ON THE SHEEP FARM

Te Ao Hou, December 1960, Page 59

ON THE SHEEP FARM Shearing will be the main subject in the sheep-farmers mind at this time of the year. So in this letter I will try and cover most essential points in the preparation for this most important operation. If you have your own woolshed always be sure to have a good supply of all machine parts and other materials so necessary at shearing time. A list of some of these essential items are:— Wool packs (one for each 50 sheep), sack needles, sewing twine, Blacking and brush for branding bales, Stockholm tar, bottle of kerosene, shed broom, and First Aid Kit re-fill. Also be sure to have petrol and oil (engine, machine and handpiece), grease, emery papers (coarse and fine), spare cutters and combs, a long gut and a short gut, vice, screwdrivers and oil cans are only some of the items so necessary at shearing time. Be sure to have a copy of the Shearers Award displayed in a prominent place in the woolshed. This is most important as the law states that this must be done. Now with everything ready it is desirable to make a start with the dry sheep and your hoggets are usually the first to be shorn followed by the dry ewes and the rams. If your flock is all Romneys then the lambs should be shorn at the same time as their mothers; but if you are using the Southdown Ram, it is advisable to just lightly crutch the lambs to keep them free of dags. It is always advisable to yard the ewes and lambs in small mobs so that the lambs are not separated from their mothers for too long a period. Draft each mob and start shearing the ewes then their lambs, and to keep them free of dags. It is always advisable to yard the ewes and lambs in small mobs so that the lambs are not separated from their mothers for too long a period. Draft each mob and start shearing the ewes then their lambs, and to keep the wool together follow with the next mob of lambs and so on. In the next letter I will endeavour to cover the handling of the wool in the woolshed.