Best of Farm Animals

The headless shearer! Buddy endures his first shearing.

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …208/in/datepost​ed-public/

Buddy - the indignities of being shorn

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …341/in/datepost​ed-public/

The Shearing - all done and looking sheepish

AnnieMacD wrote in post #19254417
The headless shearer! Buddy endures his first shearing.

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …208/in/datepost​ed-public/
Buddy - the indignities of being shorn] by AnnieMacD on Flickr

It's all over and the boys are looking 'sheepish'.

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …341/in/datepost​ed-public/
The Shearing - all done and looking sheepish] by AnnieMacD on Flickr

Nice clean sheering, very neat.
The bottom photo is full of interesting stuff.
Outdoor oven, lovely stonework, not to mention the car, and of course two handsome sheep

Do they get to see inside that little kiln?
Or saved for sheer enjoyment?
They look contented after their clipping.

New haircut and those darned graffiti artist strike again

AnnieMacD wrote in post #19254417
The headless shearer! Buddy endures his first shearing.

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …208/in/datepost​ed-public/
Buddy - the indignities of being shorn] by AnnieMacD on Flickrr

Curiosity killed the cat - shearer got his head stuck in the letter flap.

scriveyn wrote in post #19254602
Curiosity killed the cat - shearer got his head stuck in the letter flap.

I think that could be shear coincidence Frank

avondale87 wrote in post #19254428
Nice clean sheering, very neat.
The bottom photo is full of interesting stuff.
Outdoor oven, lovely stonework, not to mention the car, and of course two handsome sheep

Do they get to see inside that little kiln?
Or saved for sheer enjoyment?
They look contented after their clipping.

The Boyz will (hopefully) be buried in a hole on the croft and will NEVER see the inside of the oven! The lamb (Loopy) was watching the proceedings with interest. Hopefully he won't be as traumatized next year when there will 3 being shorn!

The wall was built by a local craftsman from the stone from the original house. I also have an internal wall made from the same stone.

They are happy boys now - no panting in the heat.

scriveyn wrote in post #19254602
Curiosity killed the cat - shearer got his head stuck in the letter flap.

Just a terrible photographer... Actually it was the best photo of Buddy so I used it

1 hour old twins, this is the first one out

Photo from avondale87's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (1110744)

avondale87 wrote in post #19256504
1 hour old twins . . .

Congratulations on these new additions! Do their coat colors mean the ewe bred with two rams?

OhLook wrote in post #19256561
Congratulations on these new additions! Do their coat colors mean the ewe bred with two rams?

Thanks
No, not uncommon to have a mix.
I'm guessing this white sheep must have been the daughter of one our black sheep. We only ever had white rams so presume the colour came through from the mother's side.
They look pretty scrawny there but hours later with belly full of milk they'd rounded out nicely

Love the babies, Richard. My guy was born 1st May so just over 2 months difference even though our seasons are 6 months apart. You must have lambing really early. Here's Loopy...

IMAGE LINK: https://www.flickr.com …067/in/datepost​ed-public/

Loopy loves sorrel

avondale87 wrote in post #19256693
I'm guessing this white sheep must have been the daughter of one our black sheep. We only ever had white rams so presume the colour came through from the mother's side.

After shearing, do you set black wool aside and sell it separately? I can imagine it being in demand for products that can be advertised as undyed.

OhLook wrote in post #19256704
After shearing, do you set black wool aside and sell it separately? I can imagine it being in demand for products that can be advertised as undyed.

Black wool is taboo in the white wool trade
You can't contaminate white wool.
They even get very particular about breeds of white wool sheep.
Superfine Marino is one where any contamination lowers grade.
Carpet wool is course wiry (by comparison) stuff and then there's sheep that shed their own wool, bred for meat.
They cause issues when they get straying and wander and mix with other breeds.

See how Annie's little beauty shoves its head through the fence, also mother sheep in my photo (she's shorn her own neck), that's when fibres get caught up in fences and then other sheep can do same and rub some of other sheep's wool into their fleece. We're talking high end stuff here though.

Black wool, or coloured wool is used by hand spinners but not sure how much finds its way to commercial use for clothing.
Cheaper and easier to just dye! Even if it's not environmentally friendly :rolleyes
Black wool isn't consistent in colour and can be very varied. Not like black hair.
Coloured wool variations are beautiful IMO.