Making a living from sheep

[unlacedgecko]

Red tape rarely gets cut out ever , once it’s upon us it’s their fir ever.

it feeds to many useless mouths

 

[Hilly]

it feeds to many useless mouths

Correct.

 

[unlacedgecko]

.

Personally, i think we've bigger fish to fry than navel gazing about whether sheep pay in the UK , as the great and the good realise we're already part of their solution (carbon woes et al), rather than the problem.

I predict that, as with subs, any payments or profits along these lines will ultimately be channelled to the landowner.

 

[egbert]

I predict that, as with subs, any payments or profits along these lines will ultimately be channelled to the landowner.

It's a problem the great and the good are well aware of.
Whether future schemes address it remain to be seen (you can be sure that unseen silky soft smooth unblistered hands with no shite under their nails... are gently nudging for the status quo in this matter)
If it doesn't improve, and it bothers you...buy land.

 

[unlacedgecko]

It's a problem the great and the good are well aware of.
Whether future schemes address it remain to be seen (you can be sure that unseen silky soft smooth unblistered hands with no shite under their nails... are gently nudging for the status quo in this matter)
If it doesn't improve, and it bothers you...buy land.

No in the UK. The annual yield is rubbish, I can think of much better asset classes.

When I do buy land it will be somewhere where the purchase price is still tied to the productive potential.

 

[texas pete]

No in the UK. The annual yield is rubbish, I can think of much better asset classes.

When I do buy land it will be somewhere where the purchase price is still tied to the productive potential.

You're right, to a point, however, good grade 1 land in the fens makes a fair bit more than rough hill grazing, so there must still be a link.

 

[Boso]

I do not have:
- a barn
- land of my own except for 3 acres next to the house
- a 4wd tractor
- extensive collection of attachments to use on my tractor
- permanent fencing
- use 0 npk/fertiliser

I do have an old 1972, 70hp tractor and old 6x2m livestock wagon, 15 flexinets, few energisers.
I use hardly any bought in feed be it cake, grain, hay or silage.
I move the ewes every day or every other Day. Use very little dewormer or other meds.
Lambing outside.
Lambing percentage is around 180% this includes ewe lambs.
Lambs sell for €75-85 on average. All sold to a butcher no box scheme.

Flock consists of aseasonal shedders and something like an aseasonal shetland without the escapist attitude.
As a terminal ram I use Charmoise, Dutch Texel/beltex and a rouge tex.

I'm able to pay myself € 28 per hour. My goal is to get to €40. Mainly need more ewes to reach that since my infrastructure allows for more without substantial additional Investments. I run around 100 ewes atm. Would like to grow to 250. Getting the lambing percentage a tiny bit higher and having the lambs finished when demand is high can be optimised.

I have not applied for any subsidies for my ewes. I might so in 2021. That would add €23 per ewe.

Biggest expences are the tractor at around €1250 per year and the deconstructor €500 (Who picks up dead sheep ) due to selecting quite hard.

Land is very marginal. I do not pay for land, no rent, 0.

 

[Sheeponfire]

The unsubsidized southern hemisphere is currently enjoying record sheep meat prices.

Prime lamb is making millionaires in Australia.

You should go there then

 

[holywell farmer]

I think the average farm according to Cambridge university was 250 ewes and 30 sucklers. I don't expect many of the most work off the farm.

Often smaller sheep farms will run with minimal labour