Sheep Shears

premier10

Anyone use one of these to shear sheep?
http://www.donedeal.ie/sheep-for-sale/sheep-shears-149/4423579

Are they any good to shear ewes or just a waste of money, it appears more like a cattle clippers to me!

eire23

No reason you couldnt shear sheep with it but i wouldnt like to be doing to many with it anyways
Would imagine it would be fierce bulky and awkward, would probably get hot to after a while. Would probaly be more suited to crutching but even at that it wouldnt be suited to doing a lot imo.

northdub14

neighbour of mine has one of them, uses it for dagging ewes, got a lend of it off him one time to try shear a few ewes, the noise of it drove the sheep and me mad.. bought a secondhand lister electric hang up one in the end, much handier and quieter..

premier10

I'll have about 50 ewes to do this year and was looking for alternative to getting lad in. I might check out the lister ones.

On a side note, in general do ye shear your own or get someone in and what type shearer ye use and costs.
Thanks

sako 85

I think a decent shears is a good investment, if minded the machine lasts forever. I don't think you could do any decent amount with one of those shown on the add you posted, far to bulky to hold.

I have a lister one and shear about 200 every year, I'm slow but I'm happy with the job I do and I can do them when suits me and not depending on anyone else. Also crutched the inlamb hoggets when we were putting them in the shed this year and thought it was a great job.

Cran

I have a Lister handheld one similar to the ad, but I only use it for crutching the ewes or dagging if needed. Have a proper shearing machine for shearing, I'd say after 4/5 ewes you'd be done shearing with the handheld not made for it....

northdub14

there is a 12 volt shearing machine that works off a tractor/jeep battery, which seem a handy job, there is a thread about it on here few years back, don't know how to bring it up, still going to cost 5/600 euro to get setup in a secondhand shears imo.. might be handier to get someone to do them for ye....

docmartin

I bought one of these handheld shears about 3 years ago now but bought it thru a company on ebay.co.uk, think it was about 80 euros. chinese product and comes with dvd on maintenance.

I've only used them for trimming tails at tipping time, but i will likely clip the rams with them this year to see how it works

Green farmer

Id be often tempted to buy one and try and shear a few my self as well. In the end I always decide it's too much hastle.its easier to pay someone a few quid and let them do it for you. Reckon it takes a lot of practice to be any good at it. Life's too short !!!

sea12

Yea I always regret not learning to do it myself. Would have been very handy

Green farmer

The other thing about it as well, is the shearing boys mostly have someone knocking the sheep for them and placing them into position. If you were doing it yourself, would you have that luxury ? Trying to do the work of two men ??
Have to agree though, would be handy alright for clutching or tidying up dirty lambs for sale etc.

rangler1

Green farmer wrote: »

The other thing about it as well, is the shearing boys mostly have someone knocking the sheep for them and placing them into position. If you were doing it yourself, would you have that luxury ? Trying to do the work of two men ??
Have to agree though, would be handy alright for clutching or tidying up dirty lambs for sale etc.

My shearer tells me his price is going up to 2.25/ewe, he does 200/day no problem and has done 300-320 a few times and pulls them out himself.
Use to shear for hire myself and always thought it was good money

Username John

rangler1 wrote: »

My shearer tells me his price is going up to 2.25/ewe, he does 200/day no problem and has done 300-320 a few times and pulls them out himself.
Use to shear for hire myself and always thought it was good money

It is good enough money - but you work for your money no doubt about that...

Green farmer

Any one taking plunge are going to clip their own ?

tabby aspreme

I have thought about getting one of those Longhorn 12 v shearing machines a few times with fragmented land it would be handy but I've always chickened out due to too much road frontage, I pay 2.25 for shearing and I catch and pack wool

gazahayes

Green farmer wrote: »

Any one taking plunge are going to clip their own ?

Do my own here in the evenings after work can do them in batches as I like then. I won't be setting any records anytime soon anyway. Did the shearing course in college. Wouldn't mind doing a few handy numbers in the evenings could do with the money.

Cran

gazahayes wrote: »

Do my own here in the evenings after work can do them in batches as I like then. I won't be setting any records anytime soon anyway. Did the shearing course in college. Wouldn't mind doing a few handy numbers in the evenings could do with the money.

Same here shear my own in evenings and weekends, started doing it during the boom as difficult to get anyone at the times that suited. Stopped doing the old mans about 3 years ago due to lack of time, wasn't going to do my own this year but missus said its good exercise

Green farmer

I saw a YouTube clip , where they put the sheep into a head brace and shear the sheep standing up. For those like myself, who have never sheared before and want to mind their back .

Mountain Mayo

Bought a lister 3 speed machine 3 years ago. YouTube is good but can't beat actually going for a tutorial of a good shearer. Got a day shearing with a competition shearer, great job. If you can't set up your hand piece correctly you are wasting your time. Hard for you and the sheep go mad

razor8

There's a live stream of shearing champs in gorey on agriland website, link below

http://www.agriland.ie/news/golden-shears-live-stream/