200 acre sheep venture

[irish dom]

When in the spring would you get on the ground? Do you have decent capital to outlay buying more stock? (don't go into figures, that's personal )

Going by the last few years (here at least - maybe isn't applicable to your area) there's 'bargains' to be had at in-lamb sales in February... if you could run extra on your other land then ship them onto the new block ASAP - or even better, get onto the new ground before lambing. That could be the cheapest way forward... even if they are all triplets just lift 1 let them all go as twins.
I've been kicking myself since February - £80 for reg aged Easycares carrying triplets at Longtown. Should've just bought them and worried about it later.


Come the autumn buy draft hill ewes to top up numbers - cheaper than ewe lambs and will give you a better return. Less work, too, as they'll know what they are doing

I am fit to drive on the plan once the bank manager approves.
I like the idea of buying in lamb ewes . Just getting quantity/quality is problem.

 

[irish dom]

While at Newcastle west show this summer, I spoke to a boy n he said there was hardly a ewe in the area, all beef and dairy !

That's true they are very rare but I always seem to find them!

 

[Woolless]

While at Newcastle west show this summer, I spoke to a boy n he said there was hardly a ewe in the area, all beef and dairy !

Plenty of winter grass, maybe?

 

[Bill dog]

The guy I spoke to owned the farm where the show was being held. He said it was more to do with the small fields , and most surrounded by banks and drains ( ditches). Cattle are easy to graze behind a single hot wire, but sheep get caught in the blackthorn, briars, fall in the drains etc . Good country for cattle, and hunting, but hard work for sheep
!

 

[GTB]

I'm pleased (and envious) that you have a stable business environment - it's a useful opportunity, and I wish you all the best.

My wife Julie may have a similar opportunity coming up, and she will have to turn it down because of the reasons you cite: it's difficult to see how she can justify ponying up the rent, and retaining all her ewe lambs to double her flock when the UK government is determined to leave both CU and SM.

Yeah but someone else will have it and 99% chance they'll make a go of it and you'll be kicking yourself.

 

[Walterp]

Yeah but someone else will have it and 99% chance they'll make a go of it and you'll be kicking yourself.

Actually, no.

When down to sheep it did not work (poor fencing and no facilities) and when down to dairy it also did not work (bTB - fancy losing half your heifers in one fell swoop?).

It will either be on my terms, or someone else is welcome to it.

'Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.'

 

[Razor8]

I have been asked if I would be interested in a local estate to lease. I am currently grazing it for the winter off previous tenant who is cutting back. Good land and more importantly completely ring fenced recently. I currently run 400 ewes on other leased blocks after starting with nothing 5 years ago. I have a contracting business that keeps the wheels on.
I am 30 years old and keen to farm in a substantial way. My question is how would people suggest is the best way to stock 200 acres of land coming on stream this spring? I was thinking ewes and lambs. Kill all dodgy ewes at end of summer and replace with good ewe lambs. Then run maternal team of rams until I get what I want in my flock. Suggestions please

Work full time and dream of getting a place like that.

I would buy old lanark/swale ewes off the hill and cross them with a blue and you’ll have quality replacements to start off with

 

[Tim W]

There's 490 acres grass going close to me and they seem to be struggling to find folk to have a go----mostly due to lack of confidence in future markets /inability to plan very far ahead
More of it to come in the short term i think

 

[GTB]

A relative of a good friend of mine took on numerous farms on rent and bought during the depression in the thirties. I don't know how he funded it and no doubt it could have gone seriously pear shaped but he got those places dirt cheap and never looked back.

 

[irish dom]

Work full time and dream of getting a place like that.

I would buy old lanark/swale ewes off the hill and cross them with a blue and you’ll have quality replacements to start off with

I know where you are coming from and I have done that in the past but when it comes down to it I can buy mule ewe lambs cheaper than I can breed them. I had a shocking unlucky run with broken mouth ewes and blue rams though. The horned ewes seemed to die when they got kindness. And of course I got more wether than I thought was possible. If I could get straight genuine hungry crossbred ewes and put a good belclare on them it would be my ideal ewe. Cull value and weaning percentage makes them a better bet IMO.

 

[irish dom]

Work full time and dream of getting a place like that.

I would buy old lanark/swale ewes off the hill and cross them with a blue and you’ll have quality replacements to start off with

I know where you are coming from and I have done that in the past but when it comes down to it I can buy mule ewe lambs cheaper than I can breed them. I had a shocking unlucky run with broken mouth ewes and blue rams though. The horned ewes seemed to die when they got kindness. And of course I got more wether than I thought was possible. If I could get straight genuine hungry crossbred ewes and put a good belclare on them it would be my ideal ewe. Cull value and weaning percentage makes them a better bet IMO.

