Once they are shorn they are very low risk for flystrike anyway, and as Fleecewife says, there needs to be a bit of regrowth for the product to stick to.
GFDs do get a lot more woolly than that, and Valais are very woolly too, so I suspect these were shorn early in the season and need another clip before winter. I'm not fully au fait with twice yearly shearing, and whether you wait until the summer growth is a certain length before clipping for winter, or only really use one of the two clips for spinning etc, or what.
Mind, both breeds have harsh wool, so you maybe aren't worried about using the fleece, just about getting it off, and them getting struck before then? And if you aren't worried about using or processing the fleece, then you may not be so worried about treating the sheep before shearing.
Some shearers say they don't mind about recent treatments (despite the product particulars for Clik saying to not shear for 3 months, and Vetrazin and Clikzin for 2 months), but knowing how noxious these chemicals can be, I could never bring myself to subject a shearer to them.
As to using a Crovected fleece for handspinning; I am sensitised to cypermethrin and have to suit up to apply it, but I am happy to use a fleece which has been washed using washing up liquid as my experience is that I don't react to it once it's washed out using detergent. I have to wash it in smallish sections, wearing rubber or latex gloves, and in an airy room though, as the unwashed fleece can make me a little breathless and my eyes sting. (So I don't in general plan to buy or use a treated fleece, and most handspinners I know would also avoid them. However some handspinners don't mind as long as they know, and can handle and wash accordingly. Natural Fibre Company won't accept wool for processing which has been treated with any chemicals in the previous 4 months.)
We have Devon and Cornwall longwools around here, which are a fairly close relative of the GFD. DCLs seem to be horribly prone to flystrike when the wool gets long, so the twice yearly shearing could be a very good tactic with yours.
If they were treated 6 weeks ago, they should still have some protection, especially as there hasn't been a lot of rain in that time. (Clikzin and Crovect are both up to 8 weeks, Vetrazin 11 weeks, Clik 16 weeks. Ectofly is cypermethrin, like Crovect, so presumeably is also 6-8 weeks, although NOAH doesn't stipulate.)
If possible I would go back to the seller and find out exactly what they had and when, and therefore when it would be safe for the shearer to shear them.
Topic: Prevention of fly strike after shearing (Read 3249 times)
