The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: desertmum on October 09, 2016, 12:53:58 pm

Title: when do you shear?
Post by: desertmum on October 09, 2016, 12:53:58 pm

When do you shear your March lambs?  Silly question I know.

Title: Re: when do you shear?
Post by: Bionic on October 09, 2016, 01:25:57 pm

It probably depends on whether you are showing or not. My spring lambs get shorn with the ewes the following year after their birth.

Title: Re: when do you shear?
Post by: Backinwellies on October 09, 2016, 04:04:54 pm

Same as Sally ... but there is money in lambs wool for some breeds and if you are in an area where shorn lambs would survive OK

Title: Re: when do you shear?
Post by: waterbuffalofarmer on October 09, 2016, 05:33:15 pm

Like the others said, it depends where you are, if you are going to be showing them etc, etc. I leave mine till the following shearing time, I:E next late spring/ early summer. Are they really woolly?

Title: Re: when do you shear?
Post by: twizzel on October 09, 2016, 05:52:42 pm

We have shorn one of our ewe lambs that was born Feb time this year- she was shorn in the first week of September, her fleece was very thick and heavy, she's grown massively since shearing too.

Title: Re: when do you shear?
Post by: desertmum on October 09, 2016, 08:18:09 pm

thank you for the replies.  They are very woolly and one of then was cast this morning which I have read can happen if they are very woolly. She seems fine - I was out when it happened luckily.  We do hope to show her and one other next year so reluctant to 'trim' and worried about winter approaching.   If necessary we can house them in the poly tunnel over winter.