 

[irish dom]

Work full time and dream of getting a place like that.

I would buy old lanark/swale ewes off the hill and cross them with a blue and you’ll have quality replacements to start off with

I know where you are coming from and I have done that in the past but when it comes down to it I can buy mule ewe lambs cheaper than I can breed them. I had a shocking unlucky run with broken mouth ewes and blue rams though. The horned ewes seemed to die when they got kindness. And of course I got more wether than I thought was possible. If I could get straight genuine hungry crossbred ewes and put a good belclare on them it would be my ideal ewe. Cull value and weaning percentage makes them a better bet IMO.

 

[Bones]

I have been asked if I would be interested in a local estate to lease. I am currently grazing it for the winter off previous tenant who is cutting back. Good land and more importantly completely ring fenced recently. I currently run 400 ewes on other leased blocks after starting with nothing 5 years ago. I have a contracting business that keeps the wheels on.
I am 30 years old and keen to farm in a substantial way. My question is how would people suggest is the best way to stock 200 acres of land coming on stream this spring? I was thinking ewes and lambs. Kill all dodgy ewes at end of summer and replace with good ewe lambs. Then run maternal team of rams until I get what I want in my flock. Suggestions please

Your right to give it a go, but you'll never be as rich as you were 5 years ago.

 

[GTB]

Actually, no.

When down to sheep it did not work (poor fencing and no facilities) and when down to dairy it also did not work (bTB - fancy losing half your heifers in one fell swoop?).

It will either be on my terms, or someone else is welcome to it.

'Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.'

Obviously the sums would need to add up but from your first post you gave the impression you wouldn't touch it with a barge pole because of the impending doom and gloom. A younger person with some guts and determination will make it work . Maybe you just aren't 'hungry' enough for it. I know I'm not looking for any more work atm unless something on my doorstep happened to fall into my lap.

 

[Henarar]

Obviously the sums would need to add up but from your first post you gave the impression you wouldn't touch it with a barge pole because of the impending doom and gloom. A younger person with some guts and determination will make it work . Maybe you just aren't 'hungry' enough for it. I know I'm not looking for any more work atm unless something on my doorstep happened to fall into my lap.

there won't be any doom and gloom, there is still time in the EU yet and then there will most likely some transitional agreement then there will be a free trade deal with the EU
If I thought buying Ewes to go on ring fenced rented land was a good idea and added up and it was what I wanted to do Brexit wouldn't stop me

 

[Henarar]

I have been asked if I would be interested in a local estate to lease. I am currently grazing it for the winter off previous tenant who is cutting back. Good land and more importantly completely ring fenced recently.

if the numbers add up at the rent you have to pay and its what you want to do then go for it and good luck to you

 

[Jackov Altraids]

The lamb job will correct itself,production will fall in this instance.

It will adjust to a sustainable level eventually,just got to ride it out.

There will be no NZ lamb for starters as it will become uneconomic to import it.

Who says we have one of the highest cost beef production systems?

All I see recently is a shift to large ultra efficient finishing farms.

You have to remember we have a large population on our doorstep.

Currency,currency and currency......the elephant in the room.

I like your post but highlighted the problem.
I'm afraid that's what we all seem to think and therefore it doesn't work.

 

[rancher]

I know where you are coming from and I have done that in the past but when it comes down to it I can buy mule ewe lambs cheaper than I can breed them. I had a shocking unlucky run with broken mouth ewes and blue rams though. The horned ewes seemed to die when they got kindness. And of course I got more wether than I thought was possible. If I could get straight genuine hungry crossbred ewes and put a good belclare on them it would be my ideal ewe. Cull value and weaning percentage makes them a better bet IMO.

it's surprising that some dairy farmer isn't sniffing around if it's 200 acres in one block, best f luck with it anyway

 

[irish dom]

if the numbers add up at the rent you have to pay and its what you want to do then go for it and good luck to you

The way it is atm it would require 2 tough years getting it settled and then it will be standard management with a decent return for my time. I am not afraid of work and it's what I really want to do. I have a good credit rating and track record so I am gonna give it a last if I can secure funding

 

[irish dom]

it's surprising that some dairy farmer isn't sniffing around if it's 200 acres in one block, best f luck with it anyway

It would need a lot of work to bring it into dairy land. If they did come looking you can forget about it. Them boys are he'll bent on expansion. Hope it's all worth it for them