Acknowledgements

The Southern Series (TSS) gratefully acknowledges the contribution to the drafting of its Animal Welfare Policy by the NZ Ministry for Primary Industries, the New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the New Zealand Veterinary Association. See also: Shearing: an indispensable practice.

TSS promotes and broadcasts elite sheep-shearing competitions world-wide to help incentivise shearers to perform this necessary animal husbandry process in the most humane way possible. TSS believes all shearing events should adhere to the host countries’ animal welfare legislation. For example, in New Zealand TSS events are covered by the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and its associated Codes of Welfare and Regulations. The world’s billion non-shedding domestic sheep have to be shorn at least annually because wool does not stop growing.

• Wool does not shed spontaneously in most domesticated breeds.
• Failure to shear can lead to negative animal health and welfare outcomes.
• Excessive wool is heavy and may restrict the animal’s mobility.
• Reduced mobility increases the animal’s risk of death by starvation and/or predation.
• Excessive wool length may lead to heatstroke.
• Shearing can assist with external parasite control.
• Shearing can improve fleece hygiene, which reduces the risk of fly-strike.

Accordingly

• Shearing is important to protect the health and welfare of non-shedding breeds of sheep.
• Where required,  shearing must be undertaken regardless of the commercial value of the wool.
• Shearing should impose the least possible stress and discomfort on the animals.
• Shearing is a highly skilled and physically demanding craft.
• Poor shearing practice is injurious to the sheep’s health and well-being.
• The best animal health and welfare outcomes are likely to be achieved when shearing is performed by skilled and efficient tradespeople. TSS will actively encourage the establishment of an internationally-recognised body to oversee shearing competitions and rules, and the training and certification of competition shearing judges.
• A veterinarian will be present at all TSS events.
• TSS believes promotion of skilled shearing practices through recognition during competition will lead to improved shearing standards with positive animal welfare outcomes.