[Blackbird]

I know there's still snow in the hedgerows and night time temps are still down below freezing! However, my GFDs and Heb/Longwool cross are huffing and puffing in the warm sunshine today, so I'm wondering whether to treat against blowfly strike now to allow enough time to elapse before they are shorn.

I know this topic has been already covered elsewhere  on the forum, but I can't find the thread. How long should I leave it between applying Crovect and shearing? Does 8 weeks sound about right? If I crutch, dag and spray soon (after the forecast rain), that would mean a shear date in early June. Sorry if this is a daft question, but I first got my sheep last July and they'd already been treated against flies when I got them (they were born April 2012). The GFD lambs were then shorn for the first time in August and then re-treated. Thanks, all.

Just editing to say, is it too early to shear in the next few weeks and then spray afterwards as an alternative? I'm in Northamptonshire, so not a particularly freezing weather part of the world.

[FiB]

Thats what we did last year - early shear (the singing shearer came early May I think, though it was booked April... but the rains came) - mind you he was showing me handshearing, so they do have a bit more left on to keep them warm - and they did have access to shelter if they wanted it.  I'll be going as early as I can without interfering with their mothering (havnt found out about that yet!)

[Blackbird]

Thanks FiB - the longwools have such a thick coat on, they are now mostly wool! I think I'll dag, crutch and repel with this http://www.barrier-biotech.com/product.php?pid=BR  for now, and go for May shearing, then Clik or Crovect for the rest of the season. As I will be weaving/spinning the fleece, this looks like the best option.