shearing

shearing

1. mechanical removal of the sheep's fleece. A traumatic event in the sheep's annual calendar. A time for the transmission of diseases between sheep, e.g. mycotic dermatitis, caseous lymphadenitis, infection with environmental infections, e.g. gas gangrene, tetanus, and for exposure to inclement weather without the protection of a fleece.

chemical shearing, the shedding of the fleece after administration of a chemical agent, is in the very early stages of exploration. Automatic shearing done by robots is perhaps a little closer. Breeding of sheep which shed their fleece annually is always a good cause for a research program. The Wiltshire horned breed does this to a varying degree.

2. a type of injury. See shearing injuries (below).

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shearing board

open area in a shearing shed on which the sheep are restrained while they are shorn.

shearing hypothermia

see hypothermia.

shearing injuries

1. injuries inflicted to a sheep during shearing and by the shearing machine. Lacerations are frequent but cause little damage if they do not become infected. They appear to cause no discomfort and heal very quickly. The serious injuries are the removal of teats in ewes, damage to the prepuce and removal of the tip of the vulva. The last two lead to deviation of the stream of urine, fouling of the nearby fleece and increased risk of blowfly strike.

2. injuries in which there is the application of a shearing force tending to cause local deformity or diplacement; usually involve the carpus or tarsus in small animals hit by motor vehicles. There is extensive loss of soft tissues and bone, with exposure of the joint.