Shearing.

sea12

Gone quite in here lately.
Anybody got the shearing done yet. What price is being charged.
Hope to get mine done next weekend.

Username John

sea12 wrote: »

Gone quite in here lately.
Anybody got the shearing done yet. What price is being charged.
Hope to get mine done next weekend.

Yeah, thought the same myself... Busy time I guess...

Would have liked to have done the shearing this weekend, but shearer rang me yesterday to say he'll be in Wed evening. Hopefully it'll be fine now...

As for price, no idea. Can't remember what I paid last year either...

Green farmer

I was hoping to get mine done as well but the sheep were still abit light. Going to move them to fresh pasture and give it another week or so. Lambs thriving well though.have heard quotes up around 2.50 for shearing. Don't think wool prices have risen by the same amount though ?

razor8

Did near half of mine Friday on a out farm and four had maggots, still can hardly walk - Knackered, usually don't shear til July if possible but flies seem plentiful this year.
sprayed clik zen on the lambs so won't have to worry about them for awhile

Green farmer

Fair plate to you razor. Always wanted to shear my own but reckon my back wouldn't be up to it.

Username John

I dunno if I'd be able for shearing at all... And it's hard to know which part of me would give up first, back, shoulder, or just general fitness...

Few of my ewes were dirty enough and I cleaned em maybe 2 weeks ago, 2 had maggots. They weren't bad now, but still, you hate to see the bastards...

Do ye all put Clik / click zen on the lambs every year?
We used always do it, but I chanced it last year, sprayed with dip using a power washer a few times later in the summer...

Green farmer

Username John wrote: »

I d


We used always do it, but I chanced it last year, sprayed with dip using a power washer a few times later in the summer...

Good idea John, I've never tried dip. Last year I used ecofly or something like that name. Was ok but seemed to use more of it then the bottle stated. also treated a few lambs that had flystrike and it cleared them up as well. Another thing I use to treat fly strike is blue spray. Where the maggots have got to the skin, it cleans up the sheep and stops the any more from landing on open wounds

razor8

Used to shear farm to farm until a few years ago but don't have time anymore. Could shear up to 30/35 an hr in my hay dat!!

Always use pour on lambs, haven't dipped ewes in years but might do it later, a lot of grit on ewes backs whatever it is

Conmaicne Mara

Green farmer wrote: »

Good idea John, I've never tried dip. Last year I used ecofly or something like that name. Was ok but seemed to use more of it then the bottle stated. also treated a few lambs that had flystrike and it cleared them up as well. Another thing I use to treat fly strike is blue spray. Where the maggots have got to the skin, it cleans up the sheep and stops the any more from landing on open wounds

We use Cyperguard, be sure to read dip labels that they cover everything you want them to cover. Some don't even cover ticks, waste of time in this part of the world. Dipping bath is the next project here, long overdue, have been injecting but tbh I think it's more hassle than dipping them in a well set up bath. Cleans up the fleece lovely too.

eire23

Got most of the lowland ones sheared this week, some of them werent over fit though.
I find the second day of it the worst, first day ya fly it, second day your knackered and by the third day your into the swing of things. Big help as well if ya have some one to catch and turn the sheep for ya.

Lano Lynn

clipping on hire most days the past two weeks ,ewes that lambed early in good condition are ready but later ewes not fit.wool stuck to them.
have only my own rams done will put off ewes as long as possible,the sooner they are shorn the more likely they will get fly strike in the backend (indian summer permitting)
everyone wants them done now , right now.
ya get to the farm the sheep are not in and there are no wool bags.
guys who have never shorn a sheep just don't get it how hard it is to shear sheep that are not ready to clip.:mad:

if I hire someone to dig out a hole and he has to get a rock breaker he charges more .......can I charge more for unfit daggy sheep?:rolleyes:

eire23

Lano Lynn wrote: »

guys who have never shorn a sheep just don't get it how hard it is to shear sheep that are not ready to clip.:mad:

Just do our own here but id agree with ya there, makes the job a hell of alot tougher.
Have some fields here that have some sandy banks in them and the sheep do be rubbing off them, it makes a right job of cutters. What would ye do in that situation, just put up with it?

