Numbers of ewes going to the tup

[Guiggs]

So a lot/ most of us will have to put our tups out before "B day"
As such what will you do with your ewe numbers with the uncertainty on the lamb trade next year,
Cut numbers back, carry on as you are or take a gamble and increase after all fortune favours the brave!!

 

[kfpben]

100 more. I was offered 30 acres of parkland grazing FOC back in May so bought a load of gimmers with a single lamb at foot. Fingers crossed!

 

[Ysgythan]

Increasing

 

[unlacedgecko]

I'm expanding.

Aiming to tup 560. Stud flock going to the tup start of October, with commercials going 25 November.

 

[AvonValleyFarmer]

Numbers are going to be up for me.

 

[neilo]

Steadily increasing, as per long term plan, as well as trying to address issues that have been effecting scanning %age. All on the same forage area, which I am striving to increase output on, so basically looking to increase output per acre.

Long term, I think a well run sheep enterprise can work well, especially dovetailed around arable or cattle enterprises. Short term, feck knows, but that’s a potential problem for this year’s lambs, not next (unless it drags on into next year of course).

 

[farmerm]

I think we will all either need to do more or do something else. Probably time to accept that if we are leaving we are leaving on WTO and that will mean at least a 25% in values in the short term. The smart investor would be getting out now.... but then it has been several generations since sheep farming was a smart investment, yet we still muddle on somehow!

 

[Agrivator]

If the worst happens, will there be a backlash against imported meat and meat products from Europe and even boycotts against beef import from Southern Ireland (encouraged by the peculiar uncooperative stance of the Irish PM and his deputy).

Will folk buy more of our own home-produced sheep, beef, dairy and pig products?

 

[Bones]

Increasing, but won't be tupping to well after brexit day,, which in my own opinion won't be happening on the 31st oct anyway,

 

[Bones]

If the worst happens, will there be a backlash against imported meat and meat products from Europe and even boycotts against beef import from Southern Ireland (encouraged by the peculiar uncooperative stance of the Irish PM and his deputy).

Will folk buy more of our own home-produced sheep, beef, dairy and pig products?

folk will be buying cheaper American imports

 

[farmerm]

If the worst happens, will there be a backlash against imported meat and meat products from Europe and even boycotts against beef import from Southern Ireland (encouraged by the peculiar uncooperative stance of the Irish PM and his deputy).

Will folk buy more of our own home-produced sheep, beef, dairy and pig products?

Only if it is the cheapest and it will only be the cheapest if the pound crashes.

 

[Al R]

Tupping 200-250 more than last year, all rams will be in including for ewe lambs by 20th October.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

It is fantastic that so many of you are increasing your numbers. Sheep must be so profitable.

Or will the government scheme remove all of these surplus sheep before they lamb.
I admit it is not logical to reduce numbers until there is some certainty, but increasing numbers of sheep at this time must mean you all have some great outlets at a good price.
Store lambs in this area so far have been a disappointing price with averages for good lambs back to where they were five years ago as are cull ewes. Costs though have increased significantly and high depreciation is back in sheep flocks which is often forgotten until the end of the year.
Buying expensive shearlings to increase numbers looks to be risky!

 

[Ysgythan]

It is fantastic that so many of you are increasing your numbers. Sheep must be so profitable.

Or will the government scheme remove all of these surplus sheep before they lamb.
I admit it is not logical to reduce numbers until there is some certainty, but increasing numbers of sheep at this time must mean you all have some great outlets at a good price.
Store lambs in this area so far have been a disappointing price with averages for good lambs back to where they were five years ago as are cull ewes. Costs though have increased significantly and high depreciation is back in sheep flocks which is often forgotten until the end of the year.
Buying expensive shearlings to increase numbers looks to be risky!

No. I’ve got three times the silage I need this year and could have had more. Everybody else seems to have had a good crop so there’s no market for it. I need something to eat it and make sure I get nowhere near as much next year.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Keeping them the same

 

[spin cycle]

0 - 200....depending on fat lamb trade now to xmas.....reckon if tups go in....the latest i can decide is 5th nov cos thats 1st april

i'm not knocking my head against the wall trying to produce them for £40....jesus £70 isn't enough

 

[gone up the hill]

It is fantastic that so many of you are increasing your numbers. Sheep must be so profitable.

Or will the government scheme remove all of these surplus sheep before they lamb.
I admit it is not logical to reduce numbers until there is some certainty, but increasing numbers of sheep at this time must mean you all have some great outlets at a good price.
Store lambs in this area so far have been a disappointing price with averages for good lambs back to where they were five years ago as are cull ewes. Costs though have increased significantly and high depreciation is back in sheep flocks which is often forgotten until the end of the year.
Buying expensive shearlings to increase numbers looks to be risky!

Sheep trade is currently and has much better profit margins than the beef job which is just diabolical and i cannot see beef improving at all for at least 12 months regardless of the B word.

As for Brexit you cannot let that affect your plans for the next 12 months!
If you were an arable farmer would you not plant any crops this autumn because exports may or may not be tricky next summer and sure as night follows day if you didnt plant any crops then next August you would be stood looking at field after field of weeds whilst your neighbours are busy cutting corn that is worth £200t and you would be as sick as a parrot and the same thing could well happen ref lamb prices!

I agree shearling prices are far too high on the current lamb trade, better off to wait and either buy in-lamb ewes or couples, very strong run of shearlings at Exeter yesterday selling to very strong prices, no one seem to be that concerned about Brexit!

 

[spin cycle]

on the other hand guth the arable farmer can wait til spring......good news about sheep breeding prices though....re stocking after last year?

we doom merchants on here seem to be a minority on here compared to wider picture.....or is it 'grass fever'

 

[gone up the hill]

on the other hand guth the arable farmer can wait til spring......good news about sheep breeding prices though....re stocking after last year?

we doom merchants on here seem to be a minority on here compared to wider picture.....or is it 'grass fever'

Several reasons why the arable farmer cannot wait until spring to drill crops and you don't see any threads/posts in the arable section about not drilling crops/ cutting back due to brexit even thou the forward grain price is already taking a hammering due to the brexit issue.

Its certainly not grass fever, more the case people have culled hard and are looking to replace them!

Unlike the ram trade yesterday when pen after pen of good Char shearling rams couldn't get a bid past £250 head and went home unsold but the breed that seemed most in demand and trade was a flyer with many lots £400/550 head was the humble Suffolk.

 

[neilo]

Several reasons why the arable farmer cannot wait until spring to drill crops and you don't see any threads/posts in the arable section about not drilling crops/ cutting back due to brexit even thou the forward grain price is already taking a hammering due to the brexit issue.

Its certainly not grass fever, more the case people have culled hard and are looking to replace them!

Unlike the ram trade yesterday when pen after pen of good Char shearling rams couldn't get a bid past £250 head and went home unsold but the breed that seemed most in demand and trade was a flyer with many lots £400/550 head was the humble Suffolk.

I can’t see that arable prices will be hit particularly hard, even on the worst case Brexit scenario of WTO, so I doubt the arable boys will be particularly bothered. Sheep will take the biggest hit, if anything does of course.

Personally, I could expand my cereal acreage here, at the expense of grass/sheep, but small scale arable isn’t any more profitable than sheep.