•   Move sheep onto clean pastures free of brush, debris, dusty or muddy areas and other fleece contaminants such as polypropylene twine, for several weeks prior to shearing date, if possible. Avoid supplementary feeding from above the sheep as this increases the debris in the fleeces.
   
• Fleece must be dry for best results so keep animals under cover if snow, rain or heavy dew is likely, for several days prior to shearing date.
   
• Do not feed sheep for 12 - 24 hours before shearing.  A "full" sheep is harder to shear and more uncomfortable than a hungry one.
   
• Clean as much dust and debris from the fleece as possible just before shearing by:

  • Hand picking as much debris as possible.
  • Sweeping gently across the fleece with a narrow, short handled leaf rake. This can be done prior to blowing or vacuuming the animals to remove the worst of the surface contamination or just on its own.
  • *Blowing across fleece with a livestock blower (Circuiteer, etc.), leaf blower or shop vacuum. Do not blow directly at or into the fleece as this may push debris deeper into the fleece instead of removing it.
  • *Combing or flicking contaminated locks with dog brush or comb.
  • *Vacuuming with a shop vac.

  *These methods tend to temporarily remove crimp and change the structure of the staples/locks. They vary in effectiveness, depending on the levels of contamination and the fleece type of the Shetland. If the fleece if to be hand processed and hand spun after shearing or is to be entered in a fleece competition, hand picking is preferable even though more labor intensive. Blowing or vacuuming a Shetland before shearing can reduce the weight loss experienced in processing. A "dirty" fleece weighs more than a blown fleece containing an equal amount of fibre.

• Decide shearing order for the sheep before hand to ensure the right animals are ready for shearing at the appropriate time. If you have current histograms, the shearing order can be worked out based on this information.
   
• Plan to shear in an order that will prevent color contamination, ideally moving from light to dark.
   
• If shearing a number of sheep of each colour, plan shearing order based on fibre characteristics as well as on colour – for example shear fine whites before coarse whites before moving to the next colour.
   
• If shearing rams, shear either before or after all of the ewes to avoid stress.
   
• Ewes can be shorn at any stage in pregnancy but if shearing in the last month of pregnancy, plan extra time for handling these sheep so they can be restrained and moved gently to reduce stress as far as possible.
   
• If shearing more than one species, finish shearing one before starting on the other.

• The shearing area should be large enough to accommodate several people and the sheep to be shorn, at the same time. Shearing under shelter is advisable to prevent problems with contamination, snow, rain and wind.
   
• If a chute is to be used, make sure it is placed to allow the shearer easy access without crowding walls or other building or fence features.
   
• Remove all sources of contamination from the shearing area and the areas used to prepare sheep or sort fleeces. Contamination may come from: polypropylene feed bags or twine, hay or other food sources, straw or other bedding materials, mice, manure, gravel, sand, small objects of any type, food wrappers, scrap paper, cigarette butts, other animal or man made fibre.
   
• Make sure there are adequate lighting, electrical outlets and ventilation.
   
• The flooring in the shearing area should be easy to keep free of contamination but not slippery as that may cause either sheep or people to fall. A large sheet of plywood may be placed on the ground or floor to provide an appropriate surface. Old gym mats can also be used.
   
• Remove or pad any protrusions or sharp objects to prevent injury to either sheep or people.
   
• Organize an area close to the shearing area to use for weighing, skirting and sorting the fleece and recording information.
   
• Organize an area close to the shearing area for preparing and holding sheep prior to shearing. This area should be large enough so sheep will not be crowded, provoked into climbing on each other or subject to additional stresses.
   
• Organize an area close to the shearing area to hold newly shorn sheep. These sheep will need shelter from bright sun or inclement weather until they get some fleece regrowth for protection. Several days are usually sufficient.
   
• Plan the routes for getting sheep from one area to the others.

© Linda Wendelboe 25/02/05

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