Shearing with Eifion

We sheared, well, Eifion sheared 33 sheep in record time. He did each sheep under 2 minutes. After he sheared, we loaded the ewe in the tilt table where we hoof trimmed, vaccinated and wormed the ewe. We recorded the number and did a vet check on each one. Some of the ewes, well, let's say, are rotund.

Wayne, Vet Diane, John (Diane's son), Kathleen, Janet, Sheri, Dan, Brice, Dana and I were the crew. Eifion was the shearer and he comes over from Wales each year to shear my sheep. He is not only cute, funny but a quick shearer. After he would shear, we would load the ewe and do pour part. We always were behind and trying to play catchup. He didn't laugh at our slowness at all. 

One new student is John (Vet Diane's son). He is 14 years old and quickly learning the ropes. He is working Teine, Billie and Sava. This Sunday he manned the vaccination section and did it well. Vet Diane did a pg check on the ewes to see if most of them are going to lamb at the end of the month and so far, it looks good. We have a couple that will lamb earlier.

 

John building a drag for Glock.

 

Eifion the shearer, Dana the Wool Gathering Queen and Sheri the sheep wrangler.

 

Unhappy ewe in tilt table. 

 

Are we getting dizzy yet?

 

No ewe got past Emma.

 

Bag of wool. We used it for mud control.

 

Dana and Brice, the wool collection team.

 

Eifion and his latest victim.

 

Janet, Kathleen, Vet Diane and John.

Video of Eifion shearing.

Of course, shearing requires a useful Border Collie or two. Kathleen brought Emma, aka the Big Gun and Janet brought Scott, the other Big Gun. I brought Tess as she *had* to help. We had to move some standoffish ewes that needs a strong dog, hence the three Big Guns. I made my dogs stay in the house with Jeff, while he cooked us lunch.

Emma sorted the flock into the proper stalls, then held the alleyway as we unloaded the tilt table to make sure the ewes went into the pasture. Scott unloaded the stalls so the sheep could be shifted from one holding stall to the shearing stall. Tess caught the runaways and softly tucked them back in the pasture.

Soon the shearing was done and we headed up to the house for homemade spagetti made by Jeff.  Vet Diane and Jono made cookie and fudge so we had excellent dessert. Then we decided since we were done by noon, we would herd for the rest of the day.

So we spent the rest of the day working our dogs and enjoying the sunshine. We all decided that we were dead tired but it was a good tired. Sometimes it is good to work the body to get tired to appreciate the work it take to be a good shepherd.

Thanks to the shearing crew for their wonderful help.