Shearing while lambing???

[TerraMer]

Something I have noticed while walking earlier this spring around NE Tassie...
I understand some of you know a thing or two about sheep so i hope you might be able to answer my question.
Ewes being shorn while lambing!
I have also worked with sheep in my younger years but have never seen this before.
Why?
Is it even humane?
Is this common practice or just Tassie or just parts of?

[Ent]

I struck it in NZ. The idea is a cold mum will find a warm place to lamb. Otherwise more than happy to drop bubs in a freezing open paddock and wonder why junior does not make it

Cheers

[MrWalker]

It is not common to shear "while lambing" in the sense of lambs arriving during the shearing process. Is this what you meant?

But shearing just before lambing is fairly common. It is supposed to make the ewes much keener on finding shelter (for the lambs), whereas ewes with a thick coat don't care much about shelter. It also makes it easier for the lamb to find the udder. And it can improve wool quality (complex story involved here).

Problems can arise if the shearing is delayed for any reason, such as poor weather at the planned time - shearers won't shear wet sheep. Or the shearers might have been delayed at a previous farm for some reason so they turn up late. With the odd lamb arriving before the due time this can end up with lambs born during shearing, but it was not necessarily planned that way. A shortage of shearers makes it harder to move shearing time if there are any delays.

Shearing straight after lambing is not common and is rarely planned. Most people leave them all alone at least until they get to know each other. Very young lambs might not recognize their mums with all the wool off. However, shearing more than 6 weeks after lambing but before weaning is possible and sometimes done because of difficulties in getting shearers at other times.

[TerraMer]

Thank ewe
That makes a lot of sense but still high risk.
Is this best practice for the well being of both ewe and lamb?

[MrWalker]

:D Thank ewe
That makes a lot of sense but still high risk.
Is this best practice for the well being of both ewe and lamb?

If you get rain and cold wind straight after shearing then the ewes can die if you don't give them shelter (possibly indoors if it's really bad). However, that can happen at any time of year in Tasmania. The worst cases are in mid-summer after a hot period when a cold snap hits during shearing and the temperature falls rapidly and there is heavy rain (or snow). With winter or early spring shearing the farmers plan for cold weather and make sure shelter is available so it's usually OK for the ewes. If the ewes seek shelter then it's better for the lambs.