Coronavirus: Sheep shearing hit by lack of overseas workers

A service has been launched to link farmers with shearers, due to a shortage in overseas workers due to Covid-19

Some sheep farmers have said they are facing difficulties as coronavirus has left them unable to bring over shearers from Australia and New Zealand.

One shearing firm said it had given up a quarter of its work because it had been unable to bring in foreign staff.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) has launched a service to link farmers with shearers in their area.

It said sheep that were not shorn of their fleeces could be at risk of heat stress and infections from flies.

The NSA said it was estimated overseas shearers usually sheared about 20% of the UK flock and it appreciated the pandemic and lockdown would mean this was a "difficult time" for businesses.

But it said it was "vitally important", to safeguard the health and welfare of flocks, that shearing - cutting the woollen fleece off an adult sheep - was carried out at certain times of the year to minimise the risk of conditions such as heat stress and fly strike.

As well as compiling its aiming to connect farmers with local shearers, the NSA had been working with the National Association of Agricultural Contractors, British Wool and other farming organisations to produce a register to help connect shearers with larger scale contractors.

'Testing times'

Steve Wagstaff, who runs S&J Wagstaff in Rugby, Warwickshire, said he had three workers booked to travel from Australia but all had declined.

"They had flights booked which they have had to cancel," he said.

"We are trying to train some youngsters, but we won't be able to do the full amount this year so we have had to give up some work."

Owen Davies will spend most of the next three months on a shearing trailer travelling across Herefordshire and mid-Wales

Mr Wagstaff said he had to give away about a quarter of the work the company would do in a normal year which he said would have a "big impact".

"It will be affecting everyone," he said.

"I am very fortunate, both of my sons shear so one of them can help and the other can help part time because he has a full time job, we have a few youngsters and have managed to recruit out of the area but there are no foreigners."

Shearer Owen Davies, from Herefordshire, added: "It is certainly going to be testing times."

He will spend much of the next three months on a shearing trailer travelling across Herefordshire and mid-Wales, trying to follow social distancing guidelines.

"Shearers will be trying to stay two metres apart, potentially using separate vehicles to get to farms, anyone with any symptoms obviously is not to turn up to farms, but it is all very much common sense stuff that people should be doing in their day to day life anyway," he said.

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