Shearing sheep is done to all sheep whether it’s a wool or meat breed. Sheep are generally shorn each spring so they have wool to keep cool in the summer and more to stay warm in the winter. Some sheep breeders hire professional shearers to do the job, but there are shearing classes that are taught the professionals who know what they are doing (like the class pictured above taught at South Dakota State University). There are multiple types of shearing methods used including blades which are handheld and hand powered and electric which are more popular today. For centuries, “blade” shearers used long bladed, razor sharp, scissor-like shears to clip the wool. Blade shearing crews traveled from ranch to ranch to shear on site or they would set up a central camp on the open range so sheep herders could trail their flock to the camp. The shearers worked for several weeks shearing one flock after another.