The vast grasslands of Qilian County in northwest China's Qinghai Province are coming alive as the annual sheep shearing season kicks off, with summer temperatures soaring.
Herders in Arou Township rise early to give their sheep a fresh "summer outfit," marking the beginning of a busy and joyous period.
On these expansive plains, herders transform into skilled "barbers" for their flocks. They deftly grab the sheep, tie their legs, and shear their wool in one swift motion. Each sheep is ready for summer in just two to three minutes.
On a typical sunny day in June, this village is abuzz with a sheep shearing competition. Armed with large scissors, the shepherds race with each other and the pace is anything but slow.
"Every year from the middle of June to the beginning of July, we will shear sheep. Today this activity is at my house. We sheared 800 sheep, had 850 kilos of wool. Sheared sheep are healthier, and sheep-shearing makes the flocks fatter and gives us herders extra income," said Ngoizhub, a shepherd.
Qilian County in Qinghai's Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, a major livestock hub, is set to shear 1.087 million sheep in the summer of 2024. The expected yield is 1,218 tons of wool, generating an estimated income of around 7.92 million yuan (1.09 million U.S. dollars).
Herders in Qinghai shear their sheep for summer comfort
