Husbandry procedure
Sheep Shearing Restraint
Restraint for fleece removal
What it is
A shearer holds the sheep still with their own body while powered handpieces cut the fleece away close to the skin.
Where it sits in the system
Selective breeding has produced wool breeds whose fleece no longer sheds. The sheep cannot shed it herself, so she must be caught and shorn at regular intervals.
Welfare concern
Being caught, turned, and held still frightens the sheep. Rough restraint, rushed work, and inexperienced cutting open wounds in the skin, and shearing before bad weather leaves her exposed to cold.
Worth being precise about
Shearing is not optional for these breeds: an unshorn wool sheep faces heat stress and flystrike, and the procedure protects against both. Technique, handling, timing, and the breeding choices that created the fleece determine most of the harm.
