Shearing.

Username John

Got my few ewes sheared this evening after work... Tough job, I dunno how lads shear a few hundred in a day...

jmrc

Username John wrote: »

Got my few ewes sheared this evening after work... Tough job, I dunno how lads shear a few hundred in a day...

Sold the wool tonight 130 a kg. price dropping Tuesday accourding to merchant.

ganmo

Username John wrote: »

Got my few ewes sheared this evening after work... Tough job, I dunno how lads shear a few hundred in a day...

their money is well earned
its always hectic when they land here between keeping the sheep up to them and keeping the wool away

Bleating Lamb

Got all ewes and Hoggets clipped this eve,two lads at it,they were not idle in 20 degree heat...did nearly 140 sheep in 3 hrs.

Green farmer

Just finished here as well. Tough going in serious heat over last two days.

Bscan86

jmrc wrote:

started Friday evening, finished them Saturday morning, wool packed and on the trailer. clouds opened just as we finished up. over for another year I think....

It's great to get it finished!!! We sheered 70 yesterday, serious heat while doing it. Another 140 of so to go, dipping dem d day after sheering cleans dem up some amount.

Arrow in the Knee

Bscan86 wrote: »

It's great to get it finished!!! We sheered 70 yesterday, serious heat while doing it. Another 140 of so to go, dipping dem d day after sheering cleans dem up some amount.

Isn't it pointless dipping them that soon as there would be no wool to retain some of the dip unless your not shearing them properly?

Last week I heard wool was making 1.00 euro per kilo in the North East.

arctictree

Just found a dead hogget that was sheared on Sunday. Same thing happened last year and I put it down to the cold. But this year is warm??? One of my lovely breeding hoggets too that I didn't put in lamb. Does this happen to anyone else here?

rangler1

arctictree wrote: »

Just found a dead hogget that was sheared on Sunday. Same thing happened last year and I put it down to the cold. But this year is warm??? One of my lovely breeding hoggets too that I didn't put in lamb. Does this happen to anyone else here?

I used to shear for hire, plenty would die even when you'd be shearing them.....why not PM her, is she fully vaccinated

Bscan86

Arrow in the Knee wrote:

Isn't it pointless dipping them that soon as there would be no wool to retain some of the dip unless your not shearing them properly?

I could be wrong but i think it is good to clean off what lice etc. might be left on them once the fleeces are shorn. Anything that helps them all thrive more is worth it imo.

arctictree

rangler1 wrote: »

I used to shear for hire, plenty would die even when you'd be shearing them.....why not PM her, is she fully vaccinated

Vaccinated twice with Hep-P when she was a lamb in 2015.

Knacker has taken her now. Wouldn't it be a good idea to have a PM service provided by the knacker (for an extra fee)?

Username John

arctictree wrote: »

Vaccinated twice with Hep-P when she was a lamb in 2015.

Knacker has taken her now. Wouldn't it be a good idea to have a PM service provided by the knacker (for an extra fee)?

Think our vet will do a PM at the knackers yard, which is kinda what you're referring to above.

So might be worth a phone call to your vet, moreso for the future, than in this instance.

ganmo

arctictree wrote: »

Vaccinated twice with Hep-P when she was a lamb in 2015.

Knacker has taken her now. Wouldn't it be a good idea to have a PM service provided by the knacker (for an extra fee)?

you could do a pm yourself but only a vet would really know what looks out of place. the DVO would do a proper pm for you

Lano Lynn

a shearers woes

clipping on hire,can't get over the number of geniuses in the world its cracking weather so they ring in the middle of the day... several times....

