Live Weight to Fleece Yield (kg)
Planning for shearing season? On average, a wool-producing sheep yields approximately 5% of its live body weight in raw fleece. Use this calculator to estimate your flock's wool production in kilograms.
Wool Production Variables
While the 5% multiplier (0.05) provides a solid industry baseline for estimating grease wool (unwashed fleece), actual yields can vary significantly depending on several key factors.
Breed Genetics
Specialized wool breeds like Merinos can produce fleeces weighing up to 10-15% of their body weight, whereas meat breeds (like Suffolks) may yield closer to 2-3%.
Shearing Interval
The 5% estimate assumes a standard 12-month wool growth period. Shearing at 6 or 8 months will proportionately reduce the fleece-to-body-weight ratio.
Grease Wool vs. Clean Yield
This calculator estimates grease wool (the raw fleece right off the sheep, including lanolin, dirt, and vegetable matter). Once washed and scoured at the mill, the "clean yield" is typically only 50% to 70% of the grease weight.
About this
Multiply live weight (kg) by 0.05.
Best used for
- Wool Harvesting
- Mill Processing Estimates
- Flock Yield Projections
Quality checks
- 60 kg Sheep ≈ 3.0 kg Fleece
Simple workflow
- Step 1
Input sheep live weight in kg
- Step 2
View estimated raw grease wool yield in kg