buying old ewes, good or bad business idea,

bigtomw

Hi guy, I just got into sheep last year and will be lambing for the first time in march, I have a mixed bunch of lowland an mountain type sheep, I bought about 20 old (5-6 years old) scotch ewes lasts august for 50 euro a piece just to build up my numbers a bit, but I was thinking if I did this on a larger scale this year, put them to a charolais or Suffolk ram and then sell them with lambs at foot, I would probably more than double what I gave for them, and It would mean I would only be keeping the old ewes for 8-9 months, so hopefully wouldn't have to worry about too many dropping dead on me, now I know there's the costs that go with it, like dosing and vaccinating, do you think it's worth doing or is it a stupid idea and should I just be trying to build up a permanent flock

ganmo

Would ya be buying yourself?
I know there are lads who operate like that. You're going to have some crocks but ya'd have to look at the full picture

bigtomw

I would be buying them myself, and I would probably be able to source a lot of them locally,

stantheman1979

A pedigree breeder near us was left an outfarm 100 acres of decent but heavish ground 50 miles away. Every year he goes over to the west buys 500-600 of the cheapest ewes he can find. No more than 60 euro each. Flushes them, puts any ped ram lamb he has(char, vendeen) left over on them. Scans them. Sells twins and triplets in mart(gets 80-90 euro for them) Lambs the singles. Sells the lambs as they become fit. Weans them and all the ewes go to the factory gets back the money he paid for them. So all money from lambs is profit. Very much the stack em high sell them cheap approach. Hardly looks up or down on them as he is so far away. Goes and buys more. Im not saying its what to do but its decent profit from very low imput.

bigtomw

Thanks stantheman, that's pretty much what I was planning in doing, but because I'm new the sheep game I wasn't sure if I was overlooking something

Siamsa Sessions

I guess you're adding a bit of value to them by feeding them for a few months and getting them in lamb, so just a matter of scale after that to make it worth your while.

Fair play to you - it's a better idea than getting into milking cows anyway!