HOW SHEEP SHEARING IS PERFORMED IN AUSTRALIA

Are you thinking of joining as a shearer soon? Do you want to learn the process of shearing? If yes, this blog is dedicated to you.

Shearing is a way of removing wool from the sheep’s body. Shearers start with removing the wool near the belly, and a roustabout separates the wool from the main fleece during the process. During shearing, professionals eliminate the fleece without cutting the sheep.

So, how does the day start looking like?

In Australia, there are nearly a thousand sheep on a single farm. This means more than three thousand sheep are sheared, once they grow thick coats. The duty of sheep farmers includes setting up shearing stands. When the time comes, a professional team for shearing appears along with roustabouts.

Shearing is a physically challenging process and requires speed. At first, they plug in their shearing machines and then grab the sheep by their front legs. Meanwhile, shearers make sure the fleece comes off in full.

The Process of Shearing

As earlier said the process starts with the belly and then they move towards the head and front legs. The roustabouts collect the fleece and keep it in a bundle. In addition, their main role is to pick up the wool, classify it, press and move the extra wool, and take the sheep to the shed.

On the other hand, professional shearers move super fast – they shear more than 100 sheep a day. They carry on their work cautiously because the shearing machines tend to vibrate hard.

After the roustabouts sort out the wool and decide on the quality, they put them in a particular pile. With the help of a presser, the wool gets ready for being sent to shops.

There are many things that go into the shearing process. If you want to understand the intricacies of how shearing is performed in Australia, contact us.