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Amateur sheep farming

  • 04-06-2016 4:47pm
    #1
    MWforumfisher
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 89 ✭✭


    I'm getting into sheep farming, hope to get my first stock soon, can anyone give me any tips for a novice sheep farmer? I'm raising them for meat. How many sheep would be appropriate for a 3 acre field with a half acre barn?


Comments

  • #2
    tommy5678
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 79 ✭✭tommy5678


    MWforumfisher wrote: »
    I'm getting into sheep farming, hope to get my first stock soon, can anyone give me any tips for a novice sheep farmer? I'm raising them for meat. How many sheep would be appropriate for a 3 acre field with a half acre barn?



    around 10 ewes with their lambs. maybe a hardy breed like scotch. i have sheep for sale at the moment all different breeds i am in cork.


  • #3
    roosky
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,012 ✭✭✭roosky


    tommy5678 wrote:
    around 10 ewes with their lambs. maybe a hardy breed like scotch. i have sheep for sale at the moment all different breeds i am in cork.


    If your raising for meat id be staying away from scotch......maybe some nice texel suffolk cross ewes.....cant see the reason for going scotch unless its on a mountain


  • #4
    roosky
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,012 ✭✭✭roosky


    MWforumfisher wrote:
    I'm getting into sheep farming, hope to get my first stock soon, can anyone give me any tips for a novice sheep farmer? I'm raising them for meat. How many sheep would be appropriate for a 3 acre field with a half acre barn?


    Where are you based


  • #5
    MWforumfisher
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 89 ✭✭MWforumfisher


    Thanks for the help everyone^. I know someone here in wicklow selling different breeds of sheep, so I'll buy them there. So texel Suffolk crosses are the best for meat?


  • #6
    Arrow in the Knee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 957 ✭✭✭Arrow in the Knee


    Here's a few questions OP.

    Do you have a herd number/flock number?

    Are you going to buy store lambs or keep a few ewes and lamb yourself?

    Do you know any local sheep farmers that might give you some sound advice and give you a hand if you get out of your depth?

    3 acres is very small IMO. Not much wriggle room. Did you look at other alternatives?

    Also if your buying sheep/lambs do your homework. Some sellers will see a greenhorn and take advantage of you.


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  • #7
    J.O. Farmer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,537 ✭✭✭J.O. Farmer


    MWforumfisher wrote: »
    Thanks for the help everyone^. I know someone here in wicklow selling different breeds of sheep, so I'll buy them there. So texel Suffolk crosses are the best for meat?

    If you have either of those breeds in the ewe and the ram of the other breed you won't go far wrong.
    Stay away from anything with mountain breeding as they're bred for hardiness not meat.


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