Conmaicne Mara

eire23 wrote: »

Just do our own here but id agree with ya there, makes the job a hell of alot tougher.
Have some fields here that have some sandy banks in them and the sheep do be rubbing off them, it makes a right job of cutters. What would ye do in that situation, just put up with it?

Wool shedding sheep or cattle.

If there's anyone shearing with ya you don't get on with, give them an old ewe that's had twins and been thin all Spring. She'll make their day

razor8

I've left flocks in the past when there not ready, usually 2 weeks can make a big difference , can be pure hardship otherwise.

Conmaicne Mara

Could have shorn my hoggets two or three week ago, should have in hindsight. Single ewes might not be far behind. Itching to get at them now, safer to be the first to shear around these parts.......

gazahayes

razor8 wrote: »

I've left flocks in the past when there not ready, usually 2 weeks can make a big difference , can be pure hardship otherwise.

What do you mean I'm that they weren't ready. Poor condition or just the wool is sticky?

Shore my ewe lambs in October last year
Majority rearing singles and all in great condition but think I might leave till after weaning to shear

razor8

gazahayes wrote: »

What do you mean I'm that they weren't ready. Poor condition or just the wool is sticky?

Shore my ewe lambs in October last year
Majority rearing singles and all in great condition but think I might leave till after weaning to shear

Want to be in great condition, have hog gets rearing twins and know my looking at them they are not ready yet.

Zoo4m8

Shore hoggets Saturday , wool flew off them, delighted to get them done it seemed every second day I was getting them in to treat for maggots .
I try to get hoggets done as early as possible as they will be sold Sept/Oct and a little bit of wool growth makes them look a little bigger in the pen!
I was charged €3 which seems a little cheeky but couldn't remember what he charged last year so in no position to haggle!
Mind you , thirty years ago when I was contract shearing ( can't do it now, the back...) I remember getting fifty pence a head, which was great money though the wool was worth something then..:rolleyes:

razor8

Zoo4m8 wrote: »

Shore hoggets Saturday , wool flew off them, delighted to get them done it seemed every second day I was getting them in to treat for maggots .
I try to get hoggets done as early as possible as they will be sold Sept/Oct and a little bit of wool growth makes them look a little bigger in the pen!
I was charged €3 which seems a little cheeky but couldn't remember what he charged last year so in no position to haggle!
Mind you , thirty years ago when I was contract shearing ( can't do it now, the back...) I remember getting fifty pence a head, which was great money though the wool was worth something then..:rolleyes:

€3 seems very steep, was that for a small batch?

Green farmer

For a normal flock, The shearer will find it hard to get repeat business if he keeps charging like that

sea12

razor8 wrote: »

€3 seems very steep, was that for a small batch?

Ouch that's very expensive.

Zoo4m8

razor8 wrote: »

€3 seems very steep, was that for a small batch?

Yeah, sixty, a mornings work for €150.. The lad who usually did it for me gave up two years ago and if I remember was at €1.50 then, shearers are thin on the ground round here, a case of beggars can't be choosers I reckon..

gazahayes

Shore the rams there this evening fair bit of huffing and puffing and that was just me :-P

arctictree

Got the last of my ewes done at the weekend. Shearer was complaining a bit that they weren't ready but did them anyway as it was only a small lot. A few of them I had bought winter shorn in early '13 so had not been shorn last year at all. Apart from 1 that had a few maggots on her side, the rest were fine. Going to do some dosing at the weekend and maybe some pour on the week after...

Cran

arctictree wrote: »

Got the last of my ewes done at the weekend. Shearer was complaining a bit that they weren't ready but did them anyway as it was only a small lot. A few of them I had bought winter shorn in early '13 so had not been shorn last year at all. Apart from 1 that had a few maggots on her side, the rest were fine. Going to do some dosing at the weekend and maybe some pour on the week after...

