Blog #36
Mani-Pedis and a Brazilian #### Wax?
So …, I’ve not met with very many sheep producers in
Georgia who crutch their sheep. I freely
admit that crutching isn’t the most fun part of shearing, and when you pair it
with hoof trimming, it truly can become a grind. Crutching is essentially shearing from the
mid-abdomen back between the hind legs to above the tail. There aren’t any long, dramatic sweeps with the
shears, no large movements of the animal, no tremendous sense of
accomplishment, but it’s a great health and welfare tool. It’s shear, adjust, shear, complete.
Heading into winter or pre-lambing, crutching accomplishes several important hygiene fixes. First, winter is generally wetter, so sheep tend to get muddy. If they have any digestive issues, they can end up with dirty backsides. These locks of wool can eventually become rock-hard dung locks that have to be removed during shearing, which can foul the balance of the fleece unless it’s well skirted. Crutching removes the wool that would otherwise become dung locks, which reduces insect issues near the rump. Crutching also cleans out the wool locks near the teats, meaning lambs will have a cleaner path to a food source, rather than sucking on a dirty lock of wool that will do nothing to fill their bellies. Along with clearing out dung locks and hanging wool for lambs, having this area shorn presents a cleaner environment for lambing, especially if the ewe has difficulty in birthing and assistance is required.
It's not all peaches and cream, though. The setup and scheduling for crutching is the
same as for full shearing, since the same machine is used, the same dietary
restrictions are in place, and the same flow of animals is required. It’s a trim versus a full haircut, so there
may be a price break, but the preparation is the same. If it’s accomplished more than 30 days prior
to lambing, the health and stress risks to the ewes and unborn lambs are
minimized, while making a cleaner and safer environment for lambing, nursing,
and shearing. Studies in New Zealand
have shown that a 12-hour fast in gestation is not a high-risk event.
Since the sheep are already upside down, how do the hooves look? This is an opportunity to check and trim hooves, so it’s the whole two birds, one stone analogy. Even if the hooves don’t require a trim, it’s a great opportunity to evaluate their hooves and look at the udder to note any issues prior to lambing, as well. With modern tools, hoof trimming can be less onerous than a generation ago. Battery and pneumatic hoof trimmers are available as well as manual shears, and the Hoof Boss ® company has developed a grinder that can make quick work of shaping and smoothing hooves and trimming back open pockets to clean, cool, connected tissue. I don’t want to trim hooves again without this tool. If you shrink a surface grinder down to the size of a big Dremel ® tool, you’d have a Hoof Boss. It’s got a 2-inch grinding wheel in a variety of grits, and the wheel can be changed quickly if needed after encountering hoof rot. The wheels can be cleaned and disinfected using the same methods as cleaning hoof shears, so no additional tools or steps are required. It’s also cool that they can be powered by household 110, or a battery pack from a cordless drill.
This was my first crutching gig in Georgia, but not the
first round of hoof trimming. With a
Hoof Boss I dread hoof trimming less, and with involved owners the task goes by
quickly.
Only a few more days with the handpiece and Fall Shearing
2025 will be complete!
C-Ya!
*** No animals were harmed in the making of this post.
Shearing is an important part of sheep farming for the wellbeing of the sheep.
***
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