People have been harvesting wool from sheep for thousands of years. Primitive breeds of sheep such as the Soay still shed their fleece naturally. Selective breeding over the years has removed this trait in order to maximise wool yield. Since many sheep can no longer shed their fleece, we have to give them a hand by shearing them. The aim of sheep shearing is to clip (cut) the fleece as close to the skin as possible, in order to harvest the maximum amount of wool without cutting the animal. When the shearer clips the wool above skin level the usable staple is shortened. If the shearer goes back to remove the wool left on, it creates a 'second cut'. The fleece is then contaminated by these short bits of fibre. A good shearer cuts close to the skin first time without cutting the sheep.
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