A question for the Sheep farmers

Thoushaltnot

Hi, I had a look online but cannot seem to find an answer.

Are regular sheep used to make sheepskin rugs - the sheep just not being shorn before slaughter? Or are sheep specially bred to make sheepskin rugs?

What decides whether a sheep produces a skin for a rug or ...not, I suppose?

Cheers for any info.

tabby aspreme

ya any sheep should do as long as its dead and wooly:D ,i remember my mother curing a few of them years ago, a lot of salt and salt petre had to be rubbed into them and the under side was smoothened with a pumice stone, they also had to be stretched or supported on a wooden frame to help them keep their shape ,im sure there is more to the process which i have forgotton

Thoushaltnot

Cheers,
yeah, I've found the instructions for diy sheepskin rugs but not the answer I was looking for.
So, sheep aren't necessarily shorn before they get to the abbatoir, then? It can be any old sheep that ends up as a pelt in front of a fireplace?

'Fair 'nuff!

tabby aspreme

thats correct they are not shorn before slaughter ,but i would avoid Ram skins in aug or sept ,skins not worth much in the past few years i think 5 e max if you want to give it a go i reckon abbatoirs would sell you some ,