In shearing sheds, workers naturally grab the easiest and cleanest sheep first to maintain a fast pace and keep their tally high. The tough, kicking, or heavily matted animals get pushed to the back of the catching pen by default. These last remaining sheep require much more physical effort to drag out and shear once the rest of the flock is finished.
Heard on the job
Grab the cobbler out of pen three so we can finally clear this mob and get to lunch.
Insider tip
The term comes from the phrase 'the cobbler's last', referring to the very end of the job.