[Jacob-list] Shearing question

[ARTHUR PARTRIDGE]

--Previous Message--

>Rather than asking when folks shear and getting a range of months I'm

wondering at what temperature is it safe to shear?? Being in the >Chicago
area we can have 30 degrees one day and 60 the next....when is it "safe" to
begin shearing?

> 

>Carol

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There was a post on sheep-l a few weeks ago from someone who lives in the
New England area.  She had sheared the sheep in October.  In February she
noticed some bald patches on some of the sheep.  These palm-sized areas
were pink with no scaling of the skin.  The diagnosis was frost bite.  The
temperature at the time was minus 20 degrees and they had a very cold
winter.  This is something to be aware of.  I don't know if frost bite
would hurt the quality of the fleece in the future.  I don't know if the
skin is permanently damaged.  We shear in late March.  Lambing is in April.

Cathy
Moscow, Idaho