Shear once or twice a year?

[BlueMoonFarms]

As the title says, we have a flock of six sheep. We've always shorn everyone down in spring and let them grow out through winter. However the person who we brought the wool to for processing said that some of our wool was getting to long.
So, the question is should we shear once a year or twice? Will the sheep be fine shearing near winter or will their wool not grow back in time?

 

[norseofcourse]

I just had my sheep (Icelandic) sheared a few weeks ago. Last year I had them sheared on September 28, and even with the horribly cold winter we had, they grew enough wool and were fine (well, except for Elding, my ram, who was putting more of his energy into chasing the ewes and not as much into growing wool - but even he survived the winter alright).

Some mills can handle longer fiber, and some can't. It depends on what their machinery can handle. I've read that handspinners like longer fibers, but of the handspinners I've talked to, most seem to prefer a medium length, about 5 to 6 inches. I'll have to remember to ask more people at the fiber festival next week (Ashland, Ohio).

If you like the really long wool, call around to some mills and find one that can handle the longer stuff. Mine goes to Ohio Valley Natural Fibers in Ohio, and when I talked to them they said they can process any length.

I don't know what your winters are like, but if you choose to shear them twice a year, your sheep will probably be fine if you have it done soon.

 

[Ruus]

I think it depends on the individual sheep. Most of my sheep are sheared once a year, but one of my Shetland boys has to be sheared in February and again in August or else he gets heat stressed by the end of summer. Both the spring and autumn fleeces are in that 5-6" length range, which is unusually long for six months' growth on a Shetland, at least around here.

 

[Bossroo]

Sheep have been traditionally shorn only once a year for centuries ... so why can't some mills handle longer fibers ??? Seems like a ploy by some shearers to get an EXTRA pay check per year that is NOT needed by the sheep or the sheep owner's pocketbook. Shearing once per year is expensive enough if one can find a shearer in the first place. Solve this dilema by converting the wool sheep to hair sheep and the scammers.

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

Sheep have been traditionally shorn only once a year for centuries ... so why can't some mills handle longer fibers ??? Seems like a ploy by some shearers to get an EXTRA pay check per year that is NOT needed by the sheep or the sheep owner's pocketbook. Shearing once per year is expensive enough if one can find a shearer in the first place. Solve this dilema by converting the wool sheep to hair sheep and the scammers.

Lol it must just be my wool mill trying to get an extra buck then because I shear my own. Takes for ever and my wrist kills after but I do it!
Good to know about the wool lengths! Thanks guys

 

[norseofcourse]

Sheep have been traditionally shorn only once a year for centuries ... so why can't some mills handle longer fibers ???

From what the mills I talked to told me, it's the newer machinery that can't handle stuff over about 8 inches. Ohio Valley has a lot of older equipment - guess 'they don't make stuff like they used to' applies to everything!

I do agree finding a good shearer can be hard. I'm about to just start taking scissors to mine... no converting here, I love my fluffy wooly sheep!