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Because of the cost structure, the two critical components of wool production are harvesting and the removal of wool. The critical cost components of wool production are shearing and the availability of shearers, and their welfare.
A robotic shearing machine, using Stockstill’s restraining technology, was developed in the 1980s and it performed well. It was displayed at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, but is now at the Naracoorte Museum in South Australia.
The sheep industry has, in recent times, evolved from large flocks of sheep in the station country - with standard patterns of operations - to smaller flocks in the agriculture and pasture regions, producing meat as well as fibre. Smaller flocks incur erratic shearing patterns, dependant on carcass and skin value.
So, a radical change in wool harvesting has occurred. The size and weight of the animals have increased to the degree that some of the prime lamb rams in use cannot be managed by one shearer alone. Tranquilliser drugs are in common use over large areas of Australia. Back problems for shearers are endemic.
The Calm Shear unit has been developed to cover this new situation, as sheep can be restrained by preventing the movement of the hind legs.
Upright Shearing
Traditional shearing is an extremely challenging task, both mentally and physically, and an occupation plagued with injury and fatigue.
The Lines family has been investigating and trialling wool harvesting alternatives for over forty years.
An associated company has been working on a simple and economical upright shearing system. The developer, Justin Lines, has inherited his family’s dedication to the industry and the desire to create an alternative shearing system.
Utilising the recently-developed Calm Shear technology, an operator is able to calmly and safely remove the fleece from a sheep with greatly reduced fatigue to both the operator and the animal.
Calm Shear has been developed by Stockstill Limited to restrict the dangerous movement (kicking) of the sheep’s powerful hind legs. This is achieved through the use of minute pulses of energy from a simple unit attached subcutaneously via leads to the groin area of the sheep (similar to techniques recommended by health professionals for both pain relief and injury rehabilitation in humans).
Through simple adjustment of pulse strength and frequency, the Calm Shear unit is able to stimulate the muscles of the hind legs to contract and gradually stiffen, to enable safe access to remove the wool from the sheep. The animal is also pain-free from its hind legs to the mid-back area.
When released, the sheep regains its original mobility within seconds, unlike the recovery period post-chemical restraint.
For further information on the Upright Shearing System, contact:
Shear Solutions Pty Ltd PO Box 36 Mount Bryan South Australia 5418
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Calm Shear |
