Shearing sheep. Sheepwheat.

[malleefarmer]

More pics to come of outside work but on sons phone hes the one with orange saftey shirt.

Shearin starts at 7.30 am to 9.30 half hour break 10 to midday hour break 1 to 3 half hour break 3.30 to 5.30 but we stop at 5 and break out a few beers for shearers usually have 2 or 3 not the done thing tight arse farmers wont give shearers a beer plus drink driving as well.

Shearer number 1 did 208 on tuesday by 5. Best 2 hour run was 60 at $3.30 per head.

Notice shearer 2 3 and 4 have back aides or spring supported harnesses.

Tradfitionally shearing is once every 12 months.

We try to breed super long wool we shear every 5 and 7 months.

Sheep cut around 2.5 kg in 5 months and up to 4 in 7 month shear.

Bale of wool 195 kg lets round it off at $1850 per bale but may make up to $2000 will let ya all know.

Farma the wool is actully a insulator keeps em cool and warm not as hot as youd think.

They are very susceptable to cold snaps and or haily weather straight off shears can die of hyphothermia at say windy cold conditions of say 12 degrees c but its only for about a week off shears.

In cold spots in oz they actually use whats called snow combs leaves about 10 mm of wool.

Only once have we lost sheep to cold maybe 30 or so one night.

[farmaholic]

Thanks Mallee, that's interesting.

[LEP]

When I was in Australia in the early 80's there was a big controversy between shearers union and farmers. The farmers wanted to move to a wider blade on the shearing machine and the shearers union did not.

I remember the fella telling us about it in the pub spoke in a hushed voice so as not to be heard discussing it.

We were young farm kids from Canada and thought it was amusing, but the two side of the argument did not.

Mallee you can tell me what the outcome was?

[malleefarmer]

Wide combs came in.
Productivity of shearers improved shed workers got a pay rise to compensate farmers got job done quicker but was a nasty nasty debate

[GDR]

I. Would. Die. Lol I struggle when it is over 17. I belong in Greenland. Thanks for the pics, and for reminding me, and affirming in my soul, why we raise hair sheep! I guess if you get paid for the wool, it may be worth it as you showed before. But in 🇨🇦 where you would do all that work for free? Hair sheep it is!

Sheepwheat, as an experiment try a few ewes of one of the more conventional breeds and pay real close attention to the economics. There is a reason that hair sheep have found a place on hobby acreages but not in commercial flocks. Agree wool is not a money maker in Canada it's just part of the deal.

[GDR]

Mallee your comment about the sheared ewes susceptible to cold is interesting. I had a fellow visit from Uruguay one time said the same thing that they can lose huge numbers if they got the rains wrong. Lots of guys shear here in the middle Jan/Feb a couple weeks before lambing with -20 weather with no problems. As long as they have access to shelter they are pretty tough, in a week or so they get a fine layer of wool and don't seem to go back to the barn anymore.

It's done to keep wool cleaner, easier to see the lambs drop and makes the ewes a bit smarter about finding a warm spot to lamb. I have done it but generally don't shear till April or May.

[Sheepwheat]

Sheepwheat, as an experiment try a few ewes of one of the more conventional breeds and pay real close attention to the economics. There is a reason that hair sheep have found a place on hobby acreages but not in commercial flocks. Agree wool is not a money maker in Canada it's just part of the deal.

Yeah we have wanted to try a couple other breeds. The only reason hair sheep have some resistance on a commercial level, is that some, not all buyers dock ten or so cents a lb. No reason stated. They just do, so they can. We believe there should be more hair 🐑, and there should be no discount.

There are for us, too many advantages right now. We shall see in the future, what it holds. Good thoughts.

[malleefarmer]

yep shorn sheep do seek shelter

[GDR]

Yeah we have wanted to try a couple other breeds. The only reason hair sheep have some resistance on a commercial level, is that some, not all buyers dock ten or so cents a lb. No reason stated. They just do, so they can. We believe there should be more hair 🐑, and there should be no discount.

There are for us, too many advantages right now. We shall see in the future, what it holds. Good thoughts.

They don't have a market for the pelts is the reason, supposedly worth 10 bucks?? When the first Kathadins came to Canada they were poor quality, have since improved a lot but got a poor reputation from the start. Dorpers were a better initial group and have been received better. No disrespect intended, all breeds have a place.

[malleefarmer]

dumb comment why dont you bring in some merino genetics or ramboulliet?? To improve wool, maybe i better move to canada and become a sheep farmer

[AllisWD45]

I don't know much about sheep but when i toured parts of Australia and New Zealand last year the sheep seemed to be physically quite big. They seemed much bigger than here especially in New Zealand

[grassfarmer]

dumb comment why dont you bring in some merino genetics or ramboulliet?? To improve wool, maybe i better move to canada and become a sheep farmer

You need the climate for wool not just the breeds. They took some better wool quality type sheep as well as angora goats to Scotland and neither could produce any quality in that climate. Here with the sheep getting fed hay for 6 months of the year there is so much crap in the wool you would never be able to clean it up.