Friday 23rd and Saturday24th November
Pre Shearing Preparation
- Our shed was cleaned out and up the week before
- Our shearing team was arranged- all volunteers.
- Items such as fleece skirting table, scales, garden vacuum, rubbish bins, broom, buckets and bags were organised.
- Order of shearing finalised
- Animals placed in the yards the afternoon prior to shearing with no feed or water – we find the animals are much more comfortable without a full bladder and stomach- it also ensures less spitting and urine.
Our shed is clean and ready to commence shearing
Scales set up for weighing the fleece
Keen to get started!
Shearing
Catching yardShearing
- Everyone was briefed on their jobs for the day- we had two animal handlers, one person cleaning up and helping to secure and release the alpaca, two people gathering the fleece, one to two people weighing, documenting and skirting the fleece – oh yes and the SHEARER.
- Alpacas that were to be first were in the shed and dry ready to start
- We started with our weaners as this was the fleece that was most vaulable to us.
- All white animals were done, then brown and blacks – ensuring the shearing was cleaned especially well between each colour.
- One by one the alpacas were brought into the shed and shorn
- The area was vacuumed between each alpaca
Fisrt “cab off the rank”
Belly and legs were shorn first
Saddle next and finally top knot and tail
Voilà
Thank-you to Justin Weaver and Karen, Anne, Keith, Chris, Scott, Alex, Garry, Racquel and William. You were all amazing and we really appreciate your help and support.
A sample of the fleece collected
The bags of fleece are placed in a dry clean area ready to be sent off for sale
