There’s no doubt that shearing sheds are part of the rural Australian identity and always will be. Once immortalised in bush poetry and folk songs like Click Go the Shears, today shearings sheds are still where stories are told and records are broken.
With the romance of the bush aside, the modern shearing shed is central to running a safe and smooth operation.
The designing and building a new shed needs to take into account a number of things:
Stock movement
The movement of sheep through the shearing shed is an important thing to get right. This will often depend on how many sheep you run, the number of shearers you employ and the size of your shed.
Movement needs to be considered right from the yards leading to the shed, through to the catching pens.
The lighting, grating, gates and the yard design that will be most efficient as the sheep progress though, also need to be kept in mind.
Lighting and ventilation
Good lighting and ventilation also play a part in the productivity of your shearing shed. They help provide better conditions for both the workers and the sheep.
For the roof, translucent panels can be built in to allow light to access any point of the shed. Be aware that this can increase the amount of heat in the shed depending on your location.
Artificial lighting is another option which can extend the available working hours. Fluorescent lighting, for example, is cost effective and easy to install without adding heat.
For ventilation, we work with your requirements and site to secure the ultimate airflow and movement. As Proway states, “correctly positioned shutters, doors and removable lower panels maximise ventilation for cooling and drying stock when required.”
The wool room
Your wool room needs to facilitate all stages of the fleece processing post-shearing; skirting, classing, baling and storage. Here you will need to keep in mind space, the type of flooring and your equipment such as wool tables and pack frames.
We usually recommend designing your wool room so that it can be used to store machinery and equipment when not in use – making it a versatile investment.
The board
Back in the day, the board was straight. Now, you also have the choice of curved or sawtooth design.
Having a raised board allows for easy access for staff and easy cleaning, maintenance and upkeep.
While the board you choose may come down to simple personal preference, the space available, how many workers you will have and the number of stands you need, will also help you decide what works best for you.
