Shearing 2022

livestock 1 · Aug 2, 2022

yellowbelly said:
If you can get it off without hurting yourself (or the sheep), I wouldn't bother if , like me, you're of 'advancing age'

I hear a young fella, round here, who's clipped a lot the Bowen way has packed in 'cos he's bu66ered his back .......

........for you and me, it's a bit like what the old tup said to the young 'un.........

Young tup says, "Look at all them gimmers down there. Let's both of us run down and tup a few."

"Steady on," says the old tup, " Let's just walk down there and tup 'em all."

Slow, but sure

Yes the days of catching and clipping 200 in a 4 or 5 hours are disappearing now I need more stops and less inclined to race on
Numbers are dropping too three of us did 980 a few years ago not thinking that will happen again

ritchiekirkland · Aug 2, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Don't have too many beers though or they'd end up with names of their favourite rousies;
Shirley, Sheila, Dorothy, Anal Anna and 3-way Tiffany ....

My favourite rousie was Airtight Anna

Jonp · Aug 2, 2022

I'm vintage and shear my own120 ewes and gang of rams. Do them in a small pen with them stood up. Grip them lightly with my legs and can lean on hurdle to save my back.
Sheep quite happy and don't fight. As you can imagine it's not quick but I get through them in a couple of weeks doing small batches at a time. Quite enjoy it as I don't wreck my back. Going to start on lambs soon.

shearerlad · Aug 5, 2022

That’s the last shearing competition done and dusted.

Nithsdale · Aug 5, 2022

livestock 1 said:
Just come across this thread was wondering does everyone shear the Australian way or do some folks shear differently?
We shear first side right handed then second side left handed. We can get through some fair numbers this way and fairly tidy. There’s 2 contractors shear the same way near here. I think I should get my 2 lads on a course for the ‘proper’ way because I feel we are missing a trick. Been shearing since my early teens so might be a struggle to change for me

Just seen this!
That's how I used to shear when I first started! Went on a BWMB course after a few years. Told the instructor how I shorn and he made me demo it to the others as nobody else had seen that style - he said himself he started shearing that way, but he would already be on the go shearing when Bowen brothers brought their technique to the UK

I could do 20-25 an hour but can do 30-35 with the Bowen technique (on a right good day I can be 38-40), I'd definitely recommend getting the boys onto a course

Your age wouldn't be an issue to change, it's your mindset - I had shorn a good few thousand when I changed so was well into my own style, but I knew I wanted to change so studied/learned and worked on it. Old dogs can learn new tricks, but the old dog has got to want to play a new game

livestock 1 · Aug 5, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Just seen this!
That's how I used to shear when I first started! Went on a BWMB course after a few years. Told the instructor how I shorn and he made me demo it to the others as nobody else had seen that style - he said himself he started shearing that way, but he would already be on the go shearing when Bowen brothers brought their technique to the UK

I could do 20-25 an hour but can do 30-35 with the Bowen technique (on a right good day I can be 38-40), I'd definitely recommend getting the boys onto a course

Your age wouldn't be an issue to change, it's your mindset - I had shorn a good few thousand when I changed so was well into my own style, but I knew I wanted to change so studied/learned and worked on it. Old dogs can learn new tricks, but the old dog has got to want to play a new game

Yes right handed down the right side up the left side of the neck up the back left leg do the tail while the ewe is sat up then turn her and do two or three blows with the right hand down the neck then change to left hand
It’s pretty fast and easy but I’m sure the new way is better
It’s a bit of a combination of both

Fat Lamb · Aug 5, 2022

livestock 1 said:
Yes right handed down the right side up the left side of the neck up the back left leg do the tail while the ewe is sat up then turn her and do two or three blows with the righ hand down the neck then change to left hand
It’s pretty fast and easy but I’m sure the new way is better
It’s a bit of a combination of both

I've seen it done that way, but a long time ago. Imagine it's a bit like doing 2 last sides but with different hands.

Fat Lamb · Aug 5, 2022

Old shepherd that used to do it that way would be kneeling on one knee shearing hill blackies an southie cheviots. Might have struggled on bigger sheep though.

livestock 1 · Aug 5, 2022

Fat Lamb said:
Old shepherd that used to do it that way would be kneeling on one knee shearing hill blackies an southie cheviots. Might have struggled on bigger sheep though.

