Late shearing needs more care

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 45, 28 April 1987, Page 7

Late shearing needs more care

Woolgrowers shearing from May onwards should take special precautions, according to the Wool Board. Good shelter and feed can avert a tragedy. Closely shorn sheep are almost as vulnerable to cold as a naked person. With hypothermia, they become lethargic and cannot be moved. Five minutes can make the difference between getting them into shelter and watching them die in the paddock. The Board's advice to growers is based on that of its Field Superintendent Mr R. I. (Robin) Kidd and Dr G. A. (George) Wickham of the Animal Science Department at Massey University: •Shear only small mobs that can be well looked after for two or three days. In the winter, contractors and shearers will probably be happy to shear for several growers in rotation. It is asking for trouble to shear your whole flock at once. •Shear only sheep that are in good condition and do not empty them out too severely before shearing. Penstain

should be less of a problem with the drier feed at this time of the year, but the sheep should be loosely yarded. •Have plenty of good fibrous feed close to hand and put the sheep onto it as soon as possible. Count the sheep in the catching pen and let them go straight out to pasture. With out-of-season work, the shearers may agree to finish the day earlier, so that all sheep have a good bellyful of feed by nightfall. •See that there is shelter, particularly against the wind. Large hay bales can be placed along the windward fencelines or windbreaks of plastic netting could be used. After a good feed, the sheep can be put under cover for the night. Long term, a farmer should provide permanent shelter belts for paddocks close to the shed. •Use combs that leave more wool on the sheep. Even a few millimeters makes a difference, and a saving. The sheep suffer less shock. They eat less for body maintenance and more is available for growing further wool.

The Sunbeam cover comb is a practical choice on sheep in good condition, says Mr Kidd. The teeth may require special preparation so that the comb enters the wool easily. Advice is available from Wool Board instructors, and there are now many experienced trade shearers, who increasingly are using the comb for out-of-season work. The Heiniger Big 10 has a larger gap between the teeth than the conventional 13tooth comb and leaves slightly more wool on the sheep. It enters the wool extremely well, says Mr Kidd. The ideal insurance is blade shearing, which is available in parts of the South Island and becoming increasingly popular for winter work. "The pattern of shearing that has developed this season means many more growers will be taking a clip in late autumn", says Mr Kidd. "That's fine but it has its risks." "The main thing is to plan for it and not to shear more sheep than you can comfortably feed and shelter."