Sole living from sheep ,Flock size

[CopperBeech]

Lost a farm just before lambing one year, found out as I unloaded the 300 in lamb ewes. Farm had been sold. New grazier came in, new farm managers mate. 12 months later new farm manager and new grazier gone and me back. Roll on to this year and now we rewilding so I’m off again. Give it a year or two and it will be rented out again. How are you meant to run a business like that ? And we are talking a lot more than 40 acres

I had 40 acres that I’d saved all winter, day before I was going to seen 140 ewes and lambs down there the women rang to say it was let to someone else. It got sold 12 month later and now have it back again but the new owner own the sheep and I charge them to shepherd them. Oh and the person who took the land bought my ewes and lambs in market for more than they would have made if I kept them until August.

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[Benn]

Lost a farm just before lambing one year, found out as I unloaded the 300 in lamb ewes. Farm had been sold. New grazier came in, new farm managers mate. 12 months later new farm manager and new grazier gone and me back. Roll on to this year and now we rewilding so I’m off again. Give it a year or two and it will be rented out again. How are you meant to run a business like that ? And we are talking a lot more than 40 acres

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Dont think you can ,not without alot of stress?
Both of those landlords sound abit twatish ,if they didnt give you a good 6 months heads up ,
I would if i knew it was going to up end a buisness that we were letting too,

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Hats off too those who have a full time job away from farming and still run a flock of sheep. Personally the very last thing I’d want if I had a proper job is the stress of sheep!

 

[Woolless]

Question for those that don't have sheep as their full income and have to work elsewhere. How do you find the time to do both? Do you work in the day and fit in the sheep on evenings and weekends? Or do you just work a few days a week and can then dedicate the rest of the time to the sheep? Any examples would be much appreciated!

I work Tuesday-Thursday off farm, longish days with early starts. Over the winter bales go out Monday to last the working week and bales out on Friday to minimise work at the weekends. A few sheep inside currently which need fed daily. Big jobs done over the long weekend. Checks done after work during the summer. The two main markets I sell at operate on Monday and Friday, which is handy.

 

[SteveHants]

Question for those that don't have sheep as their full income and have to work elsewhere. How do you find the time to do both? Do you work in the day and fit in the sheep on evenings and weekends? Or do you just work a few days a week and can then dedicate the rest of the time to the sheep? Any examples would be much appreciated!

I looked the sheep on the way home and used my off days to do sheep work - took annual leave at lambing.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Subdivision and proper grazing management will very quickly transform those blocks

I think the problem then would be the environmentalists would be up in arms about improving unproductive moorland. I was really impressed with the electric collars on cattle I saw at Groundswell and could see how they could really improve moorland, however one thing was the cost and I wonder if the animal rights lot would be up in arms, here in Wales, electric dog training collars are not allowed!

 

[Woolless]

I think the problem then would be the environmentalists would be up in arms about improving unproductive moorland. I was really impressed with the electric collars on cattle I saw at Groundswell and could see how they could really improve moorland, however one thing was the cost and I wonder if the animal rights lot would be up in arms, here in Wales, electric dog training collars are not allowed!

Scotland too.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Shite. Once again my poor parents have let me down. I've never forgiven them for not being rich. At 36 am I too old to be adopted?

no, I guess if a man can self identify as a woman and the governing classes think he is a woman, and an asylum seeker can say they are under 16 when they are patently an adult, I am pretty sure you can self identify as 14, I think it seems the important thing now is "your truth", not what anyone else thinks!!!!

 

[SteveHants]

Dont think you can ,not without alot of stress?
Both of those landlords sound abit twatish ,if they didnt give you a good 6 months heads up ,
I would if i knew it was going to up end a buisness that we were letting too,

Landlords are not necessarily farmers and don't always understand the nature of the businesses renting from them. Others couldn't give a crap and don't consider it to be their problem.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

There are hell of lot of acres of moorland that are impossible to subdivide or do anything to improve!

why? I was looking at the enclosure agreement for the top of the farm, there was an open hill, that was fenced off and all the farms with grazing rights were given an appropriate amount of fenced ground (just under 50 acres here).

 

[unlacedgecko]

Landlords are not necessarily farmers and don't always understand the nature of the businesses renting from them. Others couldn't give a crap and don't consider it to be their problem.

Some even appear to take a perverse delight in shafting people.

 

[Herdwatch]

Introducing Flockwatch!
Sheep farmers now have an app at their fingertips which will allow rapid capture of lambing, breeding, weighing, medicines records and more.
The Flockwatch app will highlight the best and worst performing ewes in order to make better decisions for the following season.
Find out more below:
https://info.herdwatch.com/flockwatch

 

[Benn]

Some even appear to take a perverse delight in shafting people.

Some like to feel they have some small bit of power,
Power and greed ,
the ruin of many a good things!

 

[neilo]

Scotland too.

I thought that, but they were putting GPS 'fence' collars on cows (& temporarily on a bull) near Loch Ness on This Farming Life the other night...

 

[exmoorromney]

why? I was looking at the enclosure agreement for the top of the farm, there was an open hill, that was fenced off and all the farms with grazing rights were given an appropriate amount of fenced ground (just under 50 acres here).

Well to start with all ours is National Trust so it's a non starter to do anything to the moorland, also in a National park which I imagine a lot of moorland would be and getting them to agree to subdivision or adding any kind of infrastructure would be an impossible task. Add to that the problem of water access and topography, SSSIs, walkers/horse riders on open access etc etc!

 

[WelshSmallholder1404]

Did the figures a few years ago and reckoned on 600 ewes minimum and probably up nearer 1000. Better recent prices will help that but inputs are spiralling as well. I run 200 ewes, 15 cows and have a decent job 30 hours per week.

How much land do you have for a system like that? Hoping for something this sort of size myself.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Anyone who keeps sheep in numbers is a hero in my book ,
And that comes from someone who used to Lamb 2000 NC mules indoors , if I could wind the clock back it would be one part of my life I would happily delete , working the dogs was ok though

 

[AvonValleyFarmer]

Anyone who keeps sheep in numbers is a hero in my book ,
And that comes from someone who used to Lamb 2000 NC mules indoors , if I could wind the clock back it would be one part of my life I would happily delete , working the dogs was ok though

So would I if I had to lamb 2000 NCMs inside

 

[Woolless]

How much land do you have for a system like that? Hoping for something this sort of size myself.

I have 95 acres owned and another 12 acres rented next door, access by gate.

 

[serf]

I check my sheep after breakfast,

You forgot to check the one in you avatar , looks a bit hungry