[Dougal]

Just a wee reminder to anyone in the N.E of Scotland that I am available to clip small flocks throughout the summer. Any number is taken on from 1 to several thousand! I have both mains and battery powered systems so I can clip in the field as well as in a shed with power. I'm also happy to give any hits and tips I can think of if you decide to do your own so feel free to get in touch.
Cheers, Mark.
 

[Brucklay]

Did you forget me - still waiting 

[Dougal]

You've not been forgotten. The slaughterhouse finished a 10 days earlier this year and given the weather ewes with lamb at foot have been very very sticky to try and clip, just started ewes this week, they still ain't great due to the long winter. I will try and get to you, probably next week by the looks of things.

[Brucklay]

That's great as some have more off than on - poor Dolly I had to butcher around her neck, she's a mega fleece and the moorits are looking like RSPCA cases - on the plus side all the wild birds have excellent nests - oh not here after mid next week RHS. If possible it would be great to see you before then

[lachlanandmarcus]

That's great as some have more off than on - poor Dolly I had to butcher around her neck, she's a mega fleece and the moorits are looking like RSPCA cases - on the plus side all the wild birds have excellent nests - oh not here after mid next week RHS. If possible it would be great to see you before then

Ours are looking a mess too, one lost all her fleece nearly after stress of weakly lamb who wouldn't feed - stomach tubed and all good after a couple of days but mum got quite stressy. And a few others have been shedding in dribs and drabs so there's wool everywhere,  which is a pet hate of mine!


Will be glad when they are sheared and look all goaty and smart!

[Brucklay]

given the weather ewes with lamb at foot have been very very sticky to try and clip, just started ewes this week, they still ain't great due to the long winte

Could it be that ours and LaM's are primitives that the weather doesn't affect them as much as commercials - just thinking out loud?

[Dougal]

Has much more to do with metabolic stress and nutrition through the winter months as well as breeding. I would expect primitives to shed their wool in most years if they are left long enough. Hill breeds tend to shed their wool as well, cheviots are notorious for it, but this is usually due to them being thinner in the run up to winter and wintered in areas where the climate is harsher i.e. the hills!! The usual low ground commercial will shed her wool but really only in execeptional circumstances.
Although a ewe can be shedding her wool this is not an indication of how ready she is to shear. It usually means that the new wool is starting to push through and grow but since you cut through that new wool you have to give it time to grow long enough otherwise the shearing becomes something of a tough slog!! I'm getting a lot of tough slog this year, I'm fed up of yellow, greasy, thin sticky sheep!! Just too long a winter, late grass growth and not enough heat yet.