Shearing Day Part One

I'm shearing late this year. Usually I try to shear in February but for what ever reason I tried to shear later this year to see if we could shear under the "rise" of the Shetlands fleece. Well it doesn't work! but the weather was right. Seems that once the "rise" begins that sticky part of the fleece keeps holding the new fiber down. Some of the sheep still have one inch of fiber left on them after shearing, stuck in a one quarter inch "mat" next to their skin. Not felted just stuck tight with lanolin and no way to save it.

Maybe if we shear in January? I know most Shetland people have this problem but is there a better way, a better time of the year to shear Shetlands? Any information would be appreciated.
Ladys awaiting to be herded into the barn. These lambs are learning some new tricks from the goats! 

All of the ewe's that were bred are being sheared today so that when they lamb in April I can watch them better. The lambs and the few ewe's not bred will be sheared in a week or two when David can get back here again.

The goats were caught in the mix of sheep so they will be witnessing their first sheep shearing. I want to catch up Ginger to remove her collar anyway.

My eight boys, four wethers and four rams, also were sheared to make our day of shearing 19 sheep. The two little guys looking at the camera are from my 2009 lambs. If you click on the picture to get a bigger version you can see the tremendous amount of horn growth they have which has all happened since this February!

Sailors turn, with Jeannette watching his side so he won't jump side ways off the stand as David shears. David does not usually shear sheep. His expertise comes from shearing and grooming his Llamas for show. So we shear on a sheep stand in two sections, one side at a time. Then he goes back and cleans up the short and dirty fleece left around the belly and rear end of each sheep.

Sailor all sheared with K.G.waiting in the background. K.G. or King George is from two registered Shetland sheep. He is a giant in my flock with a five pound fleece, long and silky, which sheared off clean down to the skin. Wish they all sheared so easily.

Megan and Ginger thought this whole shearing thing got to be a bit boring.