Comments on: Barncast 61 — Shearing adventures http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/ Switching hemispheres -- what could go wrong? Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:23:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: misty http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13727 misty Fri, 13 Apr 2007 15:40:52 +0000 http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13727 Sorry about that India, it's now fixed! And thanks for the compliments about the hair. :) Sorry about that India, it’s now fixed! And thanks for the compliments about the hair. :)

]]> By: andrew http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13298 andrew Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:46:28 +0000 http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13298 Hey India! They look lumpy because that's wool that's been left behind. It would be like shaving your head but not keeping the clippers level. Unlike your head sheep aren't smooth and curved. They have bones that stick, sides the go in, plus the wiggle so you can't keep the shears perfectly flush with their skin. If you want the wool for spinning you can't go back and level it out since that would make second cuts. (very short pieces of fiber) So they end up with wool still left on them and they look lumpy and bumpy. In about 3-4 weeks they'll look normal again as the wool grows out. If you look at the pictures of Sam (Farm->Sheap->Sam) he was sheared about a month before we got him and you can see the shear marks on him. -Andrew Hey India!

They look lumpy because that’s wool that’s been left behind. It would be like shaving your head but not keeping the clippers level.

Unlike your head sheep aren’t smooth and curved. They have bones that stick, sides the go in, plus the wiggle so you can’t keep the shears perfectly flush with their skin. If you want the wool for spinning you can’t go back and level it out since that would make second cuts. (very short pieces of fiber)

So they end up with wool still left on them and they look lumpy and bumpy. In about 3-4 weeks they’ll look normal again as the wool grows out. If you look at the pictures of Sam (Farm->Sheap->Sam) he was sheared about a month before we got him and you can see the shear marks on him.

-Andrew

]]> By: India http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13296 India Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:08:49 +0000 http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13296 Why is it that newly shorn sheep look so lumpy and bumpy? They definitely need a spot more than a '5 o'clock shadow' to look cute. India Why is it that newly shorn sheep look so lumpy and bumpy? They definitely need a spot more than a ’5 o’clock shadow’ to look cute.
India

]]> By: John G http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13285 John G Mon, 09 Apr 2007 14:31:38 +0000 http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13285 Thanks for the tips on shearing. I couldn't help but think of the comedian Harry Shearer doing commentary on sheep shearing, a la "Best in Show". Thanks for the tips on shearing. I couldn’t help but think of the comedian Harry Shearer doing commentary on sheep shearing, a la “Best in Show”.

]]> By: andrew http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13236 andrew Mon, 09 Apr 2007 02:30:35 +0000 http://geekfarmlife.com/2007/04/08/barncast-61-shearing-adventures/#comment-13236 Hey John G! I added the time lapse movie links in the post. I have no clue if the mp4 works in itunes or not. <shrug> messed format anyways. ;) The milking rate of ~5.5lbs/day is normal for Baby and for Patra she's doing very well for his first year at over 4lbs per day. For 2 fairly new milkers they are doing ok. If we were milking Cream I would expect she would be closer to 10-12lbs/day since that's her historic average. So Cream would give closer to 70lbs/week. It takes a few years for them to ramp up, and Cream has had many many years to reach her high production. Baby is low for a Saanen, but she's only 2. What's this about a Misty-palooza? Hey John G!

I added the time lapse movie links in the post. I have no clue if the mp4 works in itunes or not. messed format anyways. ;)

The milking rate of ~5.5lbs/day is normal for Baby and for Patra she’s doing very well for his first year at over 4lbs per day. For 2 fairly new milkers they are doing ok. If we were milking Cream I would expect she would be closer to 10-12lbs/day since that’s her historic average. So Cream would give closer to 70lbs/week. It takes a few years for them to ramp up, and Cream has had many many years to reach her high production. Baby is low for a Saanen, but she’s only 2.

What’s this about a Misty-palooza?

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