I did my pedigree hogget ewes last week, tough going some were very hard done. Made me think no rush on the commercials as they're normally lot harder, but would think the weather over the last few days would have brought up the grease.
Hopefully shear some this week and weekend, wouldn't do them all though get a shearer in to do about 2/3 of them.

sea12

arctictree wrote: »

Got the last of my ewes done at the weekend. Shearer was complaining a bit that they weren't ready but did them anyway as it was only a small lot. A few of them I had bought winter shorn in early '13 so had not been shorn last year at all. Apart from 1 that had a few maggots on her side, the rest were fine. Going to do some dosing at the weekend and maybe some pour on the week after...

I wouldn't put pour on ewes so soon. Generally find that once there shorn and kept clean they are fine. Wool wouldn't be grown enough to absorb the pour on and retain it in my view. Generally do the lambs now and leave ewes until later in summer.

Zoo4m8

arctictree wrote: »

Got the last of my ewes done at the weekend. Shearer was complaining a bit that they weren't ready but did them anyway as it was only a small lot. A few of them I had bought winter shorn in early '13 so had not been shorn last year at all. Apart from 1 that had a few maggots on her side, the rest were fine. Going to do some dosing at the weekend and maybe some pour on the week after...

So what did he charge?

rangler1

Zoo4m8 wrote: »

So what did he charge?

seems to be a lot of quotes of €2 on done deal.
paying €2.25 here
Brings his own pen so pulls them out himself
also brings a stand for hanging the wool pack

razor8

Zoo4m8 wrote: »

Yeah, sixty, a mornings work for €150.. The lad who usually did it for me gave up two years ago and if I remember was at €1.50 then, shearers are thin on the ground round here, a case of beggars can't be choosers I reckon..

I'm i missing something, that works out at €2.50 not €3

When I was shearing I used to allow for grub and good help catching. Often had lads trying to catch which were a hinderance more than anything often nearly tossing me with the sheep or leaving them a foot away from correct position. Some difference in set ups too

Lano Lynn

razor8 wrote: »

I'm i missing something, that works out at €2.50 not €3

When I was shearing I used to allow for grub and good help catching. Often had lads trying to catch which were a hinderance more than anything often nearly tossing me with the sheep or leaving them a foot away from correct position. Some difference in set ups too

yep n these guys think sheep are stupid......

Zoo4m8

razor8 wrote: »

I'm i missing something, that works out at €2.50 not €3

When I was shearing I used to allow for grub and good help catching. Often had lads trying to catch which were a hinderance more than anything often nearly tossing me with the sheep or leaving them a foot away from correct position. Some difference in set ups too

Being goodlooking, well hung and wealthy means I don't have to concern myself with small matters like simple sums...:D

Seriously, should have clarified, fifty were mine and ten a neighbours. I paid €150 and the arrangement with the neighbour was, em, complicated so don't know what the charge was there. He caught himself and there was no need for grub.
When I was at it never allowed for grub as it was expected, we always made sure contractors were well fed here and never expected it to be allowed for.
As you say horrible difference in set ups, catching pen if catching yourself should be beside mat , if not a (good) catcher is needed and should be allowed for..

Username John

Shearer booked here for tomorrow evening, forecast not looking too good

Vandy West

All done today, 2.50 a ewe. Last year fella came by himself so i said this year i would catch and turn them for him and pack wool. 2 shearers turned up so was under pressure will sleep well tonight.

Username John

Done here now as well. Turned out to be a great day after, forecast was poor, so they were in the shed since this morning just in case...

All done now anyways for another year

sea12

Username John wrote: »

Done here now as well. Turned out to be a great day after, forecast was poor, so they were in the shed since this morning just in case...

All done now anyways for another year

Yep turned up lovely evening. Due to get mine done at the weekend, hopefully it's giving it dry.