eventually I get a chance to reply..... 'are ya busy?'....'funny that I'm flat out shearing'.....'oh right ye might do mine when ye get a chance'....'ok It will be next week,i'll give you two days notice'.......
a couple of days later same client same story but more agitated have to have them clipped asap (perhaps because he thinks that the more he rings the faster i can shear:rolleyes:) same reply...
text bucko on friday will be with you on monday... oh monday doesn't suit I'll have them in on wednesday I'll have help.......
so I regig my schedule pull a few lads forward (they should be happy) and turn up on wednesday .....
the sheep that are in are in sh**e .....three bay shed with cow cubicles on one side no pen no where to hang machine .....
where is the power? oh I'll have to go up to the house for an extension....half an hour later he returns with the help(that is a euphism for f### useless).....
eventually get set up machine hanging on a front loader that is slowly dropping,
' have you wool bags' 'I meant to get them yesterday on the way home the missus has gone for them just now'.
yer man and the help proceed to chase catch and drag a ewe out, throwing hay,dust and gravel all over the place and depositing a terrified ovine everyway but the right way about five feet from the machine.
half way through the first ewe they launch another attack driving ewes left right and center and most importantly through the dropper......
next ewe he decides to spray red all over her head before shearing cause she is for culling....
a few later he decides to trim a filthy smelly foot while I'm opening up her neck......
the ewes are every type from enormous suffolks to horny crosses all the wool goes in the same bag that have arrived an hour late.
ye might dag the lambs as well.....55 kilo suffoge lambs not including the **** from their hips to their balls, long tails of coarse......
conversation was about the match at the weekend bucko had gone to dublin for the weekend to see the game 'we didn't get back till last night'......
'any silage made yet' 'they are mowing it today,have to have it all wrapped up by friday we are heading over to the brothers in the states on saturday'.......
just as they drag up the ram 150kg of perfumed contempt..................:mad:

rangler1

Lano Lynn wrote: »

a shearers woes

clipping on hire,can't get over the number of geniuses in the world its cracking weather so they ring in the middle of the day... several times....

eventually I get a chance to reply..... 'are ya busy?'....'funny that I'm flat out shearing'.....'oh right ye might do mine when ye get a chance'....'ok It will be next week,i'll give you two days notice'.......
a couple of days later same client same story but more agitated have to have them clipped asap (perhaps because he thinks that the more he rings the faster i can shear:rolleyes:) same reply...
text bucko on friday will be with you on monday... oh monday doesn't suit I'll have them in on wednesday I'll have help.......
so I regig my schedule pull a few lads forward (they should be happy) and turn up on wednesday .....
the sheep that are in are in sh**e .....three bay shed with cow cubicles on one side no pen no where to hang machine .....
where is the power? oh I'll have to go up to the house for an extension....half an hour later he returns with the help(that is a euphism for f### useless).....
eventually get set up machine hanging on a front loader that is slowly dropping,
' have you wool bags' 'I meant to get them yesterday on the way home the missus has gone for them just now'.
yer man and the help proceed to chase catch and drag a ewe out, throwing hay,dust and gravel all over the place and depositing a terrified ovine everyway but the right way about five feet from the machine.
half way through the first ewe they launch another attack driving ewes left right and center and most importantly through the dropper......
next ewe he decides to spray red all over her head before shearing cause she is for culling....
a few later he decides to trim a filthy smelly foot while I'm opening up her neck......
the ewes are every type from enormous suffolks to horny crosses all the wool goes in the same bag that have arrived an hour late.
ye might dag the lambs as well.....55 kilo suffoge lambs not including the **** from their hips to their balls, long tails of coarse......
conversation was about the match at the weekend bucko had gone to dublin for the weekend to see the game 'we didn't get back till last night'......
'any silage made yet' 'they are mowing it today,have to have it all wrapped up by friday we are heading over to the brothers in the states on saturday'.......
just as they drag up the ram 150kg of perfumed contempt..................:mad:

That shearer won't be back there again,

tom_k

Lano Lynn wrote: »

a shearers woes

clipping on hire...perfumed contempt..................:mad:

It's only on hearing stories like this that I realise that for all the bits that we still need to get right around here we're actually not that bad.

Your post reminds me of a post I read not long ago in the main forum about the farmer who eventually emerges from the shed with the vintage shyte encrusted silage cover expecting the contractors to give him a hand putting it on for a "few minutes".

Never ceases to amaze me how many lads there still are who just don't care.

