Starting with sheep

arctictree

Just wondering if anyone could give me some quick advice here.

We have a bit of a smallholding going at the moment, veggies and hens and I was thinking of getting a few sheep. We have an acre out the back that is going to waste at the moment, its just mowed once a year.

So anyone got any pointers on the best way to ease into this? I was thinking of just getting a few weaned lambs and fattening them for the table at the end of the year. Anyone know how much red tape there is around this?

Thanks in advance!

A

snowman707

you need to contact the local dvo ( department of agric. district veterinary office) and get a flock number , you will then have to buy some ear tags .

btw if the field was not mowed since last year the grass on it is not really suitable for sheep, sheep thrive best on short leafy grass

arctictree

snowman707 wrote: »

you need to contact the local dvo ( department of agric. district veterinary office) and get a flock number , you will then have to buy some ear tags .

btw if the field was not mowed since last year the grass on it is not really suitable for sheep, sheep thrive best on short leafy grass

Thanks snowman, I'm getting the field fenced properly this year. Will probably mow late summer and early spring and then get the sheep in around May next year. Any advice on whether its a good idea to just buy some lambs and fatten them?

snowman707

arctictree wrote: »

Thanks snowman, I'm getting the field fenced properly this year. Will probably mow late summer and early spring and then get the sheep in around May next year. Any advice on whether its a good idea to just buy some lambs and fatten them?

last year the store lambs bought july to oct left a handsome profit.other years were not so good, it's like doing the lotto really , pay your money and take your chance

May would not be the best month as the lambs offered for sale are usually meal fed and ready for the factory or butcher, you would have more suitable lambs available from late june/july onwards

anyhow good luck with your venture !

lissadrone

I would suggest a light breed perhaps Soay as a first time flock.They are hardy , do not need shearing and will eat a diversity of plants.

stanlea

lissadrone wrote: »

I would suggest a light breed perhaps Soay as a first time flock.They are hardy , do not need shearing and will eat a diversity of plants.

Where could I find Soay sheep for sale in Ireland?

johngalway

stanlea wrote: »

Where could I find Soay sheep for sale in Ireland?

There were five of them at Maam Cross mart last Saturday. I didn't think a lot of them to be honest, perhaps they weren't good examples, didn't look to be anyway but I've no other experience of them.

5live

lissadrone wrote: »

I would suggest a light breed perhaps Soay as a first time flock.They are hardy , do not need shearing and will eat a diversity of plants.

1 acre will feed a lot of lambs. Say you get 4 or 5. When they are fit for slaughter that is over 90 kgs of sheep meat in total. Even killing one a month is a lot of meat (and boy do i love my lamb:P) so you will probably be selling a few. The market might not have a big demand for light sheep with a low carcass weight that cost the same to kill as more regular breeds.

I'd say stick to a more 'normal' breed as if you want to get out quickly you will have more options. Best of luck and happy eating

lissadrone

It is because they are a light breed that I suggested Soay sheep. They do need need help at lambing nor do they require shearing.Being light sheep the carcass weight is lower and easier to manage if the lamb is for home consumption. I would run three ewes and a ram on 1 acre , killing the lambs when needed rather than sending on to the mart.If however you wish to just fatten lambs then there will be many months when you will have nothing grazing the land.

easymoney!

How much did they make john?
whats dry sheep and broken mouthed sheep making??

johngalway

easymoney! wrote: »

How much did they make john?
whats dry sheep and broken mouthed sheep making??

I haven't a clue to be honest. That was my first time there in a while and I was doing a lot more talking than listening to the auctioneer. People were saying that prices were back on the previous week a little bit. There were three lines of sheep there, which is a lot for this time of year!

http://www.maamcrossmart.com/

Was just talking to the ould fella now, he reckoned a good fleshy cull ewe would make up to €100 (blackface), which reminds me I have at least one of them to sell myself

jap gt

lamb is mad dear around north cork, very average lambs made 140 today, butcher ready lambs made 90 euro with the weight

Alexander Supertramp

jap gt wrote: »

lamb is mad dear around north cork, very average lambs made 140 today, butcher ready lambs made 90 euro with the weight

Still some crazy prices in the north too.

leoch

wat would be the best breed to put in my 20 acre hill ( to help clean it up) its all trees and heather at the moment wat would be the hardiest breed to stay out all year round and could i use the cattle herd number to buy them or do u need a seprtate numder for sheep

arctictree

Just want to ressurrect this old thread again.

So we have a source where we can get a couple of store lambs.

I just got the ER1 form for a herd/flock number.

There is stuff in there about housing/slats/stalls/loose etc. So all we have is a shed that we might use to handle them and house them a bit in the worst of the winter.

Do we really need to get the above for two lambs for our own use?

snowman707

arctictree wrote: »

Just want to ressurrect this old thread again.

So we have a source where we can get a couple of store lambs.

I just got the ER1 form for a herd/flock number.

There is stuff in there about housing/slats/stalls/loose etc. So all we have is a shed that we might use to handle them and house them a bit in the worst of the winter.

Do we really need to get the above for two lambs for our own use?

no the house will be fine, just have it clean and maybe a source of drinking water and some bedding etc;'

tfker

I used to farm 100 ewes for the auld fella when i was younger but havent farmed in years and i seen 10 good acres for of meadowland for rent beside me,i was thinking of buying a few sheep could anyone tell me how many sheep i could stock and whats the story with a flock number etc these days

doodlesack

stanlea wrote: »

Where could I find Soay sheep for sale in Ireland?

I there. I have some new born Soays for sale. Contact me if you are interested. I'm in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal (near the Sligo/Leitrim border).
pmagfhionnghaile.at.hotmail.com

p.sheridan

Hi.doodlesack..Are any of the saoy sheep still available ???