The Rural Voice, 1988-12, Page 34Raising Sheep
for Spinners
Dee Burnlees of Hepworth, Ontario is a member of the
Pottawatomi Guild of Spinners and Weavers of Grey and
Bruce. Spinners, she notes, are opening up a market for
high-quality fleece. Sheep producers interested in selling
wool can benefit by meeting those standards of quality:
T
he sheep breeder who is
considering supplying the
market for spinning wool has
several factors to consider: the breed
of sheep, the colour, the feeding, the
shearing, and the protection of fleece.
Spinners like the down breeds for
their soft springy wool, which is suit-
able for baby clothes. These breeds
include the Oxford, Hampshire, and
the Corriedale. Leister, Cheviot, and
Romney provide an easily spun, sturd-
ier yarn suitable for outdoor sweaters.
For a high -lustre, long staple yarn, the
breeder might consider the curly
Lincoln, or even Angora goats, the
source of highly priced mohair.
Crossbred sheep usually exhibit the
dominant features of both parents.
Coloured sheep in most breeds are
popular with spinners because they
eliminate the need for dyeing. With
careful sorting and blending, several
natural colours can be obtained for
pattern knitting. Just a few coloured
sheep bred separately can provide
grey, brown, and black yarn. Jacob
sheep have both coloured spots and
white ground. Unfortunately, the
Wool Board is not fond of coloured
fleece.
Good nutrition is necessary for
good fleece. Any trauma during the
growth cycle will show up in the
crimp and strength of the animal's
wool. Minute amounts of copper are
needed in the diet. A deficiency will
give a straight, shiny, steel -wool
appearance to the fleece. In coloured
sheep a lack of copper will show up as
a grey band across the staple. Sue
Meech, a breeder from Napanee, finds
that adding selenium and cobalt to a
ready -mix sheep mineral gives her
prize-winning fleece extra lustre.
Spinners are most interested in
what is in the wool besides the fleece.
Unwanted extras are insects, plant
matter, and manure. Production spin-
ners must have clean fleece — they
don't have time to prepare dirty fleece.
Burrs are particularly difficult for
the spinner to deal with, and pasture
should be grazed early to rid it of
burdock seedlings or the burdock
should be pulled annually. Chaff and
plant debris are a chore to remove, and
dust is a trial for a spinner who prefers
to spin the wool in the grease before
washing it.
Ultraviolet light fades the tips on
coloured fleece, and many small
breeders are experimenting with sheep
coats. The most satisfactory coat I
know comes from Australia in several
sizes at about $8. The fabric hasn't
yet been duplicated in Ontario.
The coats are best used on sheep
raised outside, keeping them warm in
winter and cool in summer. When the
wool has about seven months' growth,
the coat will likely have to be changed
for a larger size 1.0 avoid sweat strains
from overheating. A larger size can be
tucked for a smaller animal and let out
as it grows. The coats, which can be
reused for several years, do keep the
fleece clean and protected from sum
and the elements. Clean fleece can
bring $2 to $6 a pound.
The fleece is shorn once a year for
maximum staple length, as a two-year
growth simply parts in the middle. A
good shearer won't leave second cuts
of short pieces. The fleece produced
for the spinner should be thoroughly
skirted to eliminate as much manure
as possible. When you pick your best
fleece for the fall fair competition, you
might keep the needs of spinners in
mind. They may be there bidding
when your fleece is auctioned.
Area and national breeders, spin-
ners, shearers, and shepherds meet at
the end of May in Markdale, Grey
County, for the annual three-day
Saugeen Country Sheep and Wool
Fair. They exhibit and market their
lambs, breeding stock, fleece, and
wool products. In 1988, $75,000
worth of sheep changed hands. Many
spinners are also breeders looking to
improve their wool. They are inter-
ested in different breeds of sheep for
their special fleece characteristics.
Spinners get together at spinning
and weaving guilds. The Pottawatomi
Spinners and Weavers serves the
Owen Sound area, the Queen's Bush
Guild serves those around Hanover,
and the Huron Tract Spinners and
Weavers are active in the Goderich
area. Through these groups breeders
making the extra effort to produce
fleece for spinners can connect with
their market. As the public becomes
more appreciative of wool crafts
through exhibits and fashion shows,
that market will only grow.0
(Australian sheep coats are avail-
able from Shirley Browsky, R.R. 1,
Box 118, Hammond, Ontario, KOA
2A0, 613-488-2898.)
32 THE RURAL VOICE