Money from hill farming

djmc

Is anyone here making a profit from hill farming outside of farm payments anc etc.
I don't mean turbines forestry etc. but from farming cattle sheep or other on rough grazing.

djmc

I guess what I am looking for is rough grazing management as apposed to grassland management.
You can measure grassland soil test add lime fertilizer reseed etc.
I'm finding it very hard to find up to date information on management of upland areas in spa area where you can't spread lime or reseed.
Older books reference to burning limeing etc.
I know what I can't do but does anyone know what I can do to make even a small profit without grants.
Land would be 100 acres or more of open mountain Heather etc.

ihatewinter

I graze upland areas using cheviots and a few smaller suffolk/cheviots ewes. cross a ram with a few cheviots and keep some of the smaller fat ewes who can survive and rear lambs on it. Too big and they struggle.

The most important thing I find is to grazed lowish in summer. If it gets too tall ewes and especially lambs struggle to eat through it. I put the hoggests on it in April and this helps to manage it.

If you have enclosed hill then you should be able to manage it but if its unenclosed with other farmers this is where the problem lies. There are either undergrazed or overgrazed.

djmc

It is enclosed and privately owned not commonage.
My main farm is dairying but they are not suited to rough grazing on the upper part of the farm and outfarm .
I know little about sheep but have been told there is nothing to be made from hill sheep and they are hard to keep in and tend to stray.
Fencing would also be a cost and would there be a return.
The other thing can they be out wintered on that kind of ground or would they need to be brought in and feed hay or silage.
I would be open to try anything but would like a low input system.

tomwaterford

Let it out to someone who has hill sheep already?

As even hill sheep are more work than estimated...but done properly will always leave money
How much is in it??

As even no matter how good it is....would you still have to give it a rest for the winter and would you be willing to leave sheep lie over on lowland/feed them for the winter??

djmc

tomwaterford wrote: »

Let it out to someone who has hill sheep already?

As even hill sheep are more work than estimated...but done properly will always leave money
How much is in it??

As even no matter how good it is....would you still have to give it a rest for the winter and would you be willing to leave sheep lie over on lowland/feed them for the winter??

Letting not an option as I'm using it for sfp currently grazing some ponies and cows during summer neither of which would really leave any profit outside sfp.
I need lowland for milking cows unless l change farming systems and get out of milk.
Not much sheep in the area either.
Thought about highland or Galloway or dexter cattle.mob grazing or stip grazing might improve pasture
Even a few sheep for the deep freeze.
Anything cost neutral or leaving a profit.
The main cost would be winter as I assume any animals will need supplement feeding on that kind of ground.
Don't know if buying in April and selling in September would be a runner either.

ganmo

if it was me I'd be looking at grazing it with ewe lambs(buying aug) and selling the following may.
fodder for the winter? silage if you have it to spare and a bag or 2 of nuts coming near selling.

the timing of selling means you'd have no shearing to deal with. but it would be important to buy hill type animals so that they can cope with the hill conditions

farmerjoe50

In UK there is a gods relationship between highland or fell and lowland farmers. Hill farmers either sell their old broken mouth ewes as cast ewes for small price or use Blue face Leicester ram to produce Mule lambs. They rely on this to make a decent fraction of their income. Lambs are hardy,excellent mothers and prolific.

kevthegaff

Have high ground here, all forrestry around me but there's 3 dairy farmers on this side of the mountain all milking 120 to 180 cows. All reseeded and looks good, while unmaintained land nearby looks like carrantouhill. Is there much soil depth djmc, is it traffic able with tractor?

djmc

Jesus its over a year ago I started this tread I thought it looked familiar when I saw it today.
The ground is designated SPA so cant do any work on it.
It can be traveled with a tractor and is dry enough in summer but is mostly shallow peat purple moor grass heather etc.
I brought a few beef cattle ponies and joined glas since but dont expect to make a lot from it.
Its getting hard to make a living from good land nevermind mountain land unfortunately

kevthegaff

Can you outwinter on it? What's spa?

TalkingBull

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