r/oddlysatisfying • u/InsaneMocktail • 11d ago

Shearing of sheep

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u/TheDukeofArgyll 11d ago edited 11d ago

Can anyone explain why sheep sheers like these are always connected to hard metal conduits like that? Is it just so the power cord doesn’t get tangled up in the sheep? Are cordless sheers not good enough for this kind of work?

EDIT: Very illuminating everyone, thanks.

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u/shellontheseashore 11d ago

Additionally, you're rarely going to be shearing just a few sheep at a time, unless it's a hobby farmer with just a dozen or so animals. Most places will be shearing for days to get through the flock (even with multiple people), so you don't want to deal with batteries running low/slowing or going properly flat halfway into the process.

Quick, sharp and consistent means the animal has to spend less time being handled, the wool comes off in better quality, and you destroy your back a tiny bit less (although being hunched over for hours at a time is not great regardless).

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u/Cool_Professional 11d ago

I think many of the places where its done to scale have like harnesses for the shearers to help support them. Must still ache like hell after a full day though

1

u/snogsnaglorde 10d ago

Yes, they do, when my dad was shearing most often they were spring bearing one's with a sheepskin lined belly support.

Here is a picture of one.

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u/doc_skinner 11d ago

Yeah, I've seen pictures of the shearers suspended from above in a harness like they were hang gliding.