sheep&cows&stuff
Member
Without going too much into detail, for many years I have spent the autumn buying in breeding sheep. From ewe lambs to broken mouth ewes, any that I could find at 'good' money I bought, tipped & sold with lambs at foot. I also buy in a number of springing ewes, and sell with lambs at foot.
All together lambing around 200 & selling as outfits, It should be noted that the reason I do not fatten any lambs is that I don't currently have the acreage to do so, and I can use winter grazing and housing to tip, lamb and sell the number that I currently do.
HOWEVER, it is becoming increasingly hard to buy genuine aged sheep. Not even aged, but 3 or 4 year old ewes. This year I lambed 20 early ewes at xmas, all of which were bought in. Out of that 20 I had the following:
1 x ewe that had rotten lambs and subsequently died
2 x ewes with feline both sides (no milk)
1 x ewe who had 3 lambs and no milk.
2 x ewes that battered the lambs.
My point being, that I can no longer put up with other peoples scrap - on which my system worked for so long.
I know I could buy 'breeding sheep' but then we are into too much money & the profit wouldn't be there.
So, after much deliberation I think I have come up with a system which might just work for me, can you give me your feedback please? See below...
YEAR 1
Buy in 50 x breeding ewe lambs. (Pick out of fat lamb lots approx. £75) Mainly suff/texel sheep crossed. I will try to pick out fancy headed ones.
50 x £75 = £3750
Put to char and beltex rams. Lets say 75% of them turn out in lamb as ewe lambs. (38 out of 50) and they scan at 150% (57 lambs). Lets say I keep 55 of them living to weaning.
55 £70 ( hopefully get them away at £70) = £3850.
Note: Original cost of sheep should nearly be covered - expenses.
YEAR 2
Put the original 50 hoggets to rams. Texel this time. Lets say its a bad year and only 45 turn out in lamb, but lets be optimistic and say they are in lamb at 200%.
45 x £190 (should have no problem getting that for a smart ewe and two lambs) = £8550
5 x £70 (fat ewe price bottom line) = £350
Grand total of $ 8900.
Total income for years 1 & 2 = £12,750.
Ok so now for the expenses.
Original cost : £3750
Cost of keep ( £20 per ewe per year) : £2000
Cost of meal for the first years fat lambs : £825
Total cost : £6575.
Income - cost : £12750 - £6575 =£6175 approx. profit over two years from the 50 sheep.Approx £61.75 profit per original sheep per year.
The beauty of this is that because this plan cycles every two years, I will buy in 50 each year and have two cycles running simultaneously at any time. Should have enough grazing as there will only be 100 ewes to keep on home ground from august - October.
Peoples thoughts?
All together lambing around 200 & selling as outfits, It should be noted that the reason I do not fatten any lambs is that I don't currently have the acreage to do so, and I can use winter grazing and housing to tip, lamb and sell the number that I currently do.
HOWEVER, it is becoming increasingly hard to buy genuine aged sheep. Not even aged, but 3 or 4 year old ewes. This year I lambed 20 early ewes at xmas, all of which were bought in. Out of that 20 I had the following:
1 x ewe that had rotten lambs and subsequently died
2 x ewes with feline both sides (no milk)
1 x ewe who had 3 lambs and no milk.
2 x ewes that battered the lambs.
My point being, that I can no longer put up with other peoples scrap - on which my system worked for so long.
I know I could buy 'breeding sheep' but then we are into too much money & the profit wouldn't be there.
So, after much deliberation I think I have come up with a system which might just work for me, can you give me your feedback please? See below...
YEAR 1
Buy in 50 x breeding ewe lambs. (Pick out of fat lamb lots approx. £75) Mainly suff/texel sheep crossed. I will try to pick out fancy headed ones.
50 x £75 = £3750
Put to char and beltex rams. Lets say 75% of them turn out in lamb as ewe lambs. (38 out of 50) and they scan at 150% (57 lambs). Lets say I keep 55 of them living to weaning.
55 £70 ( hopefully get them away at £70) = £3850.
Note: Original cost of sheep should nearly be covered - expenses.
YEAR 2
Put the original 50 hoggets to rams. Texel this time. Lets say its a bad year and only 45 turn out in lamb, but lets be optimistic and say they are in lamb at 200%.
45 x £190 (should have no problem getting that for a smart ewe and two lambs) = £8550
5 x £70 (fat ewe price bottom line) = £350
Grand total of $ 8900.
Total income for years 1 & 2 = £12,750.
Ok so now for the expenses.
Original cost : £3750
Cost of keep ( £20 per ewe per year) : £2000
Cost of meal for the first years fat lambs : £825
Total cost : £6575.
Income - cost : £12750 - £6575 =£6175 approx. profit over two years from the 50 sheep.Approx £61.75 profit per original sheep per year.
The beauty of this is that because this plan cycles every two years, I will buy in 50 each year and have two cycles running simultaneously at any time. Should have enough grazing as there will only be 100 ewes to keep on home ground from august - October.
Peoples thoughts?
