Psalm23Farm: Done Shearing

Monday, April 12, 2010

Done Shearing

I just finished up shearing my goats. Yoohoo! Lots of mohair to wash. My white color carrier doe kid from last year had over 4# of mohair. Her fall fleece was around 2# so that is over 6# of mohair for a little about 60-65# goat! Wish my sheep were that efficient! :)

Here I am in the process of shearing one of the does, Belle (a color carrier white.)

Fleece is coming off. I use blade shears as I have tried electric shears and don't like them. (I did get to do a blow with a professional shearer's shears and that is REALLY nice. Cuts through like butter and is not as heavy as the electric shears and does not vibrate. The professional shearer's shears are run from a motor and have more power, but costs $1000's.)

Got the bucks done. The first thing one of them did was pee all over himself-goat cologne. Yuck! The bucks also had to fight to make sure that their place in the "butting order" did not change. I fed them some hay as I thought things were getting out of hand when one had blood on his horn base. They took a snack break and then went back to fighting, but not as hard as before. Oh well, they settled down as this morning both are friends again. (Bucks don't fight the same as rams. They alternate between growling at each other while pushing and shoving on each other and jumping up in the air to crack down on the opponent.)

1 comment:

Ken and Mary of Fancy Fibers FarmApril 13, 2010 at 2:17 PM
I enjoyed your post, especially the part dealing with the bucks settling their affairs! Our 3 little shetland ewes do also act so strangely after shearing. They engage in very strange behavior. They take turns bullying each other, not at all how they normally act. I'm glad your angora was so productive. We sheared 13 angora and nigora and I think my Wife is pleased with the "haul." Although I stayed well away, attending to other chores, as I can't stand to hear my girls and boys bellowing like they do, as if they are being tortured! Anyway, I look forward to reading your new blog(format). Ken and Mary of Fancy Fibers Farm, Texas
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Welcome to Psalm 23 Farm

I'm breeding my NASSA registered Shetland sheep for fine and med. fine lustrous single coated fleeces in both the crimpy and the locky, wavy fleece styles. I have a wide range of colors and makings as well as the bright pure whites. I'm emphasizing on production, mothering ability and sound conformation. I have both horned and naturally polled Shetland rams and a few horned Shetland ewes.

I also produce fast growing grass-fed market lambs and commercial ewes with excellent fleece. (Shetland x Coopworth and Shetland x Australian Corriedale.) These F1 (first generation cross) ewes are great maternal ewes to put under a terminal sire for the ultimate grass fed market lamb.

Angora goats are my other love. I'm selecting for fine yearling grade mohair in adult animals. All of my goats are CAGBA (colored) or AAGBA (white) registered. I'm also selecting for sound healthy goats.

Posts will be about the Shetlands and Angoras with an occasional post about the other animals on the farm. Posts will also be about wool, spinning and a variety of other topics.

Psalm 23 Farm sells raw "jacketed" wool and mohair fleeces, mohair locks, dyed and natural Shetland and Shetland/mohair roving. Also sheepskins, quilt batts, handspun yarn, mohair lock yarn, and mill spun yarn.

From the Shetland Sheep Society

"Shetland sheep have for generations been noted for their very soft and well crimped fleece. The wool is the finest of all native breeds and shows an amazing variety of colours and patterns. There are 11 main whole colours and 30 recognized markings.

By selecting from coloured fleeces a range of naturally coloured yarn can be produced. This eliminates the need for dyeing and therefore retains the soft feel of the natural fibre and is favoured by those who prefer a totally natural approach.

Shetland wool fibres are of a simple construction witha central cortex covered by a thin scaly cuticle, and have an average diameter of about 23 microns. However there is a range from 10-20 microns for neck and shoulder wool to 25 to 35 microns for britch wool. the average staple length is 3.5 inches. The amount of crimp varies, and is most important in providing the 'bounce' required for knitwear. There is a positive correlation between fineness and crimp, with wool of the finest quality being crimped at between 8 and 12 to the inch. Wool from Shetland sheep is used to produce gossamer lace, the famous 'Fair Isle' knitwear, and fine tweeds. Pure bred Shetland sheep tend to shed their fleece in spring. The growth of new fleece can cause a rise or weak point and where this is present the fleece can sometimes be plucked or 'rooed' by hand. The timing of this can be different in each sheep, however, it is worth taking the care to get it right as rooed fleece can be amongst the softest because the fibers have no harsh cut ends as occurs with a sheared fleece.

Shetland fleece can be handspun straight from the fleece or made into rolags and then woollen spun. It can also be worsted spun by hand, used on a peg loom or handwoven. It also felts well using either dry or wet methods. When processed commercially the wool can be made into the finest lightweight worsted cloth or heavier weight, harder wearing fabrics and tweeds."

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Monday, April 12, 2010

Done Shearing

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