contract rearing ewe lambs

[mr grumpy]

Does anyone no if contract rearing ewe lambs would work, as in the same way people contract rear heifers?

 

[Beef farmer]

£

 

[mr grumpy]

Well I'm not sure, if I was to take them from weaning and keep them untill either just after scanning if they went to ram as ewe lambs or keep them untill in lamb 2 tooth's, surly the best and fair way would be paying by kg would it

 

[Johnny400]

I know of it being done through innovis. Dont know what ££ are involved tho.

 

[neilo]

IIRC someone was putting feelers out on here about the same idea 6-12 months ago. Can't remember who and never heard any more about it, but might be a go'er for a large flock on limited/expensive acreage, depending on £'s of course.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Does anyone no if contract rearing ewe lambs would work, as in the same way people contract rear heifers?

sounds like putting them out to keep.if it was checking dailly and move fields periodically, and just providing grass and fence -thats one thing ...and i dont mean any disrespect - but we like to do all our own handling injecting ,drenching,health checks /probs etc-

 

[unlacedgecko]

IIRC someone was putting feelers out on here about the same idea 6-12 months ago. Can't remember who and never heard any more about it, but might be a go'er for a large flock on limited/expensive acreage, depending on £'s of course.

That was me. Didn't quite work out in the end as I couldn't get enough year round grazing. Doing tack sheep instead.

Still hoping to do some contract rearing once I get the right grazing opportunity. It's just a matter of time as I'm always looking...

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

I put out ewe lambs on an annual basis, normally leaving in September and returning a year later. Some not until the a year the following spring ready for lambing.

A number of farmers who used to have their own sheep quite like this arrangement. There are two ways that we operate this system, either what is a keep or tack basis for those that do not have the capital to buy sheep or others who buy the lambs with a guaranteed buy back at the end.
If they do them well and keep the losses low both systems can be beneficial to the grazier. It also means that we keep no dry sheep on the farm at all.

Obviously summer grazing is worth a lot less per head per week than winter and we keep an eye on those that are out on keep as we will still drench, crutch shear etc. Or alternatively if the keeper is prepared to do the work then we will supply medicines etc. There can also be an arrangement over shearing and the wool.

We only send out good breeding sheep that we want as flock replacements, we pick up all the transport costs and they are all wormed and fly treated on leaving our farms.

 

[JohnGalway]

Would it even be a runner given the very different sectors, dairy having a regular milk cheque, but drystock are very different. I'd be thinking along the lines of Bury the Trash.

 

[JD-Kid]

know guys sending hoggets away pay per head /week
grazer dose day to day checking etc
owner dose animal health and shearing
some may have a weight goal for say mateing and final weight paying a extra amount on the animals over X weight

per Kg can work but stock needs to be able to put on good weight's and also it needs to be about the same as a per week or better or why do it if a good finsher

 

[GTB]

IIRC someone was putting feelers out on here about the same idea 6-12 months ago. Can't remember who and never heard any more about it, but might be a go'er for a large flock on limited/expensive acreage, depending on £'s of course.

I think @CopperBeech fancied looking after someone's ewe lambs for a whole year with him getting to keep the lambs???

I'm struggling to see how contract rearing differs from winter tack though.

 

[Wooly]

Appears that there are two ways it is achieved in this area:

• Ewe lambs are 'sold' to the farmer with a guarantee buy back 12 months later at a pre-determined price, where the host farmer takes the risk and does all the work, or
• Ewe lambs are sent out for grazing for 12 months at a price per week, which includes all labour but not vet and med.

At £30 margin for the buy back scheme or 50p/head /week, there should be a low risk margin for the contract rearer,

 

[$Sheep]

Contract rearing vs. Winter tack
The difference as I see it will be a contract will be an agreement that provides an expectation or specification (the small print) and a transfer of risk that the ewes lambs will be returned well cared for and grown out. The provision of winter tack is just the availability or supply of feed. The management of the feed will be the principal difference using a contract to ensure the expected end result is achieved. So a contract will be price paid per kgLW gain less mortality etcetera whereas tack will be headage price per week or day of feeding. I personally would opt for a contract if seeking an outside arrangement to manage the growing out of replacement ewe lambs.

 

[JD-Kid]

Contract rearing vs. Winter tack
The difference as I see it will be a contract will be an agreement that provides an expectation or specification (the small print) and a transfer of risk that the ewes lambs will be returned well cared for and grown out. The provision of winter tack is just the availability or supply of feed. The management of the feed will be the principal difference using a contract to ensure the expected end result is achieved. So a contract will be price paid per kgLW gain less mortality etcetera whereas tack will be headage price per week or day of feeding. I personally would opt for a contract if seeking an outside arrangement to manage the growing out of replacement ewe lambs.

so better than store price a KG gain

 

[unlacedgecko]

I think @CopperBeech fancied looking after someone's ewe lambs for a whole year with him getting to keep the lambs???

I'm struggling to see how contract rearing differs from winter tack though.

That was me. Neilo put me in touch with someone, but I couldn't find the ground to match their specifications. Hopefully next year...

 

[CopperBeech]

I think @CopperBeech fancied looking after someone's ewe lambs for a whole year with him getting to keep the lambs???

I'm struggling to see how contract rearing differs from winter tack though.

Not me. But a friend of mine was.

 

[GTB]

That was me. Neilo put me in touch with someone, but I couldn't find the ground to match their specifications. Hopefully next year...

It wasn't such a bad idea tbh. You could borrow my lambs for 12 months for free if you like. I'd want paying for the dead ones though and they would have to gain over 10kg in that time too.

 

[unlacedgecko]

It wasn't such a bad idea tbh. You could borrow my lambs for 12 months for free if you like. I'd want paying for the dead ones though and they would have to gain over 10kg in that time too.

PM me your mobile number and we will arrange a meeting.

 

[Long Croft Farming]

There's a article in this weeks Farmers Guardian about a Northern Irish lad 'contract managing' ewe lambs

 

[$Sheep]

so better than store price a KG gain

All pricing is generally based upon what is known and relatively easily discovered via saleyards (store and prime) and schedule prices. Using these prices along with knowledge of the return available from other grazing alternatives for example dairy heifers and Friesian bulls allows us to build up a price per kgLW gain so that it is competitive (and hopefully sustainable). I would prefer to be 'locked-in' to a kgLW gain pricing system particularly if the term is relatively long term say 8 - 12 months. This provides price certainty without volatility which is important when wanting to develop a win / win relationship and the cost of production (transparent to both parties) is more known in advance. The key to success is about the return of a 2-tth ewe that will enter the breeding flock in good health and be of a minimum liveweight thereby is fit-for-purpose.