[Blackbird]

Numpty question - sorry! Shearer is coming in 2 weeks, meanwhile the 2 Dartmoors have a huge amount of wool on and are huffing and puffing. I'm thinking of giving them a trim with my hand shears just to help them keep cooler till they are shorn (I won't be doing anything with their fleeces). They are too huge for me to turn and handle by myself, but are stupidly docile and friendly will stand reasonably OK while I do things to them. Where is it best to focus on clipping them - belly or back? flanks or face? or is it just a case that summat is better than nowt?? Bums are already clipped and sprayed with Dyna-mite against flies. Any thoughts welcome thank you!

[Bramblecot]

Our GFD were shorn last Saturday .  Even though they seemed dry, they were damp on the belly and throat area.  The main thing though is what you have already done - the rear end  .  In future we will trim out the throat/chest and some belly wool as it all gets thrown away and only dry fleece is put in the wool sack. 
Your shearer will need plenty of tea and biscuits .

[Blackbird]

Thanks Bramblecot - that's a good thought about clipping the areas of fleece that would be discarded anyway - I will go up and do throat, chest and as much belly as I can reach without turning them. They are mighty woolly sheep - last year they produced about 10kg of wool each - glad you've managed to get yours shorn!  for you!

[Hellybee]

I Dagged on Friday, was tempted to go through the nape of neck and chest but just did back ends in the end, fingers are still feeling the burn, must have trimmed up at least forty sets of pantaloons       Shearing early July so we sprayed them and sent them up the headland in the wind

[Marches Farmer]

Ours are put in a windy field with plenty of shade if it gets hot before the shearer arrives.

[shotblastuk]

I clip out all wool  from neck, chest, belly and backend in February. (Cotswolds) Seems to prevent felting/matting , helps lambs get to the teat easier, and your shearer will be a happy man with no matted wool to fight through.

[Blackbird]

Our field is fairly breezy and has a good hedge for shade so  they will be OK till shorn. The GFDs looked so different after I clipped their heads and bibs that the little Shetland ewes decided they were imposters and spent the morning trying to beat them up! Sheep are deeply strange......

[Bramblecot]

We have GFD's and Shetlands too.  Strange mix, I'm glad we are not the only ones. And our little Shetlands were feisty post-shearing  .

[Blackbird]

I always think of Shetlands as the Jack Russells of the sheep world - no concept of their diminutive size and up for a scrap with anything! Just as well the (approx 65 kilo) GFDs are quite placid and just looked rather hurt that their friends were beating them up 

[Bramblecot]

Blackbird, That sums up the Shetland and GFD relationship beautifully.