Dorpa Sheared

[molly_chick]

Hi, i have a 6 yr old dorpa that was given to me 4 yrs ago. Within 1 mnth of getting her she escaped to my neighbours house, as they had 2 sheep already there. I then retrieved my one back and again she went over there to be with their sheep (who my neighbours planned on killing at the end of the yr).
I again got my one back (with a lot of trouble) and bought a little lamb to keep this one company but that didnt work as she escaped to my neighbours again, with the new lamb, and after 5 attempts to get her back we couldnt get her back so reluctantly my neighbours had her and the lamb for the next 3 yrs.
About 6 mnths ago they shot 3 of the sheeps but couldnt shoot my original one as she was too fast, so they just left her and then moved. We realised what had happened and made a fence in between our properties before the new owners moved in and our sheep finally walked back into our property and follows my house cows around now and is content staying here.
My question is, she looks a real mess with her wool and I was wondering does anyone else with a Dorpa, have to shear their sheep. I was told Dorpas shed their wool and dont need to be sheared but my one certainly needs something done due to a few yrs of neglect.
Attached are photos of her taken last week.
Thanks

 

[Baymule]

I have Dorper/Katahdin sheep and they sometimes don't shed out like they are supposed to. I pluck the wool off them and they slick out. However, your sheep is beyond that and needs sheared. If you don't have shears, use scissors, just be careful not to cut her. After cutting off all that you can, get some pet shears and shear what's left.

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day, This does not look like a "straight bred" Dorper,more like a 1 st x with a wool breed and really needs to be shorn yearly even though the wool will be valueless except in the compost maybe.Down here a sheep like that would have a really high risk of "flystrike"...T.O.R.

 

[molly_chick]

Great, thank you both Baymule and The old ram Australia.
Whilst waiting for a reply from this site i actually located a shearer in my area and he is going to shear her next week for me (and drench and check her feet at the same time) .

My main concern also was that i am in Winter and wasnt too sure if you should shear a sheep in winter due to being too cold for them but the shearer assured me that , that is just a myth and winter is fine to shear sheeps. He is going to charge $80 so im happy for that as wasnt sure how much i was going to be up for to be honest.

You are probably right ,Old ram Australia, she probably is a cross. I did wonder why i needed to shear her due to being told she was a dorpa and just thought it was because she had been completely neglected for the last 3 yrs. Looking forward to seeing what she looks like with a nice new haircut

 

[Baymule]

I hope she makes you a good pet.

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day ,I know that "desperate times call for desperate measures",but $80.00 to shear 1 sheep,how far did he have to travel to do the job? When I come back I want to be a shearer in the USA...T.O.R.

 

[molly_chick]

Hi Old Ram , i wasnt sure if $80 was alot to shear one sheep, but being new to it all I just accepted it. He is probably located about 30 minutes away but not too sure yet as he hasnt come to do her yet. He's not due for another week.
I did contact another shearer and he quoted me $70 but he didnt mention about drenching her in the price so I stuck with the $80 guy.

Im not in the US , im the same as u im assuming, I am in Melbourne Aus ...so u dont have to travel very far to come back and be a shearer

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day Molly,are there any sheep people close by?If so try to obtain another for company.On Gumtree you can sometimes pickup one that has been hand raised.BTW we are in NSW ,halfway between Canberra and the Bay.If you backtrack through my posts you will get some idea of where we are coming from,also if you message me I can send you some links re-our farm.....T.O.R.

 

[molly_chick]

Hi, there is sheep in another neighbours property that we back onto and i have just asked them if they would like to take on my girl after i get her sheared and they have agreed. They only keep their sheep to keep their grass down and not for the meat, so happy with her to go with them.
Will msg u to get your links to your farm as i would enjoy looking thru it. Is there a fb pg on your farm ?