Author Topic: when to shear?? (Read 2614 times)

Sunnybank · « **on:** February 16, 2012, 04:10:21 pm »

Hi everyone,
asking for a bit more advice please. . . . .
We have 12 shetlands which were last years lambs and thinking about shearing. I have read that they loose their fleece and also that some people prefer to shear. just wondering if they loose it about when will this happen, we live in Herefordshire. what do other people do??
thanks and would just like to add what a brilliant forum this is for a me as a newbie.

daddymatty82 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 16, 2012, 05:07:49 pm »

you will know when its ready for rooing as the wool will fall off the sheep so when they want to shed that happens just start rooing and any tough bits to pull off leave for another day.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2012, 06:19:11 pm »

We have found that not all shetlands are ready to shear at the same time, and often the front is ready before the back

So here in the south of scotland some are ready in May, most in June, and a few not until late June, at least the bloomers bit. You will see when they are ready to shear by opening the fleece - you will see 'the rise' - a layer of what appears to be thinner fleece (the boundary between last years fleece and this years new growth), which is ideal to shear through. Once this layer is about 1/4 - 1/2 " above the skin you can hand shear. They will roo when the rise is slightly higher - a warm day is best as the lanolin is nice and soft then. If the britches are not ready, leave those bits for another couple of weeks (they look a bit ridiculous

). In first shear animals, the rise is sometimes less clearly defined.