Getting into sheep perhaps

FarmerBrowne

Like so many I am getting disillusioned with beef farming, am doing runner/light weinling to store currently. Am on heavy enough ground but alot of it is reseeded and with the way the back ends are coming they are ruining the land. Also due to family and work circumstances I dont have alot of time for farming but want to stay at it in some capacity.

So I am thinking of getting sheep, the exterior fences are all fenced for sheep, I dont intend to lamb them. I have heard people buying lambs and keeping them for a year or so and selling them in lamb. Basically I am open to any ideas to suit my circumstances, I know sheep are work but what is the most low maintenance route to go. Any advice would be great.

Dinzee Conlee

FarmerBrowne wrote: »

Like so many I am getting disillusioned with beef farming, am doing runner/light weinling to store currently. Am on heavy enough ground but alot of it is reseeded and with the way the back ends are coming they are ruining the land. Also due to family and work circumstances I dont have alot of time for farming but want to stay at it in some capacity.

So I am thinking of getting sheep, the exterior fences are all fenced for sheep, I dont intend to lamb them. I have heard people buying lambs and keeping them for a year or so and selling them in lamb. Basically I am open to any ideas to suit my circumstances, I know sheep are work but what is the most low maintenance route to go. Any advice would be great.

Do you have any experience of sheep?
If so - did you like working with them? If the answer is no, then don’t bother with them...

Country lad

Just thinking you could buy ewes with lambs March or April and sell them all again end of year not that much work involved and should make a few pounds out of it

davidk1394

Have you an alright handling system for sheep ? The idea of buying sheep and lambs at foot is a good one, but you might have an odd crazy sheep who will cause your life hell

Dickie10

if you dont have adecent set up and very good fencing for sheep it could be hell unless of course your addicted to them.

Siamsa Sessions

Buy a few ewes with lambs at foot in March/April. Buy a few store lambs in August. Sell all as they come fit in October/November.

If you like them and they leave you a few quid, then maybe buy ewe store lambs in August the following year. Ask someone to pick out those with breeding potential and sell them as breeding hoggets the following August. Sell the others in October/November as before.

Start with lowland breeds (Texel and Suffolk crosses or similar). They're bigger sheep and in general they're less likely to jump ditches and cause you grief. Easier to handle in the yard too

Main thing is to buy something and give it a go. You'll find out fairly fast then if you like them or if there's a few quid out of them.

Hard Knocks

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Buy a few ewes with lambs at foot in March/April. Buy a few store lambs in August. Sell all as they come fit in October/November.

If you like them and they leave you a few quid, then maybe buy ewe store lambs in August the following year. Ask someone to pick out those with breeding potential and sell them as breeding hoggets the following August. Sell the others in October/November as before.

Start with lowland breeds (Texel and Suffolk crosses or similar). They're bigger sheep and in general they're less likely to jump ditches and cause you grief. Easier to handle in the yard too

Main thing is to buy something and give it a go. You'll find out fairly fast then if you like them or if there's a few quid out of them.

Also start with smallish numbers, lots to be learned

ganmo

You've got plenty of options.
Store lambs from late summer on and sell to the factory
Ewe lambs September time and sell as hoggets the year after.
Cull ewes around lambing time and weaning selling to the factory

Albert Johnson

ganmo wrote: »

You've got plenty of options.
Store lambs from late summer on and sell to the factory
Ewe lambs September time and sell as hoggets the year after.
Cull ewes around lambing time and weaning selling to the factory

I think the store lamb job would be the most trouble free and successful option for the OP. If you buy good quality lambs at a reasonable price then they should thrive well with minimal management over winter. The issue of land type may be the biggest barrier as if it's only average quality then meal feeding may be required to finish lambs. I'd recommend buying lowland type store ram lambs in August/September with an aim to slaughter in April. If your well set-up with fencing and handling facilities there's often better value in horned lambs but there harder handled and contained. Get the lambs shorn after purchase and keep them​ dosed as required and it's only basis herding until drafting time. A big benefit of only overwintering sheep compared to keeping them year round is a minimal risk of fly strike which can be a huge problem particularly for those new to sheep.

The ewe hogget job is over subscribed imo and the demand isn't there for average type hogget's in the back end. I see it every year that average hogget's are worth as much to kill in April/May as they are in breeding sales the following September/October. There's usually too much of a premium on ewe lambs to buy for store's as some lads think every ewe lamb will make a ewe. You need to buy real good lambs and make a great job of them to excel in the ewe hogget game but there's lots of money and time involved.

As for buying ewes with lambs at foot there also a bigger commitment imo. It's hard to buy value in ewes and lambs and often times it's the trouble makers or general "dodges" that are sold at this time. You definitely need to be able to finish everything off farm in this system, buying to go back to the store ring is an almost surefire way of loosing money imo. You'd want to be well set-up as regards fencing and handling facilities. Unless you can buy a bundle of ewe's off someone then you'll probably end up with a mixed bag and several different groups that require different management.

FarmerBrowne

Really appreciate all the replies, some food for thought here.

BogBoy84

Hi folks,

Similar question to OP. There is roughly 7ac of land idle at home, fenced for sheep and have handling facilities. I have experience working with sheep, but know very little about the different systems, when to buy/sell etc.

Would buying ram or ewe lambs now and selling at 44kg be a good option? Or which is the best way to go?

Many thanks in advance

Westernrock

A big problem with store lambs or cull ewes is that you will be heaviest stocked when grass is least available. You will probably need a mix of stock if store lambs is your main aim. Perhaps aged horned ewes off the hill in August/September to run with a ram and kill the following year would leave you some stock for the summer months. They won’t be for everyone but are a good starting point to learn as they will be cheap to buy and if managed correct can have very little problems and leave a good few pound. One in 3-5 years you could get a batch that will have a lot of problems...