[FiB]

Planning my first full sheepy year ahead and thinking about shearing - I have 15 Ewe 'yearlings' so cant wait to get their first freece off!  What are the pros and cons of early Vs late shearing  - and does anyone do both, or have I imagined that?

Think I'm ready for a good sheep book now - any recommendations?  I would like to be on the 'natural' side of farming (we're not organic, but I would favour old ways/time and effort over routine medicine dosing where poss, as Ive such a small flock, so a book thats on that side would be great)

[robert waddell]

for showing the hampshires have to be shorn in march

[SingingShearer]

Hi,

It depends where you are and the breed of sheep. Early shearing (which can be as early as the beginning of April)  lowers the risk of flystrike early on in the year but you can get caught out later on, you can also shear right up and into September but if the sheep are are very wooly (like Ryelands) then they will probably suffer from the heat and flystrike is more of a risk.
Yes some people do shear two to three times a year sometimes for the wool and sometimes for show, if you do shear more than once then usually it will be done March then again in October or November, you can also shear them with a thicker comb or blade shears if you are bringing them in for the winter.

Hope this helps and isn't too confusing,
Philip

[FiB]

Very much helps thanks.  I am dreading fly strike and that was my primary thought - these are yearlings so I think I'll go as early as poss and then worry about the other end of the year then!  They are very full fleeced (Beulah and Lleyn) and are out on the fields all year (North Wales, hillside -  about 250m).  Its been such a wet and warm winter here.... (I know it aint over yet!).  Many thanks.

[SallyintNorth]

Well, the Singing Shearer is very much the expert... but generally we shear as soon as the lanolin rises and the fleece is ready to come off - and won't get the contract shearers to come and do the job until that is the case.  When that is depends on weather, the sheep's condition, whether they've had lambs, etc.  Last year we clipped our unlambed hoggs at Easter, but that's something of a record for these parts.   Generally the breeding ewes get clipped in June sometime here; up on the moorland farm it would be second half of July.

You can bet I will be clipping my Castlemilk Moorit shearlings as soon as I can... 

[Cinderhills]

We get our Ryelands sheared at the end of May or beginning of June at the latest.  Any later and I stress about flystrike.  I'm in North Yorkshire.

[Fleecewife]

We start shearing in late May if any have a rise, and continue into June until they are all done.  OH hand shears and it is much easier to do once there is a rise, and produces a better quality fleece for craft workers. 

We don't shear our lambs/hoggs until they are over a year old as they live out, but sometimes if they are to be housed over the winter it can help to reduce pneumonia etc for them to be shorn in the autumn.

We apply Crovect to the hoggs starting in May, but we simply watch the adults very carefully for signs of fly interest, and crutch if necessary, but don't apply the Crovect until after shearing - as they are hand shorn it can go on directly after shearing, whereas when sheep have been machine clipped it is better to wait to apply the anti-fly-strike product until there is some fleece regrowth for it to stick to.

[Bramblecot]

Try Tim Tyne's book on sheep.  Hardback so quite expensive but comprehensive and easy style to read.

[Hazelwood Flock]

I have 3 shearing 'sessions' with my GFDs. I will electric shear the rams and shearling ewes who I don't intend to show at the early county shows mid april, the main ewe flock plus lambs will be done early may, and the show team done by hand after the royal bath & west. I second Bramblecot's suggestion, the sheep book for smallholders is an excellent book.

[Sylvia]

I find you can "smell" when the fleece is ripe. A sort of greasy smell