Is it worth fattening store lambs on forage rape?

[neilo]

Jesus how is that even possible

@Al R doesn’t have a winter down there.

 

[Hereford21]

Buying lambs only works if they are bought right and you have the ability for a contingency plan if the trade tanks just as you come ready too sell…. Nothing worse than knowing full well that you are having too sell lambs £5 below target because you’ve run out of fodder for the buggers. Bought right, fed right, done right and hitting the market with just the right goods (when someone insists weight pays, remind them about this spring ) store lambs pay nicely. Won’t make a fortune but it’s a nice touch.

I suppose buying them in is just hassle, bringing in new disease etc and I'm not that experienced with market trends so think we will just fatten our own lambs on it or else rent it out, depending on how much grass we have

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I suppose buying them in is just hassle, bringing in new disease etc and I'm not that experienced with market trends so think we will just fatten our own lambs on it or else rent it out, depending on how much grass we have

If it’s away from your other stock renting out could definitely be a plan. Just make certain, doubly certain and triply certain the tack man is genuine and not going too have you over.
If it’s close too your sheep I’d do my best too stock it with your own sheep. You don’t need some numpty dropping 200 lambs next too you that start itching a fortnight later…

 

[Al R]

Jesus how is that even possible

.75acre fence lines, as @neilo says I don’t get frosts or snow. Feed haylage ad lib too. Due to field sizes I run 100-120 per field.

This year I had a crop sown after WB of turnips which was more than halved in November due to winds and a 20 acre block did 170 twins and triplets 38 days, the bottom wire didn’t even touch the crop.

The ultra keen ones on beet will be fencing a few rows per day and can get a lot higher stocking rates but beet has a lot more feed per acre

 

[DanM]

I suppose buying them in is just hassle, bringing in new disease etc and I'm not that experienced with market trends so think we will just fatten our own lambs on it or else rent it out, depending on how much grass we have

Id be interested if your in Herefordshire/Shropshire/Worcestershire area. High health status sheep from a closed flock

 

[Hereford21]

Id be interested if your in Herefordshire/Shropshire/Worcestershire area. High health status sheep from a closed flock

Sorry we are in Ayrshire in Scotland

 

[Al R]

Sorry we are in Ayrshire in Scotland

I’m sure all of us on here saw the Hereford in your name and assumed in Herefordshire

 

[Hilly]

I’m sure all of us on here saw the Hereford in your name and assumed in Herefordshire

You know what they say about assumption dont you

 

[Al R]

You know what they say about assumption dont you

ASS-U-ME

 

[Mc115reed]

Buying lambs only works if they are bought right and you have the ability for a contingency plan if the trade tanks just as you come ready too sell…. Nothing worse than knowing full well that you are having too sell lambs £5 below target because you’ve run out of fodder for the buggers. Bought right, fed right, done right and hitting the market with just the right goods (when someone insists weight pays, remind them about this spring ) store lambs pay nicely. Won’t make a fortune but it’s a nice touch.

The best stores are bought for £40 out of the highlands aren’t they ? Then sold for £150 a pop

 

[Hereford21]

I’m sure all of us on here saw the Hereford in your name and assumed in Herefordshire

No just like the breed!

 

[Anymulewilldo]

The best stores are bought for £40 out of the highlands aren’t they ? Then sold for £150 a pop

I’m going too get you a picture of what’s left… that will shut you lot up. A lot of shite that all takes the profit off the good ones.

 

[ploughman1963]

I’m surprised that everyone is talking about spring barley following the rape turnips then autumn reseed. I’d be looking to undersow the spring barley and be having a cut off the grass in the autumn .

 

[AftonShepherd]

Sorry we are in Ayrshire in Scotland

Not sure where in Ayrshire you are, but I sowed forage rape mid-July after a one cut silage crop last year and didn't get a huge crop so not sure how you'd do after WB. Looked well but didn't last lambs as long as I'd budgeted for. We sell store though and normally aim for the post-Christmas jump whereas last year trade was good right through.

 

[Mc115reed]

I’m going too get you a picture of what’s left… that will shut you lot up. A lot of shite that all takes the profit off the good ones.

I thought the ones at the end were where the profit was ?!

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I thought the ones at the end were where the profit was ?!

The very end are the profit takers…

 

[Mc115reed]

The very end are the profit takers…

Your just a glass half empty kinda guy

 

[Hereford21]

Not sure where in Ayrshire you are, but I sowed forage rape mid-July after a one cut silage crop last year and didn't get a huge crop so not sure how you'd do after WB. Looked well but didn't last lambs as long as I'd budgeted for. We sell store though and normally aim for the post-Christmas jump whereas last year trade was good right through.

Thank you, will keep that in mind!

 

[Happy]

Been growing May sown stubble turnip/rape mix for lambs past few years.
Have never found them to do that well on it. Takes them a good 2-3 weeks to start ”doing” on it by which time they’ve eaten a fair bit with most needing finishing pellets in addition to the rape to get them fat.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Last year we harvested spring barley in a 20 acre field then moved straight to winter barley in the same field. After the winter barley harvest this year we want to rotate the barley to a different silage field and grow grass on it again, but my dad mentioned growing forage rape on this field before grass, then potentially buying lambs in and fattening them over winter on it? Would that be worth doing money wise or is it risky with market prices? My dad passed away recently and I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on this because I'm not sure what to do.

Just grass it down after Winter Barley , you can put half a kg of rape in that if you have some stock yourself , I've tried growing to tack out , be supprised if it gets any where near covering your costs