cobbler
A sheep left to the end to be sheared (for example, because its wool is filthy, or because it is difficult to catch).
cobbler: the sheep you dread shearing last
A cobbler is a sheep deliberately left until the end of shearing day, usually because its fleece is heavily soiled, matted, or otherwise difficult to work with. The shearer knows it will take longer and be messier than the rest of the flock, so it gets pushed to the bottom of the pen. On farms with 50 to 200 sheep to process in a single pass, a cobbler can cost an hour or more of labor.
The wool itself is the usual culprit. A sheep that has spent months lying in mud, dung, or briars collects debris that clogs shears and produces fleece so tangled that the blade cannot pass cleanly through the staple. Some cobblers are simply stubborn animals that fight hard, bruise easily, or sit awkwardly on the shearing stand, making the job slower and riskier than normal. A few are genuinely sick or injured and need handling that cannot be rushed.
Why the name is unclear. The term appears to be British and Australian in origin, but its etymology is disputed. It may derive from the idea of patching or repairing (as a cobbler does shoes), since the fleece needs extra work. Alternatively, it might refer to something botched or incomplete, though this connection is not documented in standard sources.
Experienced shearers develop tactics for cobblers. Some soften hardened dung with damp cloths before shearing. Others comb out loose debris by hand first, or use a second pass with slower, longer strokes rather than the quick technique used on clean sheep. The alternative, selling a cobbler at market with fleece on, means accepting a sharp discount on the weight and quality of the wool, so on-farm shearing is usually better economics despite the time investment.
A cobbler is not a reflection of poor husbandry on every farm. Seasonal grazing, particularly on winter pasture or in wet regions, will produce cobblers in any flock. The difference between a clean sheep and a cobbler is often just luck with weather and shelter, not negligence. However, a flock with more than a handful of cobblers per shearing signals that housing, bedding, or grazing management needs review.