearers like to know that sheep are inside and dry so they can plan ahead
Title: Re: Shearing sheep when they’re wet
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 17, 2019, 07:40:36 pm
If you’re bringing them in and want the fleeces, put them on straw and don’t give them hay.  Straw is easy to pick out of a fleece, hay and hay seeds much less so.
Title: Re: Shearing sheep when they’re wet
Post by: tommytink on May 17, 2019, 08:50:09 pm
I spoke to the shearer who has said should be okay for tomorrow but will judge at the time re: weather. He has given me a time and will let me know if it’s early or later. We’ll try and get them in so they’re in the pen for a little while prior and give them a time to settle and maybe empty their tummies. I have told him it’s our first time as well as theirs!
I sincerely hope none of them die...  :'(
Title: Re: Shearing sheep when they’re wet
Post by: twizzel on May 17, 2019, 10:31:51 pm
They shouldn’t die, but it is hugely beneficial to bring them in as early as you can before the shearer comes. I brought my ewes in the night before and fed hay, my rams came in 5 hours before shearing, there was a definite difference in how full they were and the only ones to leave any muck on the boards were the rams.
Title: Re: Shearing sheep when they’re wet
Post by: tommytink on May 18, 2019, 07:32:30 pm
Well the sheep have been done. Decided to bring them indoors for a couple of hours prior; didn’t want to leave them in a pen in the sun. Took a long while to get most of them in there and then on finally getting the last one on the pathway in was mortified to see I’d left a gate open after fetching the others some water  :o Needless to say sheep decided against joining the others and bolted out into the yard, up the track, and far away. Long story short, we got her back, and by God I will NEVER leave a line of hurdles unchecked again. In fact I will check them twice and once more to be sure.
After all that the shearing went painlessly. He was very good, said they were a bit wild but I had given a heads up and as he said they’re still only young. They all did really well and only a couple tried to give him a run for his money. He recommended maybe Clik-ing them a little less than a month due to our position. Now they look rather odd! Not sure what we’re going to grab hold of when we need to get them next time!
Title: Re: Shearing sheep when they’re wet
Post by: SallyintNorth on May 18, 2019, 08:07:26 pm
Glad you got it all done.  The checking the fences is something we all seem to need to learn the hard way!  Lol

Practise grabbing them with a hand under the chin and the other on the rump.  It’s not okay to grab them by the wool anyway, it hurts and bruises them. 
Title: Re: Shearing sheep when they’re wet
Post by: tommytink on May 18, 2019, 08:57:02 pm
Oh yes don’t worry, the chap we got them from showed us grabbing under the chin and how to sit them on their bums. He said as soon as they feel a hand under their chin they know you have them and get calmer. They just look so much smaller minus wool it’s like half the sheep has disappeared!