Shearing costs €2.50 but saves €8 per ewe

Wool price covers only 20% of cost but ewes shorn at housing do better

Lambs born from ewes shorn at housing were 0.6 kg heavier at birth, and 1.9 kg heavier at weaning, in a Teagasc trial.

Teagasc researchers have calculated that shearing ewes at housing is equivalent to a saving in creep concentrate feed of approximately €8 per ewe.

With the low wool price currently only covering about 20% of the cost of shearing, Teagasc researcher Tim Keady said sheep farmers must shear at the most opportune time for their particular system of production, in their bid to recoup the cost of shearing.