Why shear a sheep’s wool?
Sheep are unique farm livestock; in fact, they are much different than cows and goats in many ways. Like other livestock, they also produce dairy.
Additionally, they grow thick hair called wool and when sheared, can be made to produce comfy sweaters and socks. Moreover, the act of shearing, equivalent to us having a haircut, is also beneficial to them because it tidies them, which is good for their health and hygiene.
What happens when you don’t shear a sheep’s wool?
A sheep’s fleece can grow up to six millimeters per month on average but could be different depending on the nutrition and environment that the sheep are in.
Their fleeces are great for keeping themselves warm especially during winter, but they could also be bad during hot days.
Furthermore, dirt and mud could accumulate over time, plus the weight could make it harder for them to move.
Surprisingly, there’s a sheep that hasn’t been sheared for a long time.
Meet Baarack, a sheep weighing more than 80-pounds. However, that is not because he ate too much, but because of his overgrown wool that enveloped his whole body.
Baarack was a wild sheep found by an Australian local moving through the forest in his sorry state.
The man drove the poor sheep to a shelter in Lancefield called “Edgar’s Mission Sanctuary.” He kindly asked the staff if they could take the sheep, and without hesitation, the staff accepted.
It was quite a challenge moving the sheep around the shelter.
It was hard for Baarack to move around by himself, but even the staff has struggled to move him inside the shelter. With the staff’s gentle procedure plus with the other sheep in the shelter trying to reassure Baarack, they eventually managed to move him towards the shearing area.
The shearing took a lot of time for them too.
Baarack’s fur was matted with dirt, mud, and even twigs.
The staff had such a hard time shearing through his fleece that they had to manually use hand scissors in some parts before shaving it with a shearing tool. The staff felt that Baarack was afraid and so one of them held to comfort him.
“I really believe that we were helping him,” shared Edgar’s Mission founder, Pam, to The Dodo.
They knew that they were doing it for the best.
It was the first time that the sheep could move freely.
Imagine having a weight twice as heavier as you attached with you all the time, wouldn’t it be hard to even move a muscle? When the staff finally finished shearing Baarack, the sheep felt like a huge burden was lifted off him.
He happily walked down the shelter’s alleyway, regaining confidence and strength on his legs by the minute. The staff escorted him to meet his new friends and immediately felt welcomed. It was very satisfying seeing him in high spirits after being out of his wool cage for so long.
The staff remains hopeful for Baarack, and they will continue to look after him.
In fact, Pam was thankful that Baarack was brought into their lives. Furthermore, they could see how Baarack is becoming more comfortable and confident every single day, and they are looking forward to further developments. Thanks to Pam and the rest of Edgar’s Mission, they successfully saved Baarack’s life.
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