I don’t kneel down but it’s a bit of a bend for the back when the ewe is on her side

livestock 1 · Aug 5, 2022

I’m quite interested because there’s 2 contractors clip the same as me and none of us consulted each other to end up doing it this way there must be more of us

Fat Lamb · Aug 5, 2022

Another lad sheared the same way but with the sheep sat on a knee high table. He'd either be stood up doing it or sat on the end. Again small sheep, hill swaledales.

AftonShepherd · Aug 5, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Just seen this!
That's how I used to shear when I first started! Went on a BWMB course after a few years. Told the instructor how I shorn and he made me demo it to the others as nobody else had seen that style - he said himself he started shearing that way, but he would already be on the go shearing when Bowen brothers brought their technique to the UK

I could do 20-25 an hour but can do 30-35 with the Bowen technique (on a right good day I can be 38-40), I'd definitely recommend getting the boys onto a course

Your age wouldn't be an issue to change, it's your mindset - I had shorn a good few thousand when I changed so was well into my own style, but I knew I wanted to change so studied/learned and worked on it. Old dogs can learn new tricks, but the old dog has got to want to play a new game

Are you another @sheepwise disciple?

Nithsdale · Aug 5, 2022

AftonShepherd said:
Are you another @sheepwise disciple?

I'm not sure who @sheepwise is in the real world?

It was Herbie Kennedy beat the old ways out of me

Nithsdale · Aug 5, 2022

Fat Lamb said:
Another lad sheared the same way but with the sheep sat on a knee high table. He'd either be stood up doing it or sat on the end. Again small sheep, hill swaledales.

Grandpa used to blade shear like that, ewes were sat on a stool. Southies and Blackies back then...
He also had someone catching and sitting the ewes up for him!

Doesn't go down well when I suggest a catcher would be a good idea

Bill dog · Aug 5, 2022

Doing my ewe lambs on Monday. Well the 2 shearers are coming with a 3 stand trailer, so I’m going to show em how not to do it on the empty 3rd stand. My son wants a go to. He can finish a few of the long blows on the 5 I’ll manage before my back gives in !!

Bill dog · Aug 5, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Grandpa used to blade shear like that, ewes were sat on a stool. Southies and Blackies back then...
He also had someone catching and sitting the ewes up for him!

Doesn't go down well when I suggest a catcher would be a good idea

Do u not have keen nephews/ nieces that would love to spend the day acting as your wing man ? Or would the swear jar fill up too quick ??

Nithsdale · Aug 5, 2022

Bill dog said:
Do u not have keen nephews/ nieces that would love to spend the day acting as your wing man ? Or would the swear jar fill up too quick ??

Nephew is only 7 yet... seems more interested in Farm Simulator at the moment. Driving Zetors doing arable work in what suspiciously looks like the Ukraine at the moment

Had to teach him how to rescue the pickup the other night. He crashed it into the chicken run - there's no gates in or out... but he wanted his pickup back. Uncle Nithy to the rescue with a chainsaw cut down 2 trees and hauled with the telehandler to make a ramp over the fence

he was left

watching me

Fendt516profi · Aug 5, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Nephew is only 7 yet... seems more interested in Farm Simulator at the moment. Driving Zetors doing arable work in what suspiciously looks like the Ukraine at the moment

Had to teach him how to rescue the pickup the other night. He crashed it into the chicken run - there's no gates in or out... but he wanted his pickup back. Uncle Nithy to the rescue with a chainsaw cut down 2 trees and hauled with the telehandler to make a ramp over the fence he was left watching me

That must be farm simulator 21 if it was farm simulator 22 he'd be towing tanks

Bill dog · Aug 5, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Nephew is only 7 yet... seems more interested in Farm Simulator at the moment. Driving Zetors doing arable work in what suspiciously looks like the Ukraine at the moment

Had to teach him how to rescue the pickup the other night. He crashed it into the chicken run - there's no gates in or out... but he wanted his pickup back. Uncle Nithy to the rescue with a chainsaw cut down 2 trees and hauled with the telehandler to make a ramp over the fence he was left watching me

Your nephew is driving the farm pick up aged 7 !
Precocious wee sod !

Tubbylew · Aug 5, 2022

Fat Lamb said:
Old shepherd that used to do it that way would be kneeling on one knee shearing hill blackies an southie cheviots. Might have struggled on bigger sheep though.

Dad kneels, I always think it must be nice to kneel down and take a bit of pressure off your back, but it looks hard work standing back up and twisting the ewe round, he's no slouch at it though.

Shearing 2022

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