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| Summer
Diary |
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Summer
Summer
is a pleasant time, especially on warm and
dry days. In May, John starts shearing the
yearlings and the rams. July and August are
the months
when the ewes are sheared. In summer, the newborn
lambs get their first vaccinations and a bath
(dip) to wash off and protect them from
all parasites.
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A
ewe and her fleece are soon to part company.
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Sheep
have a big, heavy fleece, which can be very
warm in summer. It can also be dangerous, because
of insects (ticks and fleas) that nestle in
the wool. Flies, for example, love to lay their
eggs (maggots) in the wool. The maggots can
rapidly start eating the sheep and kill it!
That is why John Kissane has to shear the sheep
every year.
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John
finishes the shearing of a sheep.
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After
being sheared, the sheep get a red mark painted
on their back and shoulder indicating that
they belong to our farm. The red "K" that is painted on their shoulder stands for Kissane. The sheep below is ready
for another year of eating and growing another
fleece. Look how clean and happy she looks!
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A
ewe knows she belongs on Kissane Sheep Farm
and now, so will everyone else by the "K" on her.
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The
fleece that came off is big. Young sheep have
bigger
and heavier fleeces than older sheep. This
fleece weighs about
1.5 kg,which is now worth about €0.45. Last
year, wool sold for only €0.32 per kg. The
price of wool continues to drop! It does not
cover the costs for a professional shearer
anymore. Shearers ask about €1.50 to €2 per
sheep, so John has to shear all of the sheep
himself. On a daily basis, John will shear
as many of
our 1,000 sheep as his back will allow.
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A
fleece doesn't fetch much these days.
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Kissane Sheep Farm
John, Anne, & Sean Kissane
Moll's Gap
Kenmare, Co. Kerry
Ireland
Tel +353 64 66 34791
info@adopt-a-sheep.ie |
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