This usually means lots of mustering and long days in the yards, especially when shearing is combined with weaning and drenching.
It’s a busy time, during which Alan MacDonald is clearly in his element. Alan, or Micky as he’s usually known, manages Te Wharua Station – an 1800ha Landcorp farm in King Country, northwest of Taumarunui.
About 25,000 ewes and lambs are shorn on Te Wharua in December. The pre-lamb shear in winter is less full-on – taking about four days.
Rain delayed it by a whole month this year until early July, but the former world champion shearer took it in his stride.
Micky made a living from shearing for 23 years, 17 as a shearing contractor, before going farming.
As a shearer, Micky says he underestimated the work involved in preparing for shearing and the pressure farmers and farm staff can be under to get the job done.
Once the shearing date is booked, keep in contact with your contractor in case of possible delays.
Keep in mind the distance sheep need to travel to the shed. Have feed available nearby in case shearing is delayed.
Shearing plant needs to be well maintained and the shed should be clean and tidy. Micky says presentation helps set a high standard for shearers and wool handlers.
“If you walk into a shed and it’s spick and span and a good environment you think ‘this fella expects a lot’ so you give him a lot.”
Water blasting the shed beforehand makes it easier for wool handlers to move around quickly.
Running the shearing shed is an important job to get right.
Woolshed facilities
- Equipment – all equipment provided for shearing, woolhandling and pressing should be clean and maintained. Provide hand washing facilities and a clean toilet.
- Lighting – make sure the woolshed has good, consistent lighting.
- General tidiness – the woolshed should be kept clean and tidy throughout shearing to avoid clip contamination.
- Containers – there should be enough bins, fadge-holders and other suitable containers in the woolshed. Provide clearly marked rubbish containers and make sure they are empty at the start of shearing.
Pre-shearing
- Preparation of sheep – sheep should be clean, dry and empty for shearing.
- Drafting – shear sheep in mobs with similar wool types according to length, colour, fibre diameter and level of contamination. Ewes and wethers should be shorn separately to reduce the possibility of pizzle stain downgrading all belly wool. Black, coloured and black-faced sheep mustn't be shorn at the same time as white sheep.
- Dip residues – dip residues need to be kept within limits which are acceptable to processors.
