Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Sheep News: Otago Family Amazed by Self-Shearing Sheep

While it is getting colder over here in The Netherlands (the first snow reached the southern parts), it is becoming spring in New Zealand. Sheep have to be sheared. Well, do they have to be?

A North Otago family has discovered an amazing phenomenon on its farm – a self-shearing sheep.
...
Grant Martin's children alerted him to the unusual occurrence last week, saying it looked as if one of the sheep had fly-strike.

As Mr Martin reached out and grabbed the sheep's back, the wool started pulling away.

"There were no maggots on it."

He carried on detaching the wool from the ewe, finding no sign of fly-strike and ending up with a complete fleece in his hands.

"It fell off in one piece. There's a perfect velvet coat underneath."


Read the full story at New Zealand's STUFF news site: Otago Family Amazed by Self-Shearing Sheep.

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