The phone call came late on a Friday night – it was the shearer, thank goodness. At this time of the year, the main worry for most sheep farmers is fly strike. This is caused by he large blue bottle flies laying eggs in the sheep’s fleece, which then very, very quickly hatch into maggots. It is a horrible experience, firstly for the sheep, but also for the shepherd.
Good shepherding is the best way to prevent it and the most important thing is to make sure your sheep are clean, particularly their rear ends. So getting the wool off is always a welcome task. Two shearers arrived very early in the morning, so we did bring some in over night so that they were dry and the shearers could start quickly. It was a good job that we did bring them in as there was a very heavy dew and the fleeces on the remaining sheep outside were damp. Rolling and packing damp wool is definitely a no no. So we were underway. Miles was pushing up the sheep for the shearers, they don’t like to stop once they start. Myself and a couple of others rolled the fleeces and packed them into the large wool sheets ready to send off to the Wool Marketing Board.
The sheep sheared well which is always helpful. If the wool hasn’t “risen “ properly off the back of the sheep, shearing is much more difficult and of course takes longer.
So with all the ewes shorn (not the lambs), I was very happy. There is still the risk of fly strike in the lambs so our next job is to spray them with a preventative solution.
As I write I have just 2 remaining pups to sell and it looks like one of them might be off to Finland – a long way to go, but a wonderful home. Fingers crossed.
Janet East
