Sheep

delilah

Member
Because grazing with sheep in Spring gets rid of it as they eat the rosettes.

Got to get more sheep back on these moors to control the tics is very important.

It's only half seven and already today there have been two posts highlighting the importance of sheep in countryside management. There's a continuing stream of threads talking about the need to reintroduce sheep into rotations.

Is Government going to have to fund a huge marketing campaign for lamb ? And/ or incentivize exports ? Or will the marketplace take care of itself ?
 

DrDunc

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Dunsyre
There are also several thousand posts highlighting that wool has absolutely no value, and costs us to be shorn.

Petroleum based fibres make far more profit for governments than totally natural and renewable wool. Why would there be a campaign to use sheep to improve soil health and the environment, when chemicals do the same job and fill the tax man's pockets?
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
It's only half seven and already today there have been two posts highlighting the importance of sheep in countryside management. There's a continuing stream of threads talking about the need to reintroduce sheep into rotations.

Is Government going to have to fund a huge marketing campaign for lamb ? And/ or incentivize exports ? Or will the marketplace take care of itself ?
If you introduce sheep to the lowlands in great numbers it will destroy the trade for Hill Farmers who depend on sheep and can't do anything else
The simple solution for arable farmers is grow cover crops
 

Bill the Bass

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cumbria
Given the amount of land bring used or eyeballed for forestry and rewilding to offset carbon then I'm sure the market will absorb/need it.
This. I think there will be a redistribution if what’s left of the livestock industry over the next 5 years. Sheep kicking about on winter covers etc.

If stocking rates in uplands, particularly commons are reduced any further as NE in particular are pushing then hefted flocks will be nigh on impossible to manage effectively.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Back to subsidised sheep…..no thank you!

Just make sure our schools,hospitals,public organisations buy local and buy British!

Its not rocket science.

Why spend a load of money incentivising exports then the organisations like the above buying imported meat from abroad.

Its that stupid the government would probably do it.:facepalm:

We were always told it was EU rules that stopped public bodies from being forced to source UK product, even though it is commonplace everywhere else in the EU.

Now we’ve ‘taken back control’, our govts seem very slow to change that policy.😡
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
We were always told it was EU rules that stopped public bodies from being forced to source UK product, even though it is commonplace everywhere else in the EU.

Now we’ve ‘taken back control’, our govts seem very slow to change that policy.😡
there was/is a huge market on the Continent, might need a 'little' bit of work on it now mind, after all when a once a good customer is turned off it can take awhile to them get back,.
 
We were always told it was EU rules that stopped public bodies from being forced to source UK product, even though it is commonplace everywhere else in the EU.

Now we’ve ‘taken back control’, our govts seem very slow to change that policy.😡
Was it ever EU rules?

It’s one excuse our politicians can no longer use, I’m sure they’ll be squirming around looking for another
 

beardface

Member
Location
East Yorkshire
This. I think there will be a redistribution if what’s left of the livestock industry over the next 5 years. Sheep kicking about on winter covers etc.

If stocking rates in uplands, particularly commons are reduced any further as NE in particular are pushing then hefted flocks will be nigh on impossible to manage effectively.

There'll be the equivalent of the Highland clearances take place in Scotland and Wales. I think in England there'll be a small reduction again in hill numbers, but most upland areas of England are heritage areas so stock will be needed for tourism purposes. It will likely be lowland rough grazing that will get used for carbon capture/forestry/wilding. Leading to more "mixed farming" in better arable areas to make use of the golden hoof and cover crop/diverse ley payments.

Given that the world seems to be experiencing fairly big weather disruptions to food production, and given that we're actively reducing domestic production, I recon there could be food riots in the next decade.
 

Cowmansam

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Shropshire
If you introduce sheep to the lowlands in great numbers it will destroy the trade for Hill Farmers who depend on sheep and can't do anything else
The simple solution for arable farmers is grow cover crops
Goats would be the ideal candidate for the uplands worth more than twice what a sheep is and live on fresh air and stones
 
Goats would be the ideal candidate for the uplands worth more than twice what a sheep is and live on fresh air and stones

And no bloody shearing.

Not so sure about this tick control business mind you I've only been associated with sheep for 43 years. If they mean grazing the place down to nothing maybe but that brings many other problems.
 

Bury the Trash

Member
Mixed Farmer
I do not see sheep numbers rising that much coz let’s face it we’ve all got good memories of the price being crap plus who is going to lamb them or does every one just go with easy care whatever that is
that should be the case as well, remember the base realities . too many come and go with great ideas then move on to something else when it(reality) bites.

and they need A market and a viable share of that market is required,
not just the lowering of costs ,which after all will have a base which cant be lowered from,nobody tells you that do they.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 65 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.1%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.2%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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