£8000-£10000 Sheep?

[MOG]

Unfortunately this is the way I see sheep farming evolving in the UK.

This is especially true after attending a meeting the other evening of non-farming folk who seem hell bent on removing sheep from the uplands and replacing them with "rewilding" projects to provide recreation, flood prevention, carbon sequestration and other (perceived) public benefits. George Monbiot has a huge amount of support for his ideas and if we continue to stick our heads in the sand I fear the battle will be lost for extensive sheep production in the hills before many farmers even realise there was a fight to be had or compromises to be made

 

[JD-Kid]

Unfortunately this is the way I see sheep farming evolving in the UK.

This is especially true after attending a meeting the other evening of non-farming folk who seem hell bent on removing sheep from the uplands and replacing them with "rewilding" projects to provide recreation, flood prevention, carbon sequestration and other (perceived) public benefits. George Monbiot has a huge amount of support for his ideas and if we continue to stick our heads in the sand I fear the battle will be lost for extensive sheep production in the hills before many farmers even realise there was a fight to be had or compromises to be made

there was a guy feed lotting lambs in NZ buying in stores and feeding them also exported them to germany i think under his own brand
don't know there is quite a free range movement as well and alot of antis are against so called fatory farming so some clever marketing would keep them more free range grazeing animals

 

[reverand]

Unfortunately this is the way I see sheep farming evolving in the UK.

This is especially true after attending a meeting the other evening of non-farming folk who seem hell bent on removing sheep from the uplands and replacing them with "rewilding" projects to provide recreation, flood prevention, carbon sequestration and other (perceived) public benefits. George Monbiot has a huge amount of support for his ideas and if we continue to stick our heads in the sand I fear the battle will be lost for extensive sheep production in the hills before many farmers even realise there was a fight to be had or compromises to be made

What can you do though? We can never produce it cheap enough. It's the eternal question, do you help those that need it or let them go. If the government don't want us there is little we can do.

 

[reverand]

Unfortunately this is the way I see sheep farming evolving in the UK.

This is especially true after attending a meeting the other evening of non-farming folk who seem hell bent on removing sheep from the uplands and replacing them with "rewilding" projects to provide recreation, flood prevention, carbon sequestration and other (perceived) public benefits. George Monbiot has a huge amount of support for his ideas and if we continue to stick our heads in the sand I fear the battle will be lost for extensive sheep production in the hills before many farmers even realise there was a fight to be had or compromises to be made

What can you do though? We can never produce it cheap enough. It's the eternal question, do you help those that need it or let them go. If the government don't want us there is little we can do.

 

[MOG]

My main argument at the moment is that sheep grazing uplands is producing food where little else edible can be grown. By removing them to allow rewilding in order to increase biodiversity in the hills (one of the reasons many want sheep to go), we are destined to import more feed/soya/palm oil etc which is increasingly being produced in the Amazon basin or Indonesia where areas of biodiverse rainforest the size of Wales are being lost annually. We (as a society/species) run the risk of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

My main argument at the moment is that sheep grazing uplands is producing food where little else edible can be grown. By removing them to allow rewilding in order to increase biodiversity in the hills (one of the reasons many want sheep to go), we are destined to import more feed/soya/palm oil etc which is increasingly being produced in the Amazon basin or Indonesia where areas of biodiverse rainforest the size of Wales are being lost annually. We (as a society/species) run the risk of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

Exporting the problem - out of sight out of mind.

 

[Frodo]

Unfortunately this is the way I see sheep farming evolving in the UK.

This is especially true after attending a meeting the other evening of non-farming folk who seem hell bent on removing sheep from the uplands and replacing them with "rewilding" projects to provide recreation, flood prevention, carbon sequestration and other (perceived) public benefits. George Monbiot has a huge amount of support for his ideas and if we continue to stick our heads in the sand I fear the battle will be lost for extensive sheep production in the hills before many farmers even realise there was a fight to be had or compromises to be made

Struck me as an exceptionally expensive system, with only slightly higher production levels than outdoor extensive systems. Seemed based on pig production, with similar costs, except no where near the numbers produced.

 

[farmerm]

you can probably make 8k working part time in mcdonalds with no risk

And pension contributions and paid holidays too....

 

[farmerm]

And pension contributions and paid holidays too....

And your product won't drop dead for no reason, decide to break out onto the road just as you are off out or need assistance lambing at 2am.

 

[JD-Kid]

Exporting the problem - out of sight out of mind.

not the frist time and it's always been a feel good factor IE every one should be doing this even tho we did the same for 100's of years

 

[JD-Kid]

Struck me as an exceptionally expensive system, with only slightly higher production levels than outdoor extensive systems. Seemed based on pig production, with similar costs, except no where near the numbers produced.

totaly agree can only see it being any use for a finshing system based on large turn overs in the 10's of 1000's
1 or 2 lambs a year 19-22 kgs of meat a lamb is not going to float

 

[neilo]

Lots of lambs are produced in feedlots around the world, so it must add up sometimes.

They might well have a good forward contract for a steady year round supply? They were lambing every 8 months and selling 2 lambs per ewe annually, so pretty good reproductive performance. I think I'd be wanting the lambs at heavier weights at 8 weeks weaning though, given the system they were on.

 

[JD-Kid]

Lots of lambs are produced in feedlots around the world, so it must add up sometimes.

They might well have a good forward contract for a steady year round supply? They were lambing every 8 months and selling 2 lambs per ewe annually, so pretty good reproductive performance. I think I'd be wanting the lambs at heavier weights at 8 weeks weaning though, given the system they were on.

all relays on cheep feeds IE Grains or by products if buying in feeds
cut and carry system ummm would have to be close and cheep
alot of the ozzie feed lots just down to no standing feed and cheep grains

 

[Bury the Trash]

That's why I said at least and that's for the £8000 figure, to make a real living without subsidies would take a huge flock 2000 plus.

They would also need to be well productive

 

[Nithsdale]

My main argument at the moment is that sheep grazing uplands is producing food where little else edible can be grown. By removing them to allow rewilding in order to increase biodiversity in the hills (one of the reasons many want sheep to go), we are destined to import more feed/soya/palm oil etc which is increasingly being produced in the Amazon basin or Indonesia where areas of biodiverse rainforest the size of Wales are being lost annually. We (as a society/species) run the risk of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

As many large estates have learned up here... re-wilding the hills by removing the sheep makes them sterile places void of any diverse wildlife.

Due to a lack of sheep management, grouse and other ground nesting birds become ravaged by ticks meaning less successful breeding, and a resulting drop in population numbers.

Most estates are putting sheep back on!!

The biggest problem we have is land agents demanding too high rents, forcing hills to be grazed to the maximum - which hurts the estate shoots... The laird in turn thinks "bad tenants destroying our fun!!!"...