Lano Lynn

I know the price of wool is crap but it is not the shearers fault.
clipping ewes is bloody hard work in any set up.
if anyone thinks it is handy money they are deluded.
the gear is not cheap and the physical cost is bourn out by the fact there are more ex shearers on this thread than active ones.
and getting help let alone good help is next to impossible.
what chap is going to haul ass and sheep all day and tommorow when they could be drawing silage n listening to the radio.

jt65

shearers came this afternoon

was hoping to get them finished but they pulled out half an hour ago

forecast bad for to morrow if dry in the morning will turm them in the shed


any one know waht wool is making

gazahayes

jt65 wrote: »

shearers came this afternoon

was hoping to get them finished but they pulled out half an hour ago

forecast bad for to morrow if dry in the morning will turm them in the shed


any one know waht wool is making

I think it was at €1.20 per kilo in the journal according to Dooley's roscrea

ganmo

I had heard rumors of 130 but it can change like the weather

Username John

jt65 wrote: »

shearers came this afternoon

was hoping to get them finished but they pulled out half an hour ago

forecast bad for to morrow if dry in the morning will turm them in the shed


any one know waht wool is making

I hope you don't have the same weather as we do this morning JT - lashing rain since about 4 or 5 I'd say...

I felt a bit sorry for my ewes as they were trying to shelter against the ditch from the rain

jt65

Username John wrote: »

I hope you don't have the same weather as we do this morning JT - lashing rain since about 4 or 5 I'd say...

I felt a bit sorry for my ewes as they were trying to shelter against the ditch from the rain

not quite as bad yet, but they are too wet to house,

we'd be finished about 11 last night if they kept going but these guys are like my self pushing up in years ,, no sweat they'll all sworn in time

farm14

Easier shear in the heat. Grease rises in the wool. €3 is too much to pay for shearing sheep not leaving any money at all for the farmer. That's all the wool per ewe is worth so no profit. As for shearing though it is very physical work doing it here & its not easy dragging out big ewes & shear aswell. You definitely want the €2 though theirs not many other jobs out their as labour intensive as shearing a sheep. As a matter of interest do most sheep farmers in this country get a contractor to shear their sheep?

ganmo

got told yday lunch time shearers were coming this morning.
all done! Havin a bit of a laugh at the hoggets fighting

jfh

Have promised to learn to shear for years.
anyone know of any course or should I just start myself?

gazahayes

jfh wrote: »

Have promised to learn to shear for years.
anyone know of any course or should I just start myself?

There's 2 lads in Galway running a course can't think of them at the minute might have the flyer at home I'll have a look later.

gazahayes

jfh wrote: »

Have promised to learn to shear for years.
anyone know of any course or should I just start myself?

There's 2 lads in Galway running a course can't think of them at the minute might have the flyer at home I'll have a look later.

rangler1

jfh wrote: »

Have promised to learn to shear for years.
anyone know of any course or should I just start myself?

found these contact nos for shearing association on facebook
might be worth a try, they'd surely know if there's any courses

Contact info

Phone087 389 7280

Emailirishsheepshearerassociation@yahoo.ie

Oldtree

on face book too Irish Sheep shearers Association

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Irish-Sheep-shearers-Association/466398153446422?sk=info

Zoo4m8

jfh wrote: »

Have promised to learn to shear for years.
anyone know of any course or should I just start myself?

I would say do not start yourself, just add hardship and aggro to what is already a very physical job.. Try to find someone to pass on even the basic technique and you can modify it yourself as you learn..

Finally got round to getting rid of the wool today, got €1.30 and that translated to a cheque for €240 so after €150 for the shearer I'm €90 in the black...think I'll earn some brownie points and take herself out on Fri night..

eire23

jfh wrote: »

Have promised to learn to shear for years.
anyone know of any course or should I just start myself?

its would be worth doing the course even just to learn how to set up the handpiece if ya dont have anyone else to show ya.

jfh

rangler1 wrote: »

found these contact nos for shearing association on facebook
might be worth a try, they'd surely know if there's any courses

Contact info

Phone087 389 7280

Emailirishsheepshearerassociation@yahoo.ie

i've tried that number every day & it's not available. might try emailing them.