Baarack The Sheep Found Struggling To Walk Shorn Of Huge Fleece For First Time In Years

Barack The Sheep Found Struggling To Walk Shorn Of Huge Fleece For First Time In Years
An overgrown sheep named Baarack was found struggling to walk and see before being shaved of his massive fleece that weighed 35kg (77lbs). Barack' was found staggering through a forest in Australia by a concerned member of the public.
The sheep was reported to rescuers at the Edgar's Mission Farm Sanctuary near Lancefield, Victoria - about 60 kilometres north of Melbourne.
After tracking down the animal, his saviours were amazed at the massive amount of wool grown around the animal over a number of years.
Baarack's fleece had grown so out-of-control, he was struggling to open his eyes and see clearly.
His self-grown jumper weighed more than 35 kg - almost half of an adult kangaroo.
Rescuers brought Baarack in for his first shearing in years, saying there were signs he was once owned by a sheep farmer.
Kyle Behrend, who works for the sanctuary, said: "It would appear Barack was once an owned sheep.
"He had at one time been ear-tagged, however these appear to have been torn out by the thick matted fleece around his face.
"Sheep need to be shorn at least annually otherwise the fleece continues to grow and grow, as happened here."
After his much-needed shearing, Behrend said Baarack's fleece weighed in as one of the heaviest seen - and his new image revealed more about the trauma it had caused his body.
Behrend added: "Whilst his hooves were in great condition from running over the rocks in the forest, he was in a bit of a bad way.
"He was underweight, and due to all of the wool around his face he could barely see."
Baarack is now settling in with other rescued sheep at Edgar's Mission, Behrend said, adding it "all goes to show what incredibly resilient and brave animals sheep really are and we could not love them anymore if we tried. Typically an adult sheep needs shearing once each year and often takes place on farms during a set day where experts can shear up to 3,000 sheep a day។