2019, Waiting on lambs!

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Haven't taken pictures of the harnesses specifically, you'd have to look at pics with rams to see them wearing them. Could attempt to take pictures tomorrow.

One is a premier harness.

One from Mid State growers.

I don't remember which the others are.

I hate the buckles on the mid state one, because the female buckle covers the strapping to the point that I have to unclip to adjust fit. And it is possible to have it unbuckle if the end of the strap is pulled back over the buckle.

I forgot how much the original shearer charges....I believe it was $5 a head, but setup/travel fee, I can't remember that at all. She may of upped her fees, though.
There is someone in NC who charges $30 a head plus setup/travel and that is 100% unacceptable.
If I could hold the blasted thing, I would shear them myself. But the vibrations, weight of it and my weak hands just makes it impossible. At least I can hand shear the alpaca, Fiskar razor edge fabric scissors, everyone hates dealing with alpacas, lol.


Found some pics.
Wooly has the premier one on.

I think Mich, Seb and Billy wear the other one, but idk.

 

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The Premier is what I have too. It is the one that wouldn't stay tight and kept coming off the Dorper ram (now named Rambo). On the other hand, he was slick, having shed out. That might make a difference since wool would help give the harness something to hang on to.

Shearing cost are ridiculous here - $40 per ewe and $50 per ram. I decided not to pay that price even though I only had about 10 sheep at most to shear. The last time he came I only had him do the 2 I kept since I was taking the rest through the auction. I just don't want to do it myself since I am now in "late middle age" LOL and I am not as strong as I was back when. Aaaah, the good old days . . . .

If it gets to that point in shearing costs, you might try doing one at a time in the stanchion. You might lose a small amount of fleece, but unless you have a good market for the wool, it wouldn't be significant. I used to put the sheep on the fitting stand and shear them that way. The bellies were a little tricky but not too bad. I used the goat stanchion head sometimes too. I only did a couple per day usually. But the bending over would be a killer today.

My new Dorpers, Ewegenie and Little Sweetie, are definitely pregnant and Ewegenie is starting too show a juvenile udder. She is a first timer. Little Sweetie looks larger, but hardly any udder development yet. Due in November. New lambing panels coming tomorrow.

 

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They make prolapse harnesses that fit onto the marking harness. So you could use that on their naked ram to keep it on.

I tried using hand shears, those giant things meant to be used for sheep shearing, a few years ago on two adults. It took HOURS per sheep, 5~ hours....
Their wool is so dense that it is a huge hassle. I was thinking of using the Fiskars on my Corriedale after I do the alpaca. Maybe also the BFL/Cheviot ewe & her lamb by a Babydoll, since their fleece is different. But that's only saving me $15, so why bother. =/

 

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So Lucia & Matilda are left to be bred.

I'm thinking of waiting about 2.5wks, to finish this second cycle, and then removing the rams and moving the ewes back all together.
Then I will put one ram in with all of them for 3 more weeks to catch any stragglers.
Maybe Krillin, he's been studly for awhile.

 

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You need a large clipper with a sheep head and lots of blades so you can switch them out when they dull after about 3-4 sheep. Also clipper lube for the blades as they heat up. The blades also can be expensive to have sharpened each year. If you don't have those items, and you have a shearer who will do the sheep for around $5 or so, it will be cheaper to pay to have the job done professionally all at once. Not to mention the back strain and cost of Ibuprofen and chiropractics!

 

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You need a large clipper with a sheep head and lots of blades so you can switch them out when they dull after about 3-4 sheep. Also clipper lube for the blades as they heat up. The blades also can be expensive to have sharpened each year. If you don't have those items, and you have a shearer who will do the sheep for around $5 or so, it will be cheaper to pay to have the job done professionally all at once. Not to mention the back strain and cost of Ibuprofen and chiropractics!

I know, I already mentioned that I cannot use electric shears and have a pro doing it.

 

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It didn't post the pictures.
Before and after 5~ hours of hand shearing....

 

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Bought a 4x16 foot goat panel, it has 4x4 inch holes.
Hoping there will be less waste with this.

New panel is hanging on their side.

 

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Shearer's current fees-
$75 setup, $5 per ewe & $10 per ram.

So...*does math*...$255 for 2019.
265 if I fail to butcher or sell the last ramling...I hope to get him fat by January & put him in the freezer, but we'll see how it goes....

 

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New hay feeders are working great!