The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Marketplace => Topic started by: plt102 on March 26, 2012, 04:20:58 pm
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We are just starting to shear our flock. We have gfd: one ram, two ewes and two shearling ewes, leicester longwool: one dark brown ewe and two shearling wethers brown with some white and 7 shetlands. I am happy to take offers and I am happy to do the first washing if requested. We are in oxfordshire.
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We are just starting to shear our flock.
That's early!
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They may need some woolly jumpers at night time - it was down to 1 degree round here this morning - brrrr :o
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I would say that is way to early ???
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Our ram was massively hot where we are. Panting and very uncomfortable. Our wethers are similar. We are leaving all the females for a bit. We have shelters with warm beds for the boys.
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Let's not forget that wool on sheep helps to keep them cool as well as warm as indicate in this piece which I found in seconds on Google and have cut and pasted an extract.
Wool
Wool protects sheep from extreme heat as well as extreme cold. A thick fleece is mostly immune to temperature changes due to its insulating properties. According to research, sheep with a one-inch fleece are more comfortable than sheep with less wool, as wool fibers dissipate heat more rapidly.
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I'm planning on shearing in the next couple of weeks too (All 14 month old ewe lambs/shearlings). I Hear the cons but there are pros too - mine are being eaten alive with biting lice, despite vet treatment with spot on about 4 weeks ago... their best advice now is that an anti lice treatment will work better on a sheared sheep so plan to shear ASAP and treat after that (they say it will work better). I too will make sure there is lots of shelter (including the 'indoors' a polytunnel that they are familiar with and get fed in in the winter) and extra food. Also hoping it will help with the prevention of early flystrike too if this warm weather continues.
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My first flock of Shetland crosses used to be sheared in April, they were uncomfortably hot if we had nice weather, and I figured if they can manage A Shetland winter in fleece they can manage a Somerset spring with their coats off.
Always made sure they had shelter though. If it got too chilly the bonus was they would head for shelter and take their lambs with them ;D