The basics of sheep shearing

Sheep shearing is a specialised skill, but with adequate training, anyone can learn how to effectively and efficiently shear a sheep,

- Janine Ryan

Sheep shearing is the process of cutting off the woollen fleece of a sheep. According to British Wool, sheep shearing is a skilled profession “which should only

be carried out by professionals who have been trained to shear carefully and sympathetically”.

There are various reasons why farmers shear their sheep. Of course, the most obvious reason for this is wool harvesting: collecting wool for the purposes of selling.

But there are also other reasons that sheep may be shorn. One of these relates to animal welfare. According to British Wool: “Sheep grow wool continuously to protect them from the weather. Wool is a natural product of the sheep’s life cycle and the welfare of sheep is improved by them being shorn every 12 months. Shearing keeps sheep cool in the warmer months and reduces the risk of parasitic infestation and disease.

“It also reduces the risk of sheep becoming ‘rigged’ or stuck on their backs, which can make them vulnerable to attack by crows or other predators.”

It adds that the risk of insect infestation can be lowered with frequent shearing. “Sheep are particularly susceptible to insect infestations like flystrike because of their thick fleece. If parts of their fleece become sufficiently contaminated with dirt and fluids, which can easily happen when grazing freely in the fields, this can attract flies, which lay their eggs in the fleece. After hatching, the maggots bury themselves in the sheep’s wool and eventually under its skin, feeding off their flesh. Removing the fleece considerably reduces the risk of diseases of this nature because it removes a potential breeding ground for insects.”