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Shearing Methods

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Farmer Anne shearing Parsnip the sheep, resident at Star Gazing Farm

Sheep and Goats: We normally shear using the New Zealand method (animal on the ground), but we also bring a shearing stand and can shear the animal standing, if need be.

Alpacas: We use the the Pro-Tie shearing restraint and shear the animal on the ground. Two helpers are required for this process. If you are unable to provide helpers, we can bring one assistant with us at the cost of $12 per hour (including travel time).

Llamas: We normally shear llamas standing up. You will need to place a halter and have a lead rope available for the llama. If you can provide a chute, this is wonderful. One helper is required to ensure that both shearer and animal are kept safe.

How do you prepare for shearing?

• IMPORTANT! For sheep and goats, remove all feed the night before shearing.
• Ensure that your animal is not wet from the rain.
• Collect the animals in one enclosed CLEAN and dry area without bedding or straw for easy access to the shearer.
• Although the shearer will take biological security precautions, please inform us if your animals have any known infectious disease (such as CL or footrot) so that we may take extra care to prevent any spread of bacteria or germs.
• Please tell us in advance if you are aware that your animal has any tumors, lumps, surgery scars, dewlaps, or areas of skin that require special care.

If we are required to wait for or assist in animals being rounded up, a charge of $25 per hour will be added. We frequently work at multiple farms in one day, and rely on you to have your flocks organized and ready for the job to be done so that we can take care of all the animals on our docket for the day. Thank you!

Sheep being shorn. It's not so bad after all!

Shearing Environment

You need to provide:

• A clean, enclosed, well-lit flat area, with minimal loose vegetable matter (hay, pine shavings) on the ground.
• A safe area where there are no loose animals or small children.
• A rake or broom to clean up the shearing area after each animal.
• For sheep and goats: one person to assist with moving animals and closing gates.
• For alpacas and llamas: two people to assist with restraint and head holding.
• Bags to collect wool if you plan to keep it (we can bring bags to haul away wool you do not want).
• A notebook for your own record keeping.
• We require that the owner or animal caretaker be present during the entire shearing process. Why?

  • Cart full of wool! Very soft fleeces.

    Shearing is inherently dangerous. If something happens either to the animal or to the shearer, we need someone on hand to help.
  • The shearing process uncovers many conditions that have been hidden by fleece over the winter months. Owners need to be able to examine the animals for wounds, scars, tumors, and overall body condition.
• If you do not have an indoor facility for shearing and do not have any shaded area to provide during the hotter months, we will bring a tent and ask you to help us put it up. Both animals and shearer can get heat stroke shearing in the blazing sun.

What about the wool?

We can help you skirt the wool, and will be able to give you a brief assessment of the wool's condition, although we recommend that you send it to a professional woolen mill for evaluation and processing. If you do not want the wool, we are happy to take it away for you. Your sheep spent a year growing it, and we never let anything go to waste.

Please call 301-349-0802 to schedule your shearing, or fill out our shearing request form!