I am told that Soay/Boreray sheep do not need shearing, is this true?
It is true, under normal circumstances, Soay and Boreray sheep do not need shearing. From about April the sheep start to loose their fleece naturally, rams usually start to loose it before the ewes. If you want to use the fleece, the loosened fleece can be plucked (rooed) from the sheep – but only when it is loose. Sometimes, and this is more usually seen in sheep that have not bred that year, it is thought to be hormonal, they do not loose their fleece. In this instance, it is better to clip it off to reduce the chance of fly strike.