Sheep Industry News March 2024

are pretty good about that. They usually have enough help to keep the sheep coming to us.” The producers are often Chamelin’s favorite part of the job. “I love to just pick people’s brains while I’m shearing,” she said. “The nice part is I can really see how people’s management is affecting the animals. When you’re shearing, you can’t hide anything. I know if your feeding program is working, the health status of the animals and things like that. In the back of my mind, I’m always thinking, ‘What are they doing to make them look this good.’ That’s the part of the job I love the most. And I can apply a lot of what I learn to my own flock.” Regardless of whether you’re a large or small producer, based in the East or the West, one constant is the shortage of professional shearers. And the shortage affects the shearers as much as the producers. “That’s the reality of the situation right now,” Chamelin said. “I just always encourage producers to think outside of the box about any problem. Just because you’ve done something for years and years doesn’t mean it’s the best thing to do.” Hoopes fills out his crews with a combination of foreign and domestic labor, but it’s a challenge every season to find as many shearers as he needs. He’s developed a training program with Montana-based shearer George Kerr in an effort to alleviate the problem. “I’ve got two beginners on my crew right now, and the only way they’re going to get better is with sheep in front of them. That’s the only way shearers get better. They’ve got to have sheep in front of them every day.”

SHEARING Continued from Page 10

ers they’ve worked with for years where they still show up and the sheep are on feed, or they aren’t caught and ready to go, or they’re wet,” Chamelin said. “That’s why I created a survey that just spells everything out for the producer before I get there. I hate the extra paperwork. It’s a nuisance, but I think it’s helping a little in holding people ac countable for what I expect.” Hoopes said he’s found a phone call is still the best way to com municate with his producers. “Pick up the phone and talk to the people you’re working with,” he said. “Without the ranchers, we don’t have a job. And, we don’t have any food.” Hoopes added that the producers he works with are pretty reli able when it comes to keeping the sheep off feed and having them corralled and ready to go on shearing day. “Usually if they aren’t prepared for us, it’s something to do with the weather,” he added. “Maybe we got some rain or snow and they didn’t have cover for the sheep.” Many shearers will also take care of the wool handling, but it’s important to discuss that with your shearer ahead of time. “We do it all,” said Hoopes. “They tell us what they want, and we take care of it. Or if the wool buyer has bought it, he tells us what he wants and we do it. We still do a lot of classing on every job. The main thing I need the rancher to do is to wrangle and move the sheep. We don’t do any of that. The ranchers I work with

Minimum Number of

Maximum

Minimum

Maximum

Fasting Recommendations Prior to Shearing

Number of Number of Number of Hours W/O Hours W/O Hours W/O Hours W/O Feed Feed Water Water

Special Considerations

EWES (& ADULT MALES)

Exceeding these maximums may induce metabolic problems and/or clinical diseases. Where practical, un weaned lambs should remain with their mothers until ewes enter the woolshed.

Non-pregnant, non-lactating

20 18 12

32 30 24

12 12

24 24 20

Early – mid pregnancy

Late pregnancy and lactation

8

HOGGETS

Use special care when handling pregnant hoggets. Exceeding these maximums may induce metabolic problems and/or precipitate clinical diseases. Where practical, unweaned lambs should remain with their mothers until the hoggets enter the woolshed.

Non-pregnant, non-lactating Pregnancy and lactation

18 12

30 24

12

24 20

8

LAMBS

Exceeding these maximums may precipitate clinical diseases.

Pre-weaning

6

24 24

6 8

20 20

Weaned

12

Visit WorkSafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/agriculture/working-with-animals/working-with-sheep/fasting-of-sheep-prior-to-shearing-gpg to learn more.

12 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org