This is the first time I’ve ever had two shearings in a year. All the time I’ve had the sheep I’ve just had them shorn once in the early summer or spring.
My shearer believes that sheep stay healthier without all that wool on them throughout the year and it does seem like they get a spring in their step the day after. Studies have shown that sheep will grow more wool per year if they are shorn twice.
Plus most wool mills can only handle a 6″ staple length. Some of my sheep get near that at the six month mark so it becomes a problem for the mill equipment after that.
We’ll see if the locks still sell okay at the shorter length. But either way it started to become a matter of necessity to have shorter, cleaner fleeces.