Shearing Day

I’m a little behind in posting recent happenings. We had our two llamas, two sheep, and angora goat sheared two weekends ago. And of course, I took a bunch of photos to share with all of you. I’m nice like that. lol!

Please excuse the photo quality, though. The barn didn’t have the best lighting. 

Our shearer lives only 10 minutes away and I always try to give my business to local folks, if possible, so this makes me very happy. He and his wife, who joined us for the fun a little later are super nice folks, too.

We started off with Blanca, the Navajo Churro Ewe.

Sheep are usually easy to shear or trim feet. You lay them on their back or side and they seem to play dead. I’m sure that’s one of the reasons they are easy prey for most predators.

All done!

Next up was Svetlana, the Karakul Ewe.

The Shearer was surprised at how non-greasy (the grease is technically called lanolin) and dry a Karakul sheep’s wool is. This makes the wool lighter and fluffier than greasier wool.

 

See how limp sheep get when handled?

Next up was Luna, the Angora Goat Doe.

Goats don’t typically go limp and cooperate when being sheared, getting hoof trims or vaccines. So we put Luna on the Milk Stand/Staunchion and gave her a little grain to keep her occupied.

  

Half done! (Wouldn’t it be funny to just stop here and harvest half the wool?)

 

A little bit of enforcement showed up for the hoof trims and finishing touches.

Voila! Naked Angora Goat!

Moving right along, it was Llama Drama Time!

Cataleya, the female llama, was up first.

 

Llamas don’t typically enjoy the shearing process. They complain quite a bit. Sometimes they will spit, kick out, attempt to lay down (kush), and dance around.

Cataleya wasn’t too bad actually. She did dance around a lot, but she mostly just hummed. The Shearer was pleased with how my llama girl didn’t mind being touched on her legs or belly, or even having her feet trimmed. All those hours of me doing Tellington TTouch with Cataleya, desensitizing and stroking Cataleya’s legs, back and belly seem to have paid off.

Next, and last, up for shearing was Catlinite, the gelding llama. Now it’s time for some real Llama Drama!

Catlinite had been shown in county fairs and won lots of ribbons in his first year and a half of life, but then he was bought by an alpaca farm and used as an alpaca guard. So, even though he was handled a lot early on, he was mostly left alone the last couple years before he came to live here. Suffice it to say, he’s not happy being handled. He will halter easily and he will lead calmly, but he’s not an affectionate, loving llama and prefers no touching at all.

He hated Tellington TTouch. And I think I can say with confidance that he hated being sheared, too.

But the Shearer didn’t let Catlinite’s disdain for having a hair cut, phase him and he just kept going. 

 

Even when Catlinite thought laying down on the job would get him out of being sheared, the Shearer just calmly kept going.

And while I tried to take photos and video, Cataleya kept sticking her nose in my ear, hair and face. She can be such an attention hound. lol!

Of course, all the while, Catlinite was kicking, growling, gurgling, spitting, making grouchy faces and just generally showing his displeasure.

 

But we got him done.

And then we let him go. And he was still unhappy. lol!

Catlinite also didn’t seem happy that his herd of sheep and angora goat looked so different either.

And he certainly didn’t seem to appreciate his llama sister’s new look either.

But he got over it when dinner was served.

Blanca had to take a few peeks to look at her new exposed shape.

And Svetlana just seem relieved to have shed a few heavy, hot pounds.

Cataleya was just happy to eat, figuring that now that she’s a few pounds lighter, she can afford to eat more.

And I was just excited to have all this wool to process and eventually spin into beautiful yarn.

Navajo Churro  and Karakul Sheep Wool.

Angora (Mohair) Goat Fleece.

Llama fleece. (Catlinite)

Llama Fleece (Cataleya)

Ooooh! Cataleya’s fleece is so soft and silky. I could just sit with my hands in it all day.

And as I sat on my bumper in the garage, skirting fleeces, and picking out vegetable matter, I had a couple visitors. My friend Val (Fantastyk Voyage), and her mare, Nadia were on their way back from the mailboxes and stopped by to say hello and chat for a little while.

I thought that Nadia might be concerned about the plastic bags and piles of wool, but she wasn’t phased at all except for her curiosity about the llama fleeces, which she just sniffed at. I suppose it was probably confusing to her why they smelled like llamas, but there weren’t any llamas around. lol!  

From the Tower of,