Shearers call for sedated super rams

Shearers are being advised to give big, dangerous rams a miss 
when farmers refuse to have the beasts sedated. The Australian 
Workers' Union (AWU) state President and long-time shearer, Mick 
Madden, issued the advice as the National Farmers' Federation 
(NFF) dug in its heels against calls to have rams, some as big as 
170kg, sedated for shearing.

"This is an OHS issue and a serious one", Mr Madden said. 
"Shearers should assess the rams they are confronted with and 
where they are big and dangerous, insist on sedation, or refuse 
to shear them on health and safety grounds.

"Selective breeding means some of these animals are 50 percent 
bigger than they were 20 years ago but shearers haven't been put 
through the same program.

"All this is compounded by the ageing of the shearing population. 
Farmers will pay for fitter, healthier animals but they won't pay 
the wages needed to attract younger people into the industry.

"Shearing is a dangerous industry, by its nature, and some of 
these rams multiply that problem."

The AWU says specifically-bred super rams are now twice as heavy 
as many shearers. On the basis that the average sheep run carries 
20-50 rams, the union estimates farmers could sedate for a top 
figure of $25 a session.

Sedation, prior to shearing, has been carried out safely on sheep 
properties in WA and New Zealand. The AWU says reports from those 
users suggest injections affect animals for about an hour and 
have no side effects.

However, National Farmers' Federation officials were doing the 
rounds of bush media outlets, railing against the prospect of 
sedation.

Madden, who was once knocked out by a ram in a NSW holding pen, 
says the NFF's response highlights the need for shearers to 
protect their own health and livelihoods.

"Every time there is a move to attract younger people to the 
industry, they argue incapacity to pay, then spend the rest of 
their time complaining that youngsters don't want to shear their 
sheep.

"Now we have the NSW Farmers' Federation arguing that shearers 
should live in tents.

"Shearers should take this matter into their own hands. They 
can't afford to be injured, their families can't afford it and, 
despite what the Farmers' Federation might think, wool growers 
can't afford to lose them either."