Sheep Spa

Once again, it’s shearing time. A bit later this year due to the cold weather. Would you believe that it snowed again last night! No worries, the newly shorn flock were warm and cozy in the barn. Every spring when shearing day arrives, I try and invite some young helpers to come over and be part of the days work. I tease them about helping out with the sheeps annual spa day, ” you know”, I say, ” the sheep get their hair done (shearing) and their nails done (hoof trimming) and are given a little refreshment ” (worming medicine). The kids seem to like having a task while the job of shearing is getting done. Sweeping the floor matts between sheep, bundling up the fleeces, helping me to skirt (remove the manure tags and unwanted part of the whole fleece), and we always need a gate keeper to let sheep in or out. Of course, the great reward after all the work is done, is being able to climb up into the big (almost) empty hayloft. A long rope hangs from one of the big old barn beams and the kids love swinging off the stored hay bales and out across the loft.
This years fleeces looked great. Long staple length and healthy with nice luster. The health of a flock will often show in fleece quality. Despite the long and very cold winter, our ewes all seemed to fair well. We didn’t breed as many ewes this year, and this allows for more energy to go into fleece production. Today, I will continue to skirt the fleeces and sort them according to quality. A new ram will be arriving late this summer and will join the flock. Every couple of years, rams need to be rotated out and replaced to prevent inbreeding, but also to bring different and favorable qualities to the flock. He’ll help increase numbers and add new genes to the existing flock. We’ll let you know when he arrives. And I think I may have some new young shephards in the neighboorhood who are willing to take on a flock of their own.