Shearing before lambing??

[msstacey92]

HI!! I haven't had time to look closely for the answers...so please forgive me if this is redundant!!

Do you suggest a total shearing for lambing or is crutching good enough...our crazy weather here can be spring-like one day and frigid the next. All suggestions welcome!!! T

he girls will lamb in total shelter and be moved out to the pasture shed. They are closed up in the pasture shed at night to protect them from predators...we don't have a protector yet!!

 

[purplequeenvt]

We used to always shear our ewes in January prior to lambing and, while I like the fact that you can see everything easier and that the wide ewes fit at feeders and in the barn better, we have stopped shearing beforehand. We've found that our sheep come through pregnancy and lambing stronger and healthier.

I'd shear IF I was in a place where it wasn't as cold for as long.

Crutching will be fine if your goal is just to be able to see the udder and vulva. We didn't even do that this year.

If your goal is nice clean fleeces, then shear! Lambs love to climb on the ewes and will quickly mess up a fleece.