holywell farmer
Member
- Location
- holywell, north wales
in the uk are any sheep farmers with flocks off 15-000 or more, average in the uk seems to be 4-000
Flock Sizes
- Thread starter holywell farmer
- Start date
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Average in the UK would be a lot less that 4000, probably closer to 400 I'd have thought.
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
I think it's even less... IIRC the last time stats/figures were published the average flock size was 250-300.
But, a handful of flocks at 10-15 sheep will fairly pull the figures down.
I know of one 'farm' with 10,000 ewes. And knew someone, now deceased, who supposedly had 8-9,000 ewes. After that you are talking large estates who's total ewe numbers may well be 20,000+ but each farm will be run as separate flocks of only 1-2,000...
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
I'd say 4K ewes would be up there with the biggest flocks in the uk
- Location
- Ceredigion, wales
Within ten miles of here there would only be two farms with three or four thousand ewes back in the headage payment era. I doubt they have a thousand each now. I can think of about half a dozen places with two thousand ish now but couldn't name anyone with significantly more.
i did start counting but fell asleep
holywell farmer
Member
- Location
- holywell, north wales
There fair few in north wales in mountains with flocks of 3-000 or more
- Location
- Leicestershire
Biggest flock of breeding ewes around me is less than 2k, know of a few people who buy lots of stores but not sure if that counts.
It was already broken.
Member
- Location
- South Norfolk
There were 34,583 holdings in England with breeding ewes in 2015. 13,108 in Wales, 12,714 in Scotland and 8,844 in N Ireland. In England 10% have more than 500 ewes. Wales 9% more than 1000 ewes. Scotland 4% more than 1000 and NI 2% more than 500. In NI 66% of flocks have less than 100 ewes. All from UK Sheep Yearbook 2016 which arrived free from AHDB. Who said they waste your levy.
There is actually a load of really interesting stats in it!
There is actually a load of really interesting stats in it!
Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
Average 4000? No chance.
More like 300!
There are hundreds and hundreds, probably thousands of flocks of 50 -500 ewes!
Not that many people running 3000 plus as one flock.
A tiny handful running anywhere near 10,000.
More like 300!
There are hundreds and hundreds, probably thousands of flocks of 50 -500 ewes!
Not that many people running 3000 plus as one flock.
A tiny handful running anywhere near 10,000.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
Poor buggers.
I know! We started off trying to work out how we could run the largest number of sheep possible.
Now.... We are trying to work out how to make a good living while running the smallest number of sheep possible!!!
holywell farmer
Member
- Location
- holywell, north wales
Thing is over 5-000 sheep is lot time spent checking and feeding them,
Well im hoping to go up to 1800 to 2000 ewes and manage that number mostly by myself, i think keeping anymore and employing a full time man would mean all the extra ewes would just about pay the workman
so it would be pointless really... would it?
John100
Member
Yes there are, And no doubt In the 60's-90's you would have seen 10-15,000 on those farms. But its not like that anymore
Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
It's all about set up!
holywell farmer
Member
- Location
- holywell, north wales
Well in 90s on my uncle dairy unit he also ran flock sheep about 100 if that,
- Location
- Ceredigion, wales
The problem in this area is that it's impossible to get enough land locally to run more than say 2000 ewes. You just don't get the big units that are in one block very often. We keep around that figure but on five or six blocks which means a lot of trailering and travelling. I'd give anything to have my current setup within one ring fence.