Summer months is a busy time on Rhydybont Farm as not only are we busy hay making for the winter feed but also its a time for sheep shearing!

Sheep shearing is a traditional country skill. Shearing is best done when the weather is fine and warm.

We thought you would like to see a few pictures of us busy shearing!

In this picture see if you can tell which sheep have been shorn and which have their winter coats still on !

Here you can see the sheep waiting to be shorn and the sheep shearer's busy at work.

We shear sheep for two main reasons the first is so the wool can be used to make clothing and the other is for the sheep's benefit.

As you can imagine if you had a big coat on in the hot summertime you would feel really uncomfortable this is just how the sheep feel.

The heat would cause them to sweat and sweat can cause the wool to mat or even rot. Having a long wool coat during summer would attract flies and other insects so the sheep would catch diseases. So its really important that the sheep are sheared.

Shearing doesn't hurt the sheep, its just like having your hair cut.

In the picture above you can see the sheep nearly has had his coat shorn. You can see the fleece in one piece. It takes great skill to do this. The fleeces are then collected up and packaged.

Here in the picture opposite you can see the fleeces all wrapped up ready to be put on the lorry to be sold.

This picture shows the sheep after they have been shorn. Now they can enjoy the summer sunshine!

Click HERE to learn about hay making!

<<BACK TO HOME PAGE