—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, May 19,1979 134 Marylanders 9 fleece COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Sheep-shearing time in Maryland coincides closely with the state’s tobacco market auction season, which opened this year on April 10 and is scheduled to run through May 31. Every year the animal science department and the Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Maryland, sponsors a two day sheep-shearing school on the College Park campus in early April. This helps to assure a supply of trained novices to supplement the cadre of custom shearers throughout the state. This year’s dates were April 12 and 13. There were 35 students in attendance. Supervising the shearing school was Dr. Emory C. Leffel, Extension sheep production specialist and ' professor of animal science in the College of Agriculture. He was assisted by Dr. Edwin E. Goodwin, associate professor of animal science, who is an Extension specialist in both horses and sheep. Dr. Goodwin ran the sheep shearing school in earlier years. Also assisting was David L. Greene, an Extension agricultural science agent at Westminster (Carroll County). A 1964 graduate of the University of Maryland, Greene was once one of Dr. Leffel’s students in animal science classes. Dr. Leffel notes that a mjaor objective in shearing sheep is to preserve the wool fiber length; to shear close to the skin and avoid second cuts in the fleece. Another objective is to obtain a fleece that can be tied, graded, and sorted in other words, to keep the fleece intact. “If we accomplish these objectives without injury to the sheep, we have made progress in learning how to shear,” the Maryland specialist declared in a recent conversation. He noted that most shearing cuts are not serious enough' to warrant medication. “Beginners rarely cut sheep badly,” he remarked. “But keep a suture needle and thread handy in case you do make a deep gash,” he advised. “And, in warm weather, apply livestock spray to keep flies off any wound.” Most wool comes from ewes (adult female sheep). And, Dr. Leffel reported, many commercial producers now favor shearing just before the ewes drop their lambs in early Spring. Often, this means shearing in January. However, Leffel thinks that the traditional April- May season best suits the typical part-time producer and small flock situation commonly found here in Maryland and throughout the Northeast. He mentioned that “tagging” is a common practice that can serve as a compromise between early and late shearing. This in volves trimming off the least valuable parts of the fleece in the crotch and behind the shoulders which tend at shearing school Shearing schools have been set up throughout the United States to teach the art. to become caked with urine and manure. Ewes are often “tagged” just prior to breeding or lambing. And feeder lambs are sometimes “tagged” when placed in a feedlot. Most wool in the Old Line State is marketed nowadays through the Maryland Wool Pool, held each year in June. This year’s dates are June 20 and 21, at the state fairground in Timonium. The type of shearing commonly practiced m Maryland and most of the U.S. is the Australian method, generally regarded New AFBF radio program seeks to answer consumer questions WASHINGTON - Con sumer information is the purpose of a new five minute, tape-recorded program produced ' i ach week by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Joe Fields, director of broadcast services, serves as in terviewer and Sue Palmore, communications director for consumer concerns, as the interviewee. The program is called “Checkout Line.” #1 > ; - i' r ' * *> as the most humane. Mexican-style shearing, often done in Texas, involves rough handling that is not appropriate for pregnant ewes. With this method, three of the animal’s legs are tied. Australians are generally recognized as the world’s fastest shearers. And perhaps they have to be, since that “down-under” Commonwealth nation has the world’s largest