The New Zealand Agrodome is a 160 hectare working sheep and cattle farm with 1200 sheep and 120 beef cattle. It's farm tour gives visitors a hands-on experience of farming and interaction with sheep, goats, cattle, deer and baby lambs. Its sheep show highlights 19 breeds of sheep, provides a sheep auction and sheep shearing demonstration.

Some Sheep Shearing Trivia from Agrodome Sheep Shearer Kevin Thirkell:

• A sheep shearer shears about 400 sheep per day - 300,000 over a lifetime.

• World Record: 720 sheep sheared in 9 hours, 1 sheep sheared in 38 seconds, 839 lambs sheared in 9 hours, 1 lamb sheared in 19.8 seconds. David Fagan has held the record 13 times.

• Gangs of shearers move from farm to farm. They average 6 shearers who shear the sheep, 4 who handle the wool, and 2 pressers who press the wool into bales and prepare the meals.

• The skin of a sheep doubles its thickness within 24 hours of being sheared.

Kevin Thirkell Prepares to Shear a Sheep	Kevin Shearing a Sheep
Finished Product	Sheared Wool Waiting to be Processed in the Woolen Mill

The Agrodome's woolen mill shows how the wool goes from the sheep to yarn and showcases hand knit woolen sweaters, scarves, gloves, etc.

Woolen Mill	Wood as it comes off the Machine
Wool Being Spun into Yarn	Hand Knit Wool Sweaters

The Woolen Mill also blends the fur of the Brushtail Opossums (possum) with wool. Blends of up to 40% possum fur can be found. The results are knit garments that are as supremely soft, lightweight, non-bulky, durable, and extremely warm (hollow possum fiber is 7% warmer than wool). Possum fiber is antistatic, washes well, and does not shed or pill.

Unfortunately, “possums” are a major pest problem in New Zealand. Like kudzu to the southeastern US and killer bees to South America, this nuisance was introduced by man on purpose. They were brought to New Zealand from Australia in 1837 to establish a fur industry. Their numbers boomed when the demand for fur diminished. They quickly adjusted to the conditions and thrived in the temperate climate while enjoying no natural predators. They now occupy 91% of the country with a population estimated 70-90 million which increases at a rate of 30% per year. Collectively, they consume in excess of 21,000 tons of foliage a day. They are damaging New Zealand’s bush and rain forests and threatening the habitats of native birds such as the Kiwi. Currently, they are controlled by poisoning, hunting and trapping. Biological controls are also being sought.

New Zealanders have rediscovered opportunity in their pest population abundance. New Zealand possum fur is versatile and the skins are capable of being shorn, plucked, sueded, napped, bleached, or dyed. Natural colors include grays, reds, and browns. Fur length varies from 12-25+ mm. By creating products from possum fur and pelts, it is becoming financially viable for hunters to trap the possum, thereby reducing the pest population, and helping save New Zealand’s environment.

Hand Knit Possum Fur - Wool Blend Sweater

Kia Ora!
(Maori greeting meaning Be Well, Be Healthy)

all photos by Julie Register copyright 2001
licensed to About