Start up poultry farming

Brodey1986

Member
Livestock Farmer
I'm a 1st generation farmer, after starting as a hobby 6 years ago I now own a yard, rent the adjoining land and run 150 head of beef cattle.
I'm looking for extra ways to earn money from the farm though. I rear all my calves and take them through to fat so I'm already tided to the yard.
In the spring I grassed down a 7.5 acre field next to the yard with a permanent lay.
I was thinking along the line of a free range poultry unit but somthing slightly different.
The land is light to medium type so doesn't get water logged.
Can anyone recommend any firms that offer contracts perhaps geese, turkeys or the like?
John
 

Flatlander

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lorette Manitoba
You need to find a few butchers shop that would be willing to pedal farm fresh welfare friendly meats then produce wat they want. go see the owners as you’ll have better luck talking to the head honcho than some meat buyer further down the pecking order that’s only concerned with buying cheap generic meat. Could even try rearing for public to buy direct. Start with friends and relatives and see how it goes. Daughter has 200 layers and fir 12 years old she make decent money from eggs. Welfare friendly and alike are the in thing now.
 

john1968

Member
as already suggested local butchers or suppliers might be a good way to go.
7.5 acres isn't a bad size field but when you allow for the rangeing area need ed and for room to move shed after a crop your 7.5 acres soon gets small. Also I would doubt if you could carry enough birds to interest the big producers. This is for birds for meat egg s might be different.
good luck with it all
 

Brodey1986

Member
Livestock Farmer
Thank you, I would in affect have 15 acre as I've just grassed the field next to it aswell,
I used to do turkeys for the Xmas Market but the regulations have become tighter and the market smaller, I found more and more people not wanting a full turkey or coming up with the line but it's cheaper in Aldi!
 

john1968

Member
It might be worth your whole speaking to Harry Irwin haven't got his number but it shouldn't be hard to get. he does free range for 2 sisters . Even if he isn't interested himself he could give useful information
 

ImLost

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Not sure
It might be worth your whole speaking to Harry Irwin haven't got his number but it shouldn't be hard to get. he does free range for 2 sisters . Even if he isn't interested himself he could give useful information
He won't be interested in that small an area. Would be a huge outlay to get anywhere near what they want for eggs or meat.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
I'm a 1st generation farmer, after starting as a hobby 6 years ago I now own a yard, rent the adjoining land and run 150 head of beef cattle.
I'm looking for extra ways to earn money from the farm though. I rear all my calves and take them through to fat so I'm already tided to the yard.
In the spring I grassed down a 7.5 acre field next to the yard with a permanent lay.
I was thinking along the line of a free range poultry unit but somthing slightly different.
The land is light to medium type so doesn't get water logged.
Can anyone recommend any firms that offer contracts perhaps geese, turkeys or the like?
John

Do you retail your beef, or sell it to the market? I would think you would do better having a bigger slice of your existing pie than starting a new one as well.
 

Brodey1986

Member
Livestock Farmer
Do you retail your beef, or sell it to the market? I would think you would do better having a bigger slice of your existing pie than starting a new one as well.
I it's all sold dead weight.
They do well for me and are making profit thr trouble is I've reached my capacity cattle wise so was thinking of a joint venture to run along side of them short of borrowing a vast amount against the place to fund more cattle buildings
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
I it's all sold dead weight.
They do well for me and are making profit thr trouble is I've reached my capacity cattle wise so was thinking of a joint venture to run along side of them short of borrowing a vast amount against the place to fund more cattle buildings

By selling deadweight, I presume you are putting it to one of the processors.
I'd investigate selling direct to consumer then - take a bigger slice of that pie for yourself.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
I farm black and white bulls as they grow well and turn round fast so I'm not sure there would be much market direct

Why not try one or two of a type that you'd be happy to put in your own freezer then, and give it a shot? Minimal investment of a couple of thousand would keep you in beef for the year, plus tell you if it's something worth trying. It's not for everyone, as you need to be able to sell to the public, create a brand etc., but it does give a higher return than just tunring the handle on wholesale.
 

Brodey1986

Member
Livestock Farmer
I used to do natives and the odd conti but it didn't work for me you can't push them and they tie money up for too long that's why I've gone down this route.
 

t murrr

Member
Why not try one or two of a type that you'd be happy to put in your own freezer then, and give it a shot? Minimal investment of a couple of thousand would keep you in beef for the year, plus tell you if it's something worth trying. It's not for everyone, as you need to be able to sell to the public, create a brand etc., but it does give a higher return than just tunring the handle on wholesale.
Do you not find it hard to shift the lesser cuts of meat .I know of a lad who is trying to get into a couple of restaurants before covid but said the trudging was hard .He was selling meat for bout £11 per kg .You would neatly need to own a restaurant to shift any volume easily.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
Do you not find it hard to shift the lesser cuts of meat
No. Varies between times, but mince, sausages, burgers and stews sell easy. Roasts can be a bit sticky occasionally, but not bad. Steaks fly - don’t even get one for myself these days.

Be honest though, at 11/ kg he’s making a shade over a grand more than wholesale - two or three of those a year pays for a nice holiday. One a month is a decent wage. Do you really need huge volumes?
 

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