sheep population, by far. A good Australian shearer is reportedly able to shear 400 sheep in an eight to 10- Each program features factually and consisely-a topic of consumer interest. Programs already produced have been on nitrites, computer pricing, where the food dollar goes and dairy import inspections. A new taped-message is available each Thursday at 5 pm. EDT. The five-minute program contain'- two nnhhc sheep * a- & v* Wj. > “ v* ~ ** 4* •v hour day, if he has catchers bringing the sheep to him. In the western U.S., a good shearer with one catcher can shear about half that number in a similar period. But top U.S. competitors at the national sheep shearing contest can usually shear a ewe in less than two minutes. That event is held each year in late January in conjunction with the National Western Livestock Show at Denver, Colo. Judging is based on both speed and quality, of the shearing. service announcements, which local stations may adapt to their own programming needs. In terested stations may get the “Checkout Line” phone number from their state Farm Bureau officer Listeners inspired with a question are invited to send it to: P.O Box 104, Washington, I) C 20004. *' ha* '2* HOLLAIND Deafer for Dependable Equipment and Dependable Service: \ Airville, PA Airville Farm Service. Airville, PA 717 862 3358 Alexandria. PA Clapper Farm EqUipmenF Star Route 814-669 4465 ' mnville. PA BH M Farm Equipment Inc RD 1 717 867 2211 Beavertown. PA Ben H Walter Beavertown, PA 717-658 7024 Bernville. PA Stanley A Klopp, Inc Bernville, PA 215-488-1510 BiKlerville.fi Wolff Farm Supply Co Brglerville. PA 717-677-8144 Carlisle. PA .’Paul Shovers. Inc . 35 East Willow Street 717-243-2686 Catawissa. PA Abraczinskas Farm Equipment. Inc RD r 717-356 2323 Chambersburg, PA Clugston Implement Inc RD 1 717 263 4103 Pitman. PA MarlmW Schrcffler NevmN Myer&Sons Inc ' Piman.-P^, Chester Springs, PA -Trl 7 848 1-120 215 827-7414 ’ Chester Springs, PA Davidsburg, PA George N Gross, Inc R.D 2, Dover, PA 717 292-1673 Elizabethtown. PA MessickFarm - , Equipment, Inc 'Rt 283 - Rheem’s Exit 717 367-1319 Factoryville, PA Agronomics, Inc RD 2 717 945-3933 rsburg. P/ Gett: Ymgling Implements R D 9 717-359 4848 Halifax. PA Sweigard Bros R D 3, Box 13 717-896 3414 Hanover. Pi Sheets Bros, Inc Carlisle Street 717-632-3660 Honey Brook. PA Dependable Motor Co East Mam Street 215-273-3131 215-273 3737 Honev Grove. PA S G Lewis & Son, Inc Norman D Clark & Son, Inc R D 2, Box 66 Honey Grove, PA 215 869-2214 717-734-3682 Churchville. MP Hughesvilte, PA Farnsworth Farm Supplies, Inc 103 Cemetery Street 717-584 2105 Lancaster. PA L FI Brubaker Inc 350Strasburg Pike 717 397-5179 Lebanon, Owen Supply Co Evergreen Tractor Co Inc Broad Street & East Avenue 30 Evergreen Road 609 769-0308 717 272 4641 See your nearest Lititz, PA Roy A. Brubaker 700 Wocklcrest Avenue 717 626-7766 Loysville. PA Paul Shovers, Inc Loysville PA 717-789-3117 Lynni Kermit K Kistler Inc Lynnport, PA 215-298-3270 McEwensville, PA Don’s Service Shop Box 97 717 538 1362 Mill H; Paul A Dotterer RD 1- 717-726 3471 New Holland, PA ABC Groff;lnc 110 South Railroad 717 354-4191 Oley. PA A‘J NossA’Son Inc -RD2-' -21 5 987 6257 Orwigsburg, PA PaulJ Eichert&Son RD 1 / 717 943 2304 Palm. PA , Wentz Farm Supplies Inc. , Rt 29 215 679 7164 ■> - , J Ouarryville. PA C-E Wiley & Son, Inc 101 South time Street 717-786 g 895 Reedsville, PA Big Valley Sales & Service*./ Inc >' PO Box 548 717 567 3944 Rmgtown, PA Ringtown Farm Equipment Rmgtown, PA 717 889 3184 Silverdale. PA I G 'sAg Sales ‘ Box 149 215 257-5135 Tamaqua, PA Charles S Snyder Inc “RD3 717 385-5945 Waynesboro, PA Blue Ridge Fruit Exchange, Inc Waynesboro PA 717-762-3117 West Chester. PA M S Yearsley & Son 114 116 East Market Street 215 696-2990 West Grove, PA Walter G Coale, Inc 2849 53 Churchville Rd 301 734-7722 Rising Sun, MD Ag Ind Equipment Co Inc R D 2, Route 273 East 301 398 6132 301 658 5568 Woodstown. NJ >rt, PA ill. PA
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