Tooth-grinding of older sheep is also routine. Tooth-grinding is supposed to reduce the number of ewes prematurely culled due to broken teeth. It involves a rotary stone cutting machine to slice off the ewe's front teeth through the pulp almost down to the gum. In the UK, tooth-grinding was carried out by a less severe method involving shortening the front teeth with less likelihood of cutting through sensitive tissue. Wool Wool production in the UK tends to be a by-product of the meat industry, the wool produced being of low quality.
Most British wool is used for coarse fabrics such as carpets.
Wool production in Britain was 72 million kg in 1992. Sheep are first sheared at around 14 months old. Lambs of some breeds may be clipped to provide lambswool. The entire fleece is sheared in one piece. Sheep have been selectively bred to produce a thick fleece and need to be sheared in early summer to prevent heatstroke.