Sheep Shearing

“When is it MY turn for a hair cut?!”

October is sheep shearing time in New Zealand. “Shearing” means cutting. This is the time of year that sheep get a “hair cut”. The sheep will be cooler during the spring and summer, and the wool will be put to good use. Look at the photo above. Can you tell which sheep is going to be shorn next?

“NOW look at me!!!”

Click on the icons below to see the sheep being shorn. The sheep shearer cut slowly so we could see his technique. Usually it’s done much faster because the farmer has so many sheep. The fastest sheep shearers can shear an entire sheep in about 30 seconds! A shearer can shear 1,000 sheep in just one week!!!

Shearing Video Part I


Shearing Video Part II

The sheep’s wool is collected.

Twigs are removed from the wool.









The wool is compressed.





The wool is put into that big blue machine you see behind the shearer. It compresses the wool. That is, it smashes it together so lots of wool can fit into a small amount of space. See the large bag to the left of the loose wool? That's one bale of wool. The bale of wool is then sent to the factory to be cleaned, dyed, and made into yarn. It can then be used to make woolen goods, such as sweaters, scarves, blankets, or carpets.







Shorn ewe with her lamb.




A female sheep is a ewe (pronounced "you"). A male sheep is a ram. Click on the links below to watch and listen to the shearer talk about his favorite ram, Ram Man. Be sure you turn up the sound on your computer!

Ram Man Video Part I

Hi to Cottage Lane from a New Zealand sheep shearer!


Ram Man Video Part II

Look who wants to get in on the act!
Sheep ranchers consider it good luck to have at least one black sheep in their flock.

Do you own anything that’s made of wool? What is it?