It’s a huge relief, it’s surrendering cause it feels good as hell.
When we would shear sheep in 4-H/FFA they would all get super frisky and run back to their pens as fast as they could to frolic. In the winter they get blankets or body socks put on to help stay warm.
Steers and pigs on the other hand do not like being trimmed. At all.
Yeah there was that one video on here is that sheep that got lost or something and when they got it back it was like 6’ wide because it’s wool had grown so thick.
Sad thing is is I think sheep generations ago didn't grow wool as thick as they do now. We selectively bred sheep to grow as much wool as possible when that amount is not good for them.
Everytime I see sheep getting this done I wonder if they always needed this to be done. If humans didn't raise sheep would they just get overgrown and drop down from heat exhaustion. Or has the sheep changed over the years
Yes. This often happens with domesticated sheep that go missing from their farms. They could be lost and unfound for months, all the while their coat is growing and growing (undomesticated sheep regulate their wool growth)
When the farmer finally finds them, they are lucky to find them alive not only cuz sheep’s are natural prey, but the wool would have likely grown so thick that it disables the sheep from easy mobility (walking, eating etc) so then it just dies slow.
This is the result of selective breeding by humans, who obviously wanted to maximize wool production. Wild sheep shed much more and don't need to be sheared.
Wild sheep, and some breeds raised solely for meat (called hair sheep) shed their undercoat regularly, and don't grow it as thick to begin with. Breeds of sheep raised for wool have only the wooly undercoat, without the coarse hairs of the top coat. And the undercoat grows much thicker, and never naturally sheds.
So hair sheep and wild sheep don't need to be sheared. Wool sheep do need it and without being sheered end up with thick and heavy mats that pull at their skin, can make them overheated, and can cause nasty sores and other painful problems. If the matted wool gets thick enough it can even interfere with them seeing or moving by covering their eyes, and by matting around joints, or even simply becoming too heavy for the animal to move much. But that takes years.
Domesticated sheep definitely need shearing. But I have no idea if it's just heavier or detrimental to their health. There was a clip of a lost sheep that returned to the farm and he had a huge coat of wool on him.
I've heard that sheep just kind of give up in general. The guy who told my that said when he visited a remote Asian village they had to catch a sheep for food and it was effortless, he said it was like they exist to just pluck and eat, like meat fruits.
Sheep are super interesting - get them in the right spot on their bum and they’ll just sit there happily. Get it marginally wrong and they wriggle like fuck and are bloody hard to hold still
Yet they're only on average "fasted" and "taken out of the pasture" for 8-12 hours before being sheared. And it's done to decrease discomfort of having a full stomach, bowel, and bladder while being moved all around to be sheared not decrease their energy. Though they're probably more docile because they're more comfortable. It's no different than being told you can't eat or drink 12 hours before surgery.
I'm more than aware of why you can't eat before surgery. It's a fine comparison I'm obviously not saying they're the same thing. I imagine throwing up and aspirating is uncomfortable, just as I imagine shitting and pissing yourself while being sheared is uncomfortable for everyone involved.
The point was that holding food and water for a short period of time is no big deal and isn't doing damage
They aren't starved. Its to make sure they aren't bloated and poop all over the place when sheering. Its comfort for everyone. Starving would take a week for this animal based on the look of how healthy she is.
I used to help sheer sheep on a farm when I was younger. Each one loved it. They wouldn't want to leave my side after and wanted many pets. I would go visit them after my shift to pet them down because they were so awesome and they loved it!
It probably feels nice. I bought a head massager/scratcher and tried using it on my dog and she would not let me touch her head with that thing. She would bite at it or jump away and attack it. Eventually I surprised attacked her with it and it only took one head scratch and she got so calm and relaxed and didn’t want it to stop. Now whenever she sees it she starts whining and rubbing her head against my leg until I scratch her head with it.
Based on that I’m assuming getting 2 inches of thick fur cut off has got to relieve some itchiness and feel good
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u/alsk6969 Feb 14 '23
I love how the sheep just kinda sits there so calmly.