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Shearing time! Who do you use?
I know we are thinking about shearing time coming up and there always seems to be someone left behind so............ Post your shearers information here so others can get connected!
Our shearer is:
Matt Moore
Lives in Florida
Great shearer!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Margie Phipps on -
Since my animals have been agisted they were shorn at the other farm last year. This year they will be HOME by then. I've booked a man from Kentucky that used to raise alpacas, but now is a shearing only operation. He is. Donald Perry from Fuzzy Butt Alpacas. http://www.fuzzybuttalpacas.com/
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Permalink Reply by Laura Barnes - Mt. Peak Alpacas on -
We use Kim at Humming Angels Alpacas in Lebanon, Oregon. We were very pleased with her work.
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Permalink Reply by Lisa on -
The past 2 years we have used Seth Litzman of Pied Piper Farm
www.piedpiperfarm.com
He & his family live in TN.
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Permalink Reply by Maryann Marsh on -
I know so many more of you have shearers so please post yours so new breeders or anyone wanting to get a new person, the info is here! POST AWAY!
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Permalink Reply by Rick Horn - All American Alpacas on -
I've been using Ken Jones, but he comes a bit early for us, so this year we'll use Pete Connelly. He did some for us last year at GWAS.
http://www.puravidashearing.com/
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Permalink Reply by Tracey Koehler on -
OK Maryann, Here is another question. I am interested in knowing how many of you shear your own?
If so how did you get started? Any tips, pointers, advice. Which shears do you use and why?
Koehlers 4 Star Alpacas
http://koehlers4star.tripod.com
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Permalink Reply by Mary Jane Andersen on -
We have done our own for three years now. We started because travelling shearers often come a little too early (one year we sheared in the snow) or too late (sweating animals) for the unpredictable Ohio weather. We also had to load up our entire small herd and take them to another farm because the shearers often don't like to come for just a few animals or charge more to do so. Now we can do our alpacas as the weather and needs dictate, i.e. shearing the most dense animals before the less dense, waiting until it's not raining, etc. We can also control the quality of the shearing done. The last year we had a travelling shearer do it, there were way too many second cuts in our fleeces, making it a chore to skirt them. We took a shearing class and dove in doing our own animals and helping a friend who took the same class do their much larger herd.
In talking to other alpaca owners, we realized there is a need for someone who is willing to come shear someone's two backyard pet alpacas or a small breeder's herd that they don't want to have to drag to another farm to get shorn. We started offering this service two years ago and have gotten to meet many great people and alpacas! Because we will do small herds, many of the places we go are just starting or got alpacas just for pets. We did ALOT of education last year at many of the farms we visited, hopefully improving the care their alpacas are receiving.
We use Heiniger shears for the most part. They are workhorses--they just keep going and going! We do have a set of Oster Shearmasters, but I don't really like them. I will use them while my hubby is changing combs and cutters on the Heinigers for me, but that's about it. I have also used a friend's set of Premiers. They are much lighter and quieter than the Heinigers, but I don't think they cut quite as fast. For mats we use the play mats from Sam's Club that look like jigsaw puzzle pieces. They are easy to transport and can be configured to accommodate the floor area we have available to shear in. They are also easy to scrub clean and disinfect. We made our own ropes using pulleys and some of the line from a marine store. The rest of the rope we purchased at TSC.
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Permalink Reply by KUSKA PAKU FARM on -
We use John B. Gunther Biosecure Alpaca Shearing, Ltd., they have done our animals the past 3 years and are awesome!
http://www.shearingalpaca.com
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Permalink Reply by KUSKA PAKU FARM on
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We use John B. Gunther Biosecure Alpaca Shearing, Ltd., they have done our animals the past 3 years and are awesome!
http://www.shearingalpaca.com
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Permalink Reply by Suzie Radtke on -
I am using a gentleman from the Park City, Utah area. His name is Scott Kendell and he has a very good reputation. He travels to Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington to shear. He went through the Course Boards Class to become a Certified Sorter so he really understands fiber. He is shearing my 17 alpacas on May 11, I let you know if we liked him. His web site is http://www.rio-oso.com/
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