contract-rear replacement ewe lambs

razor8

just seen this on agriland

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/roscommon-farmers-replacement-ewe-lambs-contract-reared/

how much per head would be needed paid to satisfy both farmers??

topofthewind

I suppose a few details would need to be worked out in advance such as losses, vaccinations, shearing, dosing, vet fees and meal/fodder.

Im thinking that if the contractor carried the can for all of those then €60 a head might make it worthwhile for both parties?

148multi

Would any lad buying ewes lambs and selling as hoggets clear €60.

topofthewind

I think he wouldn’t have a chance of clearing €60 a head. The expenses of losses, shearing, dosing, vet fees, meal/fodder and other miscellaneous (transport, fence maintenance, drainage, hedge cutting, fertilizer, lime, sprays, machinery maintenance, diesel etc) would severely eat into the €60.

Woudn’t be much pay for all the labour or return for the use of the land out of the €60 in my opinion so not a great deal for the contractor.

J.O. Farmer

Would €60 cover feed for the year with meal over €12, silage probably over €30, and fertiliser €50 a bag.

It'd want to be a low stocking rate for €60 to do it.

I think It'd be hard to pay either man for contract reared ewe lambs. You'd sell ewe lambs and buy back as hoggetts cheaper.

razor8

Personally I think it’s a no brainer to lamb ewe lambs but it does take good management

if you have a good flock of replacements that are performance recorded I would fancy to option of selling & buying in hoggets that’s a pot luck game