Doug Baker prepares to attend to ‘Boris’ owned
locally and purchased from Southern Cross Rams.

Doug Baker has been shearing for 35 years in a career which has taken him all over New South Wales and southern Queensland, as well as into Victoria.
He has been shearing in the Harden district for just over 20 years.

Doug has added some new equipment to his array of tools. A new trailer specifically designed to shear Rams. It is a less stressful experience for the sheep than traditional shearing, as well as being easier on the operator. The ability for the mechanics in the trailer to control the sheep will no doubt add longevity to Doug’s career. Much of the shearing shed ballet that goes on when going for the next sheep and positioning it to commence shearing is now gone. They simply come up a race and with the help of compressed air, are placed in the optimal shearing position for the shearer to remain upright and complete the shear.


Doug said, “It’s a lot easier on the sheep, less stress on the shearer and no injuries as well as OHS efficiency. It’s fully air operated and holds the sheep in place, its better for the sheep and the operator.”

Doug will still be doing the smaller jobs and the alpacas which have taken him all around NSW, however, he now has the ability to tackle both small and large numbers in the Ram department. Something which has often needed sedation in the industry and which has proven to be difficult due to their increasing size.

After 35 years in the game Doug said, “I’ve always liked shearing, being outdoors and travelling about. Being in different locations all the time, you’re not stuck in the one job place or spot for years and years on end. Shearing has taken me across the eastern states of Australia. If you want to be in an industry and get paid to work and travel around, you certainly can do that at the moment.”

There is currently a shearer’s shortage of 500 Kiwi shearers in Australia who normally come over before returning to do their own lamb shear at the end of the year, meaning there is no lack of work for those wanting to shear.

Doug will have his new trailer at Southern Cross Rams annual spring sale next Tuesday the 29th at 10am. Farmers and owners are invited to view the machine and attend the sale.