Good morning chaps. I’m looking for some advice on starting up on my own. It’s alway been a dream to farm sheep in my own right. I have 30 ewes currently however I feel as this is the right time in my life and my young family’s life to expand. Currently I am full time employee have a very supportive wife who helps in any way she can. I can have a supply of plenty acres of fodder for sheep through the estate that I work and they are very supportive. The problem I have like many other young farmers is cash to expand ewe numbers at any pace. So I’m looking for advice. What would people do? Eg approach the local mart to try and get loans through them, approach a bank? Or is the most sensible way to just keep ewe lambs of my current 30 ewes and work away slow and steady and build up gradually? Interested to hear options. Thanks
Young farmer starting out
- Thread starter Bob12
- Start date
Personally I would build up slowly, the future is pretty uncertain and I wouldn't want to be taking out too many loans etc. Maybe buy in if you have some spare cash?
If as you say the estate are supportive, see if they would put an application in to this, there would be something in it for both them and you.
https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2022/06/01/a-fresh-start-for-new-entrants/
https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2022/06/01/a-fresh-start-for-new-entrants/
- Location
- southern riverina Australia
Do you have access to a vendor finance scheme through an agent to fatten lambs ?
Yes. Derbyshire.
Central Scotland
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Grants available now for small scale processing may be an option?
Suffolk Serf
Member
- Location
- Bury/Thetford
Go for it, a golden opportunity. @unlacedgecko will give you some advice I think.
- Location
- Fife
Contract with an established farmer. Take his ewe lambs at weaning. Tup them winter them well. Lamb them, wean them and return them. You keep the progeny plus get paid for hitting spec weight on return of 2 tooths. I know several such farmers looking. PM me to discuss.
Thanks for the tag.
Would the estate be interested in forming a share farming agreement as there could be advantages for both them & you.
Very interesting suggestion. I’ll pm you to talk more. Thanks
Possibly. I don’t know much about share farming. My fear from what Iv heard from a few people is you end up just being a cheap shepherd. I would be interested in hearing from someone that does do it successfully and how they manage to make it work and the ins and outs.
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
you can grow a flock quite rapidly once you get to 100 ewes....but starting with 30 it'll take you a coupla years to get to 100.....so how about a middle approach...buy another 70 
Would be great in a ideal world. But 70 gimmers @ £150 is £10,500you can grow a flock quite rapidly once you get to 100 ewes....but starting with 30 it'll take you a coupla years to get to 100.....so how about a middle approach...buy another 70
.Location location location.
It's a sound proposition in the right environs, but if the estate is all heather and blackies, that ain't an option.
Aside from all the schemes and clever whizzes that'll be put forrard.......
....the trad route would be arrange sensible grass keep in advance, get finance from a professional lending institution...or 'bank' as they're known, then go and and buy a bunch of draft ewes off the hill breed of your choice.
(avoid 'on-trend' breeds would be my advice)
Short term turnover plan would be to lamb them to a meat sire once or twice, then cull them to recoup layout.
Or you could tup them to a BFL etc, and keep some ewe lambs to expand your flock as the old crocks fall by the wayside.
Look those you're dealing with straight in the eye, play a straight bat, and be prompt sorting welfare issues.
Good luck.
The only problem with that is that you then have wild old welsh sheep!
They'll live on nothing, but take delight in looking for it all over the blessed parish. (nothing like them for rearing tonnage of lamb though)