The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Pedwardine on March 27, 2014, 06:06:07 pm
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Hi all, am intending to do my own shearing and wondered which shears anyone with experience would recommended. I aim to shear with the animal in a standing position to not have the screaming pain I will no doubt have in my back. My flock are pretty docile (I'll certainly find out just HOW docile!) so hopefully won't be too much trouble. I'm a small lady so small hands too ;)
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I have the lister laser 12 volt shears that go straight onto a 12 volt car battery.
I dont recommend it
I have very small hands and the hand set weighs 1.2 kilo, gets very heavy halfway through my sheep, also as its so heavy and cumbersome and my hand doesnt fit around the hand piece, it half fell out of my hand 2 days ago when dagging a ewe lamb and caught the palm of my hand at the base of my thumb.
a perfect "V" shape slice, right down to the bone, bled for ages and ages and my thumb now clicks when I move it :'(
I am now really put off shearing 25+ sheep this summer with it :( not sure what to do
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Oh bless you sweetie, that sounds a dreadful experience. Won't go for those then. Thanks for that!
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All clippers with integral motors tend to be quite big and heavy, I'm afraid - and you will struggle to shear belly and legs from a standing position. A turnover crate might help with that problem, but you have quite an ambitious task on your hands! Thought of blade shearing?
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Have shorn my cotentin ewe ( 100+ kgs) from standing with a pair of oster golden A5 dog clippers I too have the same problem for standard electric sheep shears far too large for my hands and too heavy. Shear with a short blade ( n° 10 or 8.5 )
It isn't fast so it depends on how much of a hurry you are in but it can be done. Incidentally did around 15 ouessants with the dog clippers last year, the rest I rooed. If you are doing it yourself can pick the day and the time to shear and don't worry about how long it takes dog clippers can do the job. Still I have the same question if anyone has a pair of electric shears that are fast and don't weight 1kg plus I would be interested to know about them;