Going into sheep

[James169]

I'm just doing a business plan for a farmer who is going into share farming sheep. I think the arrangement will be. Farmer suoplies the land share farmer provides the labour and split the cost of the stock 50/50. Then profits split down the middle. First question. Is this the way to go?

Second question. Excluding time and rent of land what rough cost would you put against a sheep per day to keep?

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[CopperBeech]

A lot of people going into sheep after this year's prices.......

Usual crap.

 

[James169]

The farmer had rented the land out previous. Tenants retired I beleive so makes sense to buy something to put on the 135 acres?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I think the arrangement will be. Farmer suoplies the land share farmer provides the labour and split the cost of the stock 50/50. Then profits split down the middle.

Will there be any...

 

[CopperBeech]

Aye I expect so, I'm just being a miserable git lol.

A lot of folk going into sheep or raising numbers, so combining that with the super markets dislike of getting burnt two years running, makes me think it will be low prices next year!

However - to your questions - yep, ordinarily land vs labour. Need to think about equipment also.

Many places it's land and stock vs labour and equipment and maybe small percentage of stock.

Then inputs split down middle and same with returns.

Sometimes option for labour provider to build equity in stock rather than take total draw of profit share.

Re costs - hugely dependant on system, sheep type, area etc

 

[James169]

Thanks that reply was a lot more helpful.
I don't think there going to have 1000's of sheep. Maybe 300/400 I beleive the farmer has 100 already so basic equipment is there stock trailor ect. The sheep will be a mixture between muels and Suffol x's
I'd got in my head 8/9 pence per day per sheep or is that miles out?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Thanks that reply was a lot more helpful.
I don't think there going to have 1000's of sheep. Maybe 300/400 I beleive the farmer has 100 already so basic equipment is there stock trailor ect. The sheep will be a mixture between muels and Suffol x's
I'd got in my head 8/9 pence per day per sheep or is that miles out?

I think that's a little low. When I winter stock I charge 75p per head per week (or just over 10p per day). That includes land rent, labour, equipment.

But it excludes meds and additional feed (if required). Then there is transport and the like on top of that.

 

[CopperBeech]

When lambing? Indoor or out? Hard feed etc used? Probably not miles off with your sums for some systems but could be fairly far for others. You're saying around 30 a year to keep a ewe which is pretty close to what a lot of contract shepherds charge.

 

[harperfarmer]

A lot of people going into sheep after this year's prices.......

Usual crap.

That's why I'm halving numbers.

 

[CopperBeech]

I think that's a little low. When I winter stock I charge 75p per head per week (or just over 10p per day). That includes land rent, labour, equipment.

But it excludes meds and additional feed (if required). Then there is transport and the like on top of that.

Lad says not inclusive of land or labour.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Lad says not inclusive of land or labour.

I'm a bit hot and didn't read poperly....

Excluding labour and land?? So that will be just meds, additional feed, transport and losses then?

 

[CopperBeech]

It's way too hot!

Yer and some equipment, water, electric, sundries, scanning, shearing etx etc

 

[James169]

I think the plan is to lamb 150 odd indoor middle to late Feb and then lamb the others 250 odd (depending on final numbers out side. So there will be additional concentrates to be fed early on. Then try and achieve as much from grass as we can.

 

[It was already broken.]

Why split the flock to lamb with such small numbers? I would think lambing 400 across 12 weeks is a right pain. Either lamb inside and chuck feed at the lambs to get them away in June/July or lamb outside and let the grass grow into them. Either way is fine in my opinion but a bit of both sounds like hard work.

 

[neilo]

Why split the flock to lamb with such small numbers? I would think lambing 400 across 12 weeks is a right pain. Either lamb inside and chuck feed at the lambs to get them away in June/July or lamb outside and let the grass grow into them. Either way is fine in my opinion but a bit of both sounds like hard work.

Only got buildings for lambing the existing 100 or so ewes perhaps?

If so, yes it's more work, but a sponged mob early would make good use of the buildings without a long lambing period (although I'd go earlier than Feb in that case). I'd also keep them in, rather than try to run ewes and lambs outside, at the expense of feed to an outdoor lambing group in April.

 

[Jerry]

I may be missing some info but surely a lot depends on location and ground.

I lamb outside in Feb, to Char tups, but then again I live in the land of milk and honey as far as @neilo says.

Little hard feed for the ewes pre lambing and normally get a flush if grass March onwards.

 

[MF 135 Man]

Thanks that reply was a lot more helpful.
I don't think there going to have 1000's of sheep. Maybe 300/400 I beleive the farmer has 100 already so basic equipment is there stock trailor ect. The sheep will be a mixture between muels and Suffol x's
I'd got in my head 8/9 pence per day per sheep or is that miles out?

I dont know how labour intensive they want to be, judging by there selection of ewes i guess quite high if not careful.

If starting from fresh, i strongly suggest looking in to the ewe choice a lot further, this is going to dictate the amount of labor required. And will also dictate if there is a profit.

If it was me knowing what i know now id be looking at Exlanas ewes with and Charolais tup (Maybe ) for the indoor lambers, If you source the ewes correctly you going to have a very low maintenance ewe with a fast growing lamb- this is just my theory I remember reading that @Tim W was trying it a few years ago.

Any way doesn't answer any of your questions but the wrong sheep take a lot of looking after.