[Jacob-list] winter shearing

[Cheryl Terrano]

Hi Linda,

We typically shear 1-2 weeks prior to lambing. It seems we always can choose the coldest day of the year, even when we plan several weeks in advance! WV winters are bitter cold and we tend to lamb in February - a really cold month. For the past 3 years, we have been in the single digits on shearing day so we set up a few heat lamps over the newly naked sheep. :)? Shivering is normal but the lamps help some. Of course, we also have an enclosed barn for them to be in. Our main concern is keeping them out of the wind when they are newly sheared. We also use deep straw bedding for the floors and that helps some too. Our shearer prefers to shear our flock about 2 weeks before lambing, rather than getting too 'close' to due dates whenever possible. He also says they do quite well about a week following the shear, giving them time to adjust to their short wool.

Some shearers may elect to leave a bit more wool on the animal if temps are really low. I have a few old sheep who are a little arthritic that we leave about a half inch of wool on. Its?for their benefit and more for my peace of mind than anything else. :) We have never lost a sheep due to the cold after shearing but our shearer has told us many stories about shearing commercial flocks heavy with lambs - losses are actually expected with them! I did have a ewe heavy with triplets go off feed for 2 days after shearing in 5 degrees one year. I penned her so she could have her own heat lamp, loaded her up with Nutri-cal 5 times a day and offered grain (which she did not eat). She would eat alfalfa hay free choice and drink from a heated bucket. Miss Pansy survived that year and went on to produce a number of healthy triplets for us every year. 

I would say making sure the sheep have a wind free area is very important. This is especially true is they get soaked from rain or heavy snow (or ice) and temps turn really cold. Nothing can stay too dry when its wet so wind chill is a concern. Yes, I have towel dried my fair share of sheep too, just in case but also notice they do stay inside more when they are sheared.

For the record, we lost a ram lamb one year to a first timer who twinned?in 9 degree cold. We had not yet sheared and we had about 5 ewes bred for late Jan. lambs. The little guy froze before he was cleaned off - and this was INSIDE the barn! Did I mention how cold it gets here? We pen our ewes in the barn at night?but it still?gets cold in there too.

Good luck!?

Cheryl in WV
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-----Original Message-----
From: Linda <patchworkfibers at alltel.net>
To: Jacob-list <Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
Sent: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 8:23 pm
Subject: [Jacob-list] winter shearing



I really like to shear before lambing, although we don't always manage it. ?We usually lamb in mid to late March and shear the first or second week of March. This year, we staggered breeding and will have lambs coming in February through April, with a break the first week of March (hopefully :-)



I'm in northern Georgia, where we don't have the bitter cold temps of further north. It can be below freezing for a few days, though, and ice storms are not unusual in January and February. Our shelter is fairly basic - a 30' by 16' three sided barn. It's backed into a bank and has a low ceiling, so does retain some heat, but is not "toasty". ?The rams are in the woods with a tarp barn.

?

For those of you that will be shearing this fall or winter, how cold can be it be before you worry about shearing? What sort of shelter do you provide? ?Is it perhaps better to shear two months before lambing if you manage to get a good day for it? I'm wondering about shearing in December. 

?

Thanks for any advice.

?

Linda

?


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Registered Jacob Sheep, Handspun Yarn ?





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