Bscan86

Lano Lynn wrote:

clipping on hire,can't get over the number of geniuses in the world its cracking weather so they ring in the middle of the day... several times....

Lano Lynn wrote:

a shearers woes

Lano Lynn wrote:

eventually I get a chance to reply..... 'are ya busy?'....'funny that I'm flat out shearing'.....'oh right ye might do mine when ye get a chance'....'ok It will be next week,i'll give you two days notice'....... a couple of days later same client same story but more agitated have to have them clipped asap (perhaps because he thinks that the more he rings the faster i can shear ) same reply... text bucko on friday will be with you on monday... oh monday doesn't suit I'll have them in on wednesday I'll have help....... so I regig my schedule pull a few lads forward (they should be happy) and turn up on wednesday ..... the sheep that are in are in sh**e .....three bay shed with cow cubicles on one side no pen no where to hang machine ..... where is the power? oh I'll have to go up to the house for an extension....half an hour later he returns with the help(that is a euphism for f### useless)..... eventually get set up machine hanging on a front loader that is slowly dropping, ' have you wool bags' 'I meant to get them yesterday on the way home the missus has gone for them just now'. yer man and the help proceed to chase catch and drag a ewe out, throwing hay,dust and gravel all over the place and depositing a terrified ovine everyway but the right way about five feet from the machine. half way through the first ewe they launch another attack driving ewes left right and center and most importantly through the dropper...... next ewe he decides to spray red all over her head before shearing cause she is for culling.... a few later he decides to trim a filthy smelly foot while I'm opening up her neck...... the ewes are every type from enormous suffolks to horny crosses all the wool goes in the same bag that have arrived an hour late. ye might dag the lambs as well.....55 kilo suffoge lambs not including the **** from their hips to their balls, long tails of coarse...... conversation was about the match at the weekend bucko had gone to dublin for the weekend to see the game 'we didn't get back till last night'...... 'any silage made yet' 'they are mowing it today,have to have it all wrapped up by friday we are heading over to the brothers in the states on saturday'....... just as they drag up the ram 150kg of perfumed contempt..................

Lano Lynn wrote:

a shearers woes

Lano Lynn wrote:

clipping on hire,can't get over the number of geniuses in the world its cracking weather so they ring in the middle of the day... several times....

Lano Lynn wrote:

eventually I get a chance to reply..... 'are ya busy?'....'funny that I'm flat out shearing'.....'oh right ye might do mine when ye get a chance'....'ok It will be next week,i'll give you two days notice'....... a couple of days later same client same story but more agitated have to have them clipped asap (perhaps because he thinks that the more he rings the faster i can shear ) same reply... text bucko on friday will be with you on monday... oh monday doesn't suit I'll have them in on wednesday I'll have help....... so I regig my schedule pull a few lads forward (they should be happy) and turn up on wednesday ..... the sheep that are in are in sh**e .....three bay shed with cow cubicles on one side no pen no where to hang machine ..... where is the power? oh I'll have to go up to the house for an extension....half an hour later he returns with the help(that is a euphism for f### useless)..... eventually get set up machine hanging on a front loader that is slowly dropping, ' have you wool bags' 'I meant to get them yesterday on the way home the missus has gone for them just now'. yer man and the help proceed to chase catch and drag a ewe out, throwing hay,dust and gravel all over the place and depositing a terrified ovine everyway but the right way about five feet from the machine. half way through the first ewe they launch another attack driving ewes left right and center and most importantly through the dropper...... next ewe he decides to spray red all over her head before shearing cause she is for culling.... a few later he decides to trim a filthy smelly foot while I'm opening up her neck...... the ewes are every type from enormous suffolks to horny crosses all the wool goes in the same bag that have arrived an hour late. ye might dag the lambs as well.....55 kilo suffoge lambs not including the **** from their hips to their balls, long tails of coarse...... conversation was about the match at the weekend bucko had gone to dublin for the weekend to see the game 'we didn't get back till last night'...... 'any silage made yet' 'they are mowing it today,have to have it all wrapped up by friday we are heading over to the brothers in the states on saturday'....... just as they drag up the ram 150kg of perfumed contempt..................

