# Rooing a sheep



## wordancer (May 4, 2011)

The topic about spinning in the grease reminded me of this video that I came across some time ago. 
Spinning in the grease right off the sheep.





Then one of the replies mention, rooing... So a course I had to google rooing. And found this
https://emancipationacres.com/2013/03/11/rooing-a-sheep-levi The article starts: Have you ever wondered how wild sheep lose their wool without humans to shear them? Well, wild sheep naturally shed their wool! This trait has been bred out of almost every domesticated sheep because individual animals lose their wool at different times....

Rooing day at wee sheep Shetland farm





From the National Library of Scotland, a moving image film. "In sheep clothing" 1932, silent b&w. Crofters are seen gathering and then "rooing" sheep, carding and spinning the wool to make jumpers. 10 minutes, wonderful!
http://movingimage.nls.uk/film/1129


----------



## henhouse2011 (Feb 20, 2011)

So interesting. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. I had no idea.


----------



## deenashoemaker (Nov 9, 2014)

That was so interesting.


----------



## Reba1 (Feb 5, 2012)

Thank you for sharing this!


----------



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

They were using a spindle to spin wouldn't think it would gum up. Still that sheep looked a bit dirty to me. I think the sheep was bit upset he/she was there. They say it should be done on the clean sheep. Washing the yarn would not be so bad.


----------



## spinninggill (Apr 9, 2011)

I did roo a Shetland Ram one year to help out a friend. He (the ram) was terrified of the electric shears. He didn't much like being roo - ed either and I have to say my shins certainly Rued it (sorry, couldn't resist). Amazing how many legs one sheep can have, not to mention horns!! I got his fleece as 'payment' and it was lovely - a beautiful moorit with apricot tips.


----------



## shepherd (Feb 25, 2012)

I rooed a Shetland ewe that was given to me - her fleece was not so great but it was fun to do - I didn't do the whole sheep at one go - did it in sections.
They go through what is called "the rise", which is a definite break in the fleece at the end of a year's growth. If you catch it at the right time it is easy. If you shear at the wrong time you end up with "second cuts" even if you didn't actually make the second cut, because there will be a break, then the fleece grew some more before it was sheared and that space between the break and the cut acts like a second cut.


----------



## kittygritty (Mar 2, 2015)

wordancer said:


> The topic about spinning in the grease reminded me of this video that I came across some time ago.
> Spinning in the grease right off the sheep.
> 
> 
> ...


Fascinating. I knew nothing about rooing before.


----------



## mama879 (Jan 27, 2011)

kittygritty said:


> Fascinating. I knew nothing about rooing before.


We are all still learning.


----------



## Cdambro (Dec 30, 2013)

Really interesting to see the sheep rooing. Thanks.


----------

