At the moment we are crutching our sheep. Basically this means shearing some off around the head and the bum. It helps stop the sheep from becoming wool blind and helps to prevent flies. We get the sheep into the yards the night before and then in the morning they're run up into the wool shed into each of the pens the shearers use. This year Muddy Hubby and his brother are doing their own crutching, and Muddy Hubby is whinging about how sore he is before the day starts, just at the thought of crutching. It doesn't stop him though, he gets in and gets them done.
The Muddy Kids help out when they can, they've each got a small broom and depending on who is home they practice picking up the wool after the shearer finishes and taking it to the wool table to pick out the stain and dags and put the remaining good wool in the bale.The sheep are then slid down the chute and into pens under the woolshed, to make their own way out into the sunshine.
Your shearing shed looks very similar to ours! Love an old shed!
ReplyDeleteI always loved crutching when I was a kid but we did it in January every year (phew!)and when Dad stopped getting two roustabouts and only got one meaning my services were required for more than penning up, it was not quite as much fun any more!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHope it all goes smoothly.
Looks like bloody hard work! Great photos Nat. Your kids are such top little farmers already xoxo
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