Sheep Shears

Sheep Shears

Apart from a few specialised breeds, most sheep need to be shorn at least once a year. Sheep shearing tends to take place in spring to align with the lambing season and the upcoming hot summer months. Originally, manual clippers did the job, but today there exists a range of options when it comes to electric sheep shears.

Professional sheep shears are one of the most important items among livestock supplies and equipment you will need when it comes to sharing your sheep. Your sheep shears are the only tool standing between you and your sheep's skin, making it imperative to choose the right equipment. Before choosing electric sheep shears, consider how often you will use them, the age and strength of the user and whether the shears are intended to be used on lambs, long-wool sheep breeds or other types of fleece, such as llama or alpaca.

There are two main elements to a set of sheep shearing blades – the comb, which slides along the body of the sheep separating the fibres of the wool, and the cutter, which sits neatly on top of the comb and cuts the fibres of wool as they passed between the comb's teeth. Sheep shearing blades are available in a variety of sizes, and it is important to understand the differences between the sizes (measured in the number of teeth on the comb of the shears) before investing in shearing equipment. Sheep shearing combs with around 13 teeth are known as course combs and are best suited for once yearly wool harvesting or for shearing sheep with long, dirty or coarse wool. Combs with more than 20 closer teeth are referred to as fine combs and are generally suited for preparing lambs for a show or other event.

Lubrication is essential for sheep shears to ensure that the blades of the shears don't get too hot. Overheated shears can cause discomfort for both the sheep and the shearer – a problem which is usually easily solved by using the right sheep shearing lubricant with sufficient regularity.