Sheep shearer (Schapenscheerder)
Information on this skill...
A sheep shearer is a craftsman, who is responsible for shearing sheep. Sheep should be sheared at least once a year in the months of April, May or June. Some sheep farmers choose to have the sheep sheared twice a year to prevent possible health problems. This extra shave is also called winter shaving, to prevent Myiasis (fly larva disease) in the sheep. In most cases, shearing once a year will be sufficient, but there are also sheep farmers who choose to shear twice a year. If sheep are sheared too early, problems can arise at the end of the summer because then the coat may have grown too much, which can still cause problems with Myiasis. Most sheep shearers also offer other services, such as cutting hooves. The work of a sheep shearer can be regarded as specialist work because the shearing of sheep must be carried out in a professional manner. In addition, the work of a sheep shearer can be regarded as relatively heavy work. Most sheep shearers work as independent entrepreneurs and work for various clients. Shearing sheep is relatively a lot of work. Most sheep farmers who own a lot of sheep use sheep shearers because good sheep shearers work quickly. In addition, the rapid shearing of sheep is important to prevent stress in sheep. A sheep shearer nowadays uses a clipper, so that up to thirty-five sheep can be sheared per hour. In earlier days, sheep shearers only used scissors. Today, sheep shearers in most cases only use a clipper.
Not all sheep farmers shear their sheep themselves because shearing sheep in a good and fast way is not so easy. In addition, the sheep shearing profession can be regarded as a heavy profession. Because shearing the sheep can cause quite a bit of stress to the sheep, it is important that a sheep shearer shaves quickly, so that shearing causes as little stress as possible for the sheep. The so-called winter shearing of sheep is more difficult than shearing sheep in the summer because the fat between the fur is less liquid in the winter than this is the case in the summer. In addition, there are more risks for the sheep with regard to a possible intestinal twisting and a possible rotation of the uterus. It is not the case that sheep are only sheared because of the wool. A traditional sheep shearer can be considered a craftsman.
A sheep shearer uses a clipper to shear sheep. Because the wool will be sold in most cases, it is important that a sheep shearer shaves in the right way so that the wool comes off in the full length. It is also important that the sheep are well dry in order to be able to shear them in a good way. This is the main reason why sheep stay in a stable for a few days, so that the sheep and wool are well dry during shearing. The wool of the sheep will in most cases be bought by manufacturers, who use the wool to make clothes, blankets and other products. Wool is still a popular product for many applications. Consider, for example, wool that is used as an insulation material for housing construction. The best quality wool is also called pure virgin wool. Pure virgin wool is wool that comes from the first warp of healthy sheep. Another important point is that virgin wool must be processed immediately after the shave. Pure virgin wool is characterized by the natural shine of the fibers. Lower quality wool generally has no or almost no shine.
In addition to shearing sheep, most sheep shearers can also take care of the hooves of the sheep. Hoof care is also very important with regard to the health of the sheep. Another name for a hoof caretaker is also called cattle pedicure. So, it is not the case that all sheep shearers are only responsible for shearing sheep. Exactly which activities a sheep shearer performs generally depends on the client. Another name for cattle pedicure can also be claw care.
WHY SHEAR SHEEP:
- The sheep's wool can be sold or used yourself
- The sheep are easy to keep clean
- Sheared sheep are less likely to fall over
- Lambs can easily drink from their mother
- Sheep can contract worm infection and/or larvae if they are not shaved
WHAT DOES A SHEEP SHEARER DO:
TRAINING TO BECOME A SHEEP SHEARER
There are no nationally recognized training opportunities for the sheep shearing profession. However, it is conceivable that the shearing of sheep will be included within an appropriate training. There are also plenty of short courses for people who want to master sheep shearing. Within these courses, there is generally also attention for hoof care. Most courses that are offered take up to a day. In addition, there are also plenty of external training institutes where you can follow a course. Accounting is also important as an independent entrepreneur.
COMPANIES WHERE A SHEEP SHEARER CAN BE EMPLOYED
In most cases, a sheep shearer must be regarded as an entrepreneur, who can work for various clients. In addition, a sheep shearer can in some cases be regarded as a shepherd. This is the case because not all sheep farmers outsource the shearing of sheep. In addition, a sheep shearer can be active as a hobby. In that case, the sheep are usually kept as companion animals.
COMPETENCES SHEEP SHEARER
The most important competence of a sheep farmer is animal welfare. In addition, as a sheep shearer, it is important that you have a good physical condition because shearing sheep is heavy labor. Communication can also be regarded as an important competence because you have to deal with different clients. Generally important words are plans, perseverance, passion, energy, consultation, control, precision, insight and quality.
LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS A SHEEP SHEARER
The labour market perspective as a sheep shearer is generally fairly good, provided you have a good network. Word of mouth plays an important role in this profession. Career opportunities as a sheep shearer are not really different than starting your own business.
WORKING CONDITIONS AND SALARY SHEEP SHEARER
Working conditions do not really apply to a sheep shearer because the vast majority of sheep shearers work as an entrepreneur. What exactly a sheep shearer will earn is not easy to indicate because this will depend entirely on the number of assignments and the number of sheep that the sheep shearer will have to shear. Most sheep shearers charge a fixed fee per sheared sheep.
The content on this page has been automatically translated from the Dutch language. For this reason, texts and videos on this page may contain small errors.
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