Common Questions

The answer to this depends on the goals of your operation, facilities available, and type of sheep, but generally, shearing 6 to 4 weeks prior to lambing is normal for this region. Many producers raising sheep with short wool choose to have ewes sheared after lambing and before the heat of the summer because udder access and messy dags aren't as much of a problem. Sheep without a heavy wool coat in the summer generally preform better.

 We take the wool we shear unless the producer requests to keep it. We are working on ways to market wool that we hope will allow us to buy the fleeces in the future, but for the time being, we do not buy fiber.

We ask that producers pull feed from sheep the night before shearing and keep sheep dry and out of the rain if possible. This makes it easier and less stressful on sheep.

 Prepare a dry area to shear in. We can shear in alleyways, corrals, arenas, and even in the same pen as waiting sheep for small flocks, but no one wants to be in a mud pit, ewes or us!

Power for our shearing motors is a must. We travel with extension cords for runs within a barn or shed. If you have an excessive distance to run a cord or don't have power at your facility, please let us know. We do have a generator, but we need a heads-up so we can load it.

 Other care like hoof trimming, shots, and drenching go well with shearing day, but we ask that you are prepared. Holding a sheep after being shorn for an excessive amount of time only adds stress to the animal.

 Catching sheep is critical if you want them sheared. If you are unable to catch your flock, please let us know; we often have other producers who are waiting on us. Additional fees may result from excessive and unnotified wait times.

Sudden loss of the wool can cause sunburn to sheep, which is one reason we recommend that you avoid shearing in the height of the summer season. Most of the time, in the spring or fall, sheared sheep are just fine to be outside after shearing. 

Occasionally, minor wounds can happen during the shearing process. At Manus Brothers' Shearing, we take great care to avoid cuts; however, when they occur (small cuts in the skin heal quickly), they should be watched.  Paying attention after shearing will also help you better understand the body condition of your flock. 

For now, we do not have a minimum number, we are driven to provide service to producers, especially small flocks. We know the challenge of grouping together with other producers just to have a minimum number. With that said, if you are looking to save money, we are willing to split the set-up fee with multiple people if all the flocks are in the same spot or area. 

The main reason to crutch sheep is to deal with flystrike, especially in warm, humid environments. The main reason we've crutched for producers is that ewes have tags (dried fecal matter, urine, mud) around their rear area, which could cause infection, flystrike, or just be unsightly if your farm receives public attention. 

Additionally, if a heavy wool coat is present, but ewes are going to lamb in the middle of winter some producers may opt to leave the wool coat on. This is often a decision that is determined on the basis of available facilities like closed barns to escape wind and water.