That's a serious dose, u wer obviously working for someone who doesn't give a damn. I wired a socket at the point in the shed where our man shears. Then we set up the galvanised interlocking gates to make the shed smaller. Big bags hooked onto the front loader ready to go. it's hardly trojan work having things right for this job. And it makes life so much easier.

ganmo

Lord lano! You have some patience

Lano Lynn

thanks for the support lads (this is an collection of various experiences so it is not quite fiction)

a shearers woes pt 2

the first batch finished he goes to get the hoggets aided by the missus, the help, the kids and the dog (a terrier mongrel)
the mob arrives into the shed and you are abandoned with the eldest child while himself and the help hitch up the trailer to go up the road to get the ones that broke away.
its not the childs fault so you bite yer tongue and grab a sheep, well I think it was a sheep, it bleated and kicked like a sheep, it pissed and sh!t like a sheep, but for wool it had gorse and thistles........
the next candidate I was reliably informed was so and so's pet lamb from last year and had two lambs
her fleece was welded to her..you think to yourself that chemical shearing could have a role to play as the handpiece heats up that it is almost to hot to hold.
change down to a standard comb and push on.
the couple of dozen lambed hoggets take three times as long as fit sheep and three combs and four cutters.have to leave the bellies on most of them and hope they are in a field away from the road for the amount of cuts on them

meanwhile the lost sheep are delivered and the boys head away again to get 'a few' from the uncles place.
returning an hour later with 20 cotty rake thin horned ewes and two horned rams packed into a 10 x 5 trailer so that 4 were flat on the floor by the time they arrived.

time for tae and sangwigis,(milky lukewarm out of a flask and soggy tomato)
the genius complains about the price of lamb , the price of wool, the cost of fertiliser and just about everything else under the sun explaining how hard it is for the small man and how he is paying half what he makes in tax?(he has 200 acres good land ,works part time in the dept and the missus is a school principle)...........

the end is in sight, this bunch has only one ewe with her bag burst out with mastitis, another with a prolapse harness inbedded into her and two have their horns broken by the enthusiastic catchers.
The last one done I’m beaten and bruised strip down the machine making up in my head whats owed...170euro......shure ye’ll take 150 as he makes out the cheque......

rangler1

Lano Lynn wrote: »

thanks for the support lads (this is an collection of various experiences so it is not quite fiction)

a shearers woes pt 2

the first batch finished he goes to get the hoggets aided by the missus, the help, the kids and the dog (a terrier mongrel)
the mob arrives into the shed and you are abandoned with the eldest child while himself and the help hitch up the trailer to go up the road to get the ones that broke away.
its not the childs fault so you bite yer tongue and grab a sheep, well I think it was a sheep, it bleated and kicked like a sheep, it pissed and sh!t like a sheep, but for wool it had gorse and thistles........
the next candidate I was reliably informed was so and so's pet lamb from last year and had two lambs
her fleece was welded to her..you think to yourself that chemical shearing could have a role to play as the handpiece heats up that it is almost to hot to hold.
change down to a standard comb and push on.
the couple of dozen lambed hoggets take three times as long as fit sheep and three combs and four cutters.have to leave the bellies on most of them and hope they are in a field away from the road for the amount of cuts on them

meanwhile the lost sheep are delivered and the boys head away again to get 'a few' from the uncles place.
returning an hour later with 20 cotty rake thin horned ewes and two horned rams packed into a 10 x 5 trailer so that 4 were flat on the floor by the time they arrived.

time for tae and sangwigis,(milky lukewarm out of a flask and soggy tomato)
the genius complains about the price of lamb , the price of wool, the cost of fertiliser and just about everything else under the sun explaining how hard it is for the small man and how he is paying half what he makes in tax?(he has 200 acres good land ,works part time in the dept and the missus is a school principle)...........

the end is in sight, this bunch has only one ewe with her bag burst out with mastitis, another with a prolapse harness inbedded into her and two have their horns broken by the enthusiastic catchers.
The last one done I’m beaten and bruised strip down the machine making up in my head whats owed...170euro......shure ye’ll take 150 as he makes out the cheque......

