Romneys twice a year shearing - a few questions

[exmoorromney]

What are peoples opinions on this? Do they need double shearing if they spend all their time on permanent pasture upland hill farm?

Considering NZ Romneys but I dont want to get into double shearing.

We only shear ours once a year then they get a belly and crutch in the autumn which keeps them cleaner through the winter. We used to shear twice a year but haven’t noticed any difference in performance since going back to once a year. We are a high hill farm on Exmoor so will be similar to your ground.

 

[Hilly]

Only shear once a year , my farm is extremely exposed and think full wool all winter helps especially in a wet windy winter like the one we are in now.

 

[gb789]

Only shear once a year , my farm is extremely exposed and think full wool all winter helps especially in a wet windy winter like the one we are in now.

Thanks for the response! Do you have a preference for month?

 

[Hilly]

Thanks for the response! Do you have a preference for month?

July for me .

 

[hillewe]

What are peoples opinions on this? Do they need double shearing if they spend all their time on permanent pasture upland hill farm?

Considering NZ Romneys but I dont want to get into double shearing.

We used to shear twice, but coincidentally or not, saw a 15% rise in scanning percentage the first year we decided to only shear once, and haven’t bothered since. On exposed upland, only thing we manage differently now compared to other ‘wooly’ breeds we’ve kept in the past is to also shear the replacement ewe lambs, which does tidy them up a lot

 

[Hilly]

I once sheared my ewe lambs 1st september straight off mothers and it rained for 2 month they didnt winter well at all , i now leave them woolly and get on better .

 

[Six Dogs]

We shear once a year but at the end of August/early September less wool for them to winter on roots and less wool around lambing time then

 

[Troward]

What are peoples opinions on this? Do they need double shearing if they spend all their time on permanent pasture upland hill farm?

Considering NZ Romneys but I dont want to get into double shearing.

They definitely don't need to be double sheared, although they will be very wooly after 12 months.

Have sheared late August here for the last couple of years and that has worked well so far.

I should have sheared ewe lambs with them but didn't get round to it.

My question for others on the same topic....by shearing in late August and lambing start of April, could I save some time and not crutch/belly, or do others think I'd regret it?

 

[Six Dogs]

They definitely don't need to be double sheared, although they will be very wooly after 12 months.

Have sheared late August here for the last couple of years and that has worked well so far.

I should have sheared ewe lambs with them but didn't get round to it.

My question for others on the same topic....by shearing in late August and lambing start of April, could I save some time and not crutch/belly, or do others think I'd regret it?

So I just button crutch through the combi clamp then

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Shear late June early July and do all the lambs at the same time.
May delay shearing the lambs a little this year if we can get shearers.
Romney Lambswool now £1.50 per kg so should cover costs.
Always do better when shorn and don't get hooked up in Brambles in the winter.

 

[Estate fencing.]

I once sheared my ewe lambs 1st september straight off mothers and it rained for 2 month they didnt winter well at all , i now leave them woolly and get on better .

I know your in a much more exposed place than here but this year I sheared 80 Suffolk crosses (early September) and 9 got missed because they where out next door, those 9 are very lean where as the shorn ones are fit enough to kill. I put it down to shorn sheep drying quick.

 

[Hilly]

I know your in a much more exposed place than here but this year I sheared 80 Suffolk crosses (early September) and 9 got missed because they where out next door, those 9 are very lean where as the shorn ones are fit enough to kill. I put it down to shorn sheep drying quick.

Dont they say shorn sheep eat more ?

 

[tr250]

Having to shear twice seems like hardcare to me

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Dont they say shorn sheep eat more ?

There has been all sorts of different claims and counter claims over the years, but very little down to scientific evaluation.

All I can say is that having shorn the majority of our Romney lambs over the years, the few that get left woolly never do as well.
At shearing time we always leave the heavy woolly ones that we think will get good enough to sell in the next 6 weeks and I guess at least 25% of them are still around 4 months later, yet the next size down shorn ones will have all gone!!

 

[Hilly]

There has been all sorts of different claims and counter claims over the years, but very little down to scientific evaluation.

All I can say is that having shorn the majority of our Romney lambs over the years, the few that get left woolly never do as well.
At shearing time we always leave the heavy woolly ones that we think will get good enough to sell in the next 6 weeks and I guess at least 25% of them are still around 4 months later, yet the next size down shorn ones will have all gone!!

Shear em all next year ! When do you lamb ?

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Shear em all next year ! When do you lamb ?

End of March and April.
There used to be a penalty for pelts from the abattoirs and with the increasing value of wool and skins that is likely to return which is why we are careful not to kill freshly shorn lambs.
They were getting charged a pound for a pelt but had an income for woolly skins which will probably now increase.

 

[beardface]

Shear ours mid to end of July after weaning. No lambs to split out and I find it helps dry them off a bit quicker. Crutch either pre lamb or at first wormer, plus put either clikzin or crovect on to see then through until weaning. To exposed for twice shearing. Haven't really seen any difference between shorn and unshorn ewe lambs. Only thing I have found is that shorn ones have a shorter slightly tighter fleece earlier in spring summer and can lead to more maggots, whereas full wool tends to breath more.

 

[Jop]

Also shear all our ewes in August having previously shorn twice a year. Much easier after weaning, generally try and shear all the ewes and lambs in the same week. Just crutch in the combi clamp before lambing.

We do still shear the shearlings twice a year, just find they grow out a bit better and gets a job ticked off early in the spring rather than spraying them.

 

[beardface]

Also shear all our ewes in August having previously shorn twice a year. Much easier after weaning, generally try and shear all the ewes and lambs in the same week. Just crutch in the combi clamp before lambing.

We do still shear the shearlings twice a year, just find they grow out a bit better and gets a job ticked off early in the spring rather than spraying them.

When do you do shearling April and September?

 

[Jop]

When do you do shearling April and September?

Early May and again in early October. Will do the October one with a cover comb if needed.