Another year, another shearing

Another year, another shearing

It was a pleasure to take Marty and Susana O’Connel back to Serralves to demonstrate the shearing of the Bordaleira sheep from Entre-Douro-e-Minho on the farm. We were presented with an exceptional time and many families who joined us to watch this very important phase of the Wool cycle! This event was organized within the scope of Bioblitz, an annual event held in Serralves dedicated to biodiversity, of which the maintenance of autochthonous breeds are an important part.

At the beginning of the demonstration we always make sure to explain why the annual shearing is absolutely mandatory for animal welfare. We remind everyone that most of the sheep that currently exist in the world are domesticated animals and that they were originally domesticated, in big part for their wool. To understand this better, wild sheep shed their wool (which is actually more like hair) naturally at the time of the arrival of spring. The same is not true of domesticated sheep, whose wool not only does not shed naturally, but also does not stop growing. Therefore, when we domesticated them thousands of years ago, we assumed a responsibility towards these animals and, therefore, shearing is part of what is necessary to guarantee their well-being before the arrival of hot weather. A sheep that is not shorn will suffer from excess heat, may have skin problems and parasites, lose appetite and suffer from all the stress and discomfort of the situation.

Having Marty do the demonstration also aims to show how a professional shearing with absolute respect for the animal and for the fiber that we obtain in the process occurs. We were happy to be able to share the moment when we get the wonderful wool, the right way, ready to be worked in countless ways!