Learn't very early on here that you bring your own grub, shearing is too hard to have to contend with a dose of salmonella as well.
Having the sheep starving for a couple hours at least or ideally overnight is a huge help to both farmer and shearer,
Huge difference in shearing badly minded sheep and properly minded sheep. a fiver a sheep wouldn't pay you with the sheep you describe there

White Clover

Very good Lano,
I'd call those lads "smears"!

Awaiting part 3.......

Username John

Lano Lynn wrote: »

l
170euro......shure ye’ll take 150 as he makes out the cheque......

Would people do that - not pay the amount you asked for like that?

Would you go back to them again the next year?

I can't comment too much - I always have the ewes in here, but facilities are rough enough. And my ewes were thin this year, so maybe not the easiest sheared

Lano Lynn

part three is the worst ever it features the fit spanish exchange student gathering the wool in shorts and a spagetti strap top ....you have to force yourself to think of the first gents hoggets:D

sako 85

Lano Lynn wrote: »

part three is the worst ever it features the fit spanish exchange student gathering the wool in shorts and a spagetti strap top ....you have to force yourself to think of the first gents hoggets:D

Now that's a bit more like it.

arctictree

Shearing is always a bit hectic here. Normally I give him a couple of weeks notice of when we want it done. Then he usually rings the night before and says to have them in his yard at 9am - usually the weekend. I then have to gather the troops at short notice and spend the morning driving them back and forth as my trailer will only fit 8 with full fleeces.

With 40 ewes, I can't really get a shearer to come to me. The lad that does it does a great job though in fairness and doesn't charge a lot.

drive it

What do ye do to reduce the amount of grease build up on the comb last year and this year seems to be the worst it is happing. And what do ye use to clean the grease off the comb and cutter

Lano Lynn

its that time of year again a couple of hot dry daysat the begining of may,so lets call the shearer...."r u clipping yet" ...."yes did a few show sheep and a handful of dry hoggets,they wern't really ready,your ewes are never ready till the end of may I'll let u know when i'm comming"..........two days later "when r u comming shearing " and this is repeated every couple of days........

I have no fn idea why people think that constantly hastling their contractors (shearing or machinery) will get them to come sooner,just book them and they will get to you as soon as they can.

J.O. Farmer

Lano Lynn wrote: »

its that time of year again a couple of hot dry daysat the begining of may,so lets call the shearer...."r u clipping yet" ...."yes did a few show sheep and a handful of dry hoggets,they wern't really ready,your ewes are never ready till the end of may I'll let u know when i'm comming"..........two days later "when r u comming shearing " and this is repeated every couple of days........

I have no fn idea why people think that constantly hastling their contractors (shearing or machinery) will get them to come sooner,just book them and they will get to you as soon as they can.

So when are you going shearing my sheep

J.O. Farmer

Lano Lynn wrote: »

its that time of year again a couple of hot dry daysat the begining of may,so lets call the shearer...."r u clipping yet" ...."yes did a few show sheep and a handful of dry hoggets,they wern't really ready,your ewes are never ready till the end of may I'll let u know when i'm comming"..........two days later "when r u comming shearing " and this is repeated every couple of days........

I have no fn idea why people think that constantly hastling their contractors (shearing or machinery) will get them to come sooner,just book them and they will get to you as soon as they can.

So when are you going shearing my sheep

J.O. Farmer

Lano Lynn wrote: »

its that time of year again a couple of hot dry daysat the begining of may,so lets call the shearer...."r u clipping yet" ...."yes did a few show sheep and a handful of dry hoggets,they wern't really ready,your ewes are never ready till the end of may I'll let u know when i'm comming"..........two days later "when r u comming shearing " and this is repeated every couple of days........

I have no fn idea why people think that constantly hastling their contractors (shearing or machinery) will get them to come sooner,just book them and they will get to you as soon as they can.

So when are you going shearing my sheep