Chic Sheep Shearing with Abraham
/By Sue Cleland
Spring has definitely sprung at Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary with temperatures steadying around the 22 degrees Celsius, or 71 degrees Fahrenheit, mark. The bright sun is encouraging the residents to stay out longer, the tree frogs are singing, and the Caregivers have been getting their shears ready!
Why we shear the sheep residents
Some people have asked what would happen if we didn’t shear the sheep, and the answer is a sad one. Their wool would become so thick, heavy and matted, eventually restricting their movement, making them targets for parasites such as lice, ticks, mites, and maggots that cause fly strike. In addition, during the summer months, unsheared sheep could overheat and lose their life. We sure wouldn’t want to wear our thick winter coats in the hot humid summer, either.
Throughout the year, we provide trims as needed to prevent matting or any absorption of urine in the wool. Every May, as soon as it stays warm throughout the days and nights, we give each of our 7 sheep a full shearing.
Mr. Abraham
Abraham arrived at HEEFS in July, 2018, after being kept as a family pet. When the family was planning to move, they decided not to bring Abraham with them. Lucky for us, Abraham’s friendly and energetic personality has brought much joy to his herd. There are days, however, when his flamboyant nature can be a bit much for the seniors such as Gladys, Moose and Genie. We are careful to watch for those days when it would be more enjoyable for everyone if Abraham had a playdate with his friskier friends, Diablo, George and Angelo. This May, Abraham and his flock celebrated his 5th birthday with fresh blueberries and his favourite – LOTS of back scratches!
Chevoit sheep, who are bred to grow quickly in weight are used for meat and wool production. Of course, we only weigh Abraham to ensure he is not overweight for health reasons, and to inform us of who needs to be sheared first. At 270 pounds, Abraham was first in line! He is the heaviest sheep in his flock and understandably, the heat can be hard on him.
On-Site Shearing
If a volunteer is cleaning the barn or pasture, Abraham will stalk that person for an endless supply of backrubs. He seeks out, and very much enjoys our company and affection. However, like most sheep, Abraham does not enjoy being sheared. During every shearing session, 2 to 3 Caregivers are present to keep each resident safe and comfortable, while monitoring for signs of stress. The shearing tool gets hot so we also use a cooling spray on the blades as we go. Thank you to the kind people who donated the spray from our Amazon Wish List!
In the industry or sport, shearers or contestants typically shear 10-20 sheep per hour, or about 200 sheep per day. For us, it takes about 60-90 minutes per sheep from start to finish. We work much slower, to minimize their nervousness and ensure no one accidentally gets cut. If the resident is showing signs of stress and has had enough, we stop and will finish another day.
We imagine it feels very similar to shaving human hair – refreshing and lighter!
What do we do with the wool?
The majority of the wool gets returned to animals. We place wool all around the 50 acres of the sanctuary and leave it nearby trees and thickets for wildlife. It’s so heartwarming to see cozy bird and mouse nests, and squirrel dreys all lined with wool!
Now that Abraham’s shearing is done for the year, he can have fun in the sun while, more importantly, staying healthy and cool. Plus, with all that thick wool gone, his back scratches will feel all the more enjoyable!
