DBI is partnering with other organizations to form a wool pool with at least three families in four chapters, each with approximately 20 head of sheep. DBI will provide shearing equipment, supplies, and wool grading expertise. Shearing and skirting will take place at the family ranch, with one open shearing weekend offered at Diné College Rodeo Arena. Technical assistance with wool grading and wool pool development will assist the producers. Risk Management activities include:

• Before shearing, assemble the interns, check out the equipment, and schedule shearing times
• On arrival at the ranch, inspect the sheep with the producers and train them in herd health measures, provide them record sheets and ear tags if they do not already have them
• Demonstrate appropriate methods for shearing sheep to minimize animal discomfort, second cuts, and contamination of the fleeces with vegetal matter, dirt, and poly fibers
• Involve the family members with proper skirting, sorting, and bagging in fabric bags
• Point out the factors that diminish the value of the fleece, such as poly twine contamination and hay in the wool, and recommend methods for minimizing them
• Weigh skirted fleece and record which animal it came from, noting the quality of the wool
• Bag and label each fleece, explain the wool pool consignment process, and obtain signed forms
• At the end of the shearing, hold a wool grading training at Diné College, providing a written record of the results back to each producer
• Utilize the Navajo-Churro wool for creating value-added products, including yarn for Navajo weavers
• Distribute the payments and wool grading results to the producers, with illustrated instructions for improving their wool clip