Some farmers are shearing back the costs with new sheep breeds. 

Meant for meat production, ‘Nudies’ are a breed of sheep that don’t grow wool, allowing farmers to cut costs as there’s no need for shearing, dagging, or crutching. 

Pierre Syben from Wairere Rams in Masterton told Kerre Woodham in his view, the industry will likely split between the people who stick with wool and those who move towards the Nudies. 

He says that hopefully as more people go into non-sheering sheep, it will lift the price of wool as at the moment, it’s a loss-making venture.  

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