Hi all
So I want to kick my 'farming' up a notch this year, and I'm currently looking around for some land to graze wethers on. My plan is this; buy wethers for £50ish each in April/May, grow on through the summer and autumn and then sell for meat before Christmas.
Is this plan doable?
I'm currently researching costs because I also need this to balance the books at least, though some infrastructure costs I won't necessarily include as it's long term - electric fencing and a basic sheep maintenance/medical kit, for example.
Other than grass and hay (and water), will the wethers need anything other than a mineral lick, do you think? Is my time estimate for growing on reasonable?
In addition, I have NO idea about costs for meat. If I take wethers to the abbatoir and have them butchered, do you get all the meat back to sell privately (or stock in the freezer), or will they give you a basic price to keep the meat and sell on themselves? It's all well and good saying 'I'm just going to grow some wethers and sell the meat', but I might not have the market to sell it all privately. And, if you DO take it back to sell, do butches put on the sellby etc, or is that something I'd have to consider in addition to storing, taking a food hygiene course etc.
Oh, and how many wethers to an acre do you think?
I know - a lot of questions, but I'm trying to be prepared!