How to Shear Sheep

Shearing a sheep is like getting a hair cut. Some sheep farmers shear their own sheep, while others hire professional shearers to do it for them. Sheep are sheared once a year, and experienced sheep shearers are quick and efficient. A good sheep shearer gets the job done without injury to the sheep or himself.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Shears
• Shearing platform
• Clean rug
• Wooly sheep

1. Hold sheep in a clean area or pen while waiting to be sheared to keep the wool clean.

2. Find a clean rug for the sheep to stand on while being sheared. Shear sheep away from their pen or sleeping area.

3. Get rid of any feces or other debris that might be present in the coat before shearing.

4. Shear sheep in warm weather to bring out the oils in the coat. This will help keep the blades lubricated to produce a more even coat.

5. Cut close to the body of the sheep.

6. Keep the coat all in one piece as you shear and do not go back and shear a second time.

7. Consider purchasing a shearing platform which allows the sheep to stand with its head secure while being sheared. This also gets the sheep up off the ground which makes it easier on the shearer.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't shear sheep too late in the season as some natural shedding will occur and reduce the overall weight of the wool. This decreases the value of the wool at market.
• Store wool in a clean dry place before taking to market. Tie the fleece with paper twine so that the most valuable part of the wool is toward the outside.