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Other / Rabbits

« Last post by Shropshirelass on April 21, 2024, 06:34:23 am »

Ok so we're trying to incorporate different types of meat to sell to the public along with our lamb, & have been looking into rabbits & poultry, the poultry side I've found more info on & we know the rules & regs & we've done xmas geese for years.

But we've been considering doing rabbits for a while now for both meat & using things like the fur afterwards & ears for dog treats ect, I've got no problems in dispatching them but wouldn't know where to start, Normally I'd go out shooting wild ones but there don't seem to be many. I've also struggled to find information on legislation on things like slaughtering & meat labelling & what we need to put in place before we start.

Also guidance on what to feed rabbits going into the feed chain - I've had pet rabbits before & know you can give them vegetables & grass & hay & pellets from the pet store but those rabbits have never been intended for human consumption so would pet store pellets contain stuff that could contaminate the meat? & what ratio would be best?

Housing wise as well I've seen a few different set ups - some people free ranging them in pens outdoors with under floor wiring & others I've seen people have wooden sheds for them with different pens. Sorry if this all sounds like a lot of questions but I'd rather try & do things right before we get started.

Sheep / Re: Rams and Lambs

« Last post by twizzel on April 20, 2024, 10:23:03 pm »

Most breeding males are either sold as strong ram lambs in the autumn or shearling rams the following summer. You may find limited interest in them at weaning age, so may be worth having a plan b if you can’t sell them. Maybe fatten them and send them for meat, or run them on to shearlings if you feel they’re good enough for breeding.

I generally have sheep in 3 different grazing groups; rams, lambs (with or without their mothers, depending on time of year) and dry ewes/ewe lambs come shearlings. It seems to work quite well.

Sheep / Re: Rams and Lambs

« Last post by SavageU on April 20, 2024, 04:10:33 pm »

Thank you all.

Honestly I need some smaller paddocks for situations like this, but a corner at a time hey!

There is a lot of humping happening I think they have about 4 weeks till being 4 months old.

I need to get them marketed for sale asap really to some local breeders hopefully.

Equipment / Re: 2-Stroke problem has defeated me

« Last post by Kiran on April 20, 2024, 07:08:09 am »

You can get packs of assorted brightly coloured bungs from Amazon, if I had that issue once I think I'd be tempted to bung the exhaust once it had cooled down just to stop the stress. Nothing worse than going to do a job and getting no life from your kit 🤦‍♂️

Wildlife / Re: Swallows '24

« Last post by Fleecewife on April 19, 2024, 12:09:34 am »

It's a wonderful sight isn't it

We saw our first swallow yesterday here in the South of Scotland, but it could have been ours, the neighbouring farm's or just one passing through and heading north. One swallow might not make Summer, but it certainly makes Spring!
Oh and @Dan we don't have a swallow icon

Marketplace / Edited.For sale Pedigree Shetland heifers and purebred Shetland steers. D&G

« Last post by Rosemary on April 18, 2024, 01:14:30 pm »

Due to a farm relocation, Paul and Nicola Sanderson have young Shetland cattle for sale. For more details contact Paul direct pfsanderson@btinternet.com

Bulls
Senwick Sovereign 586916 300102. bull. born 13/06/23 black and white. ( very good conformation )
Senwick Ruairidh 586816. 500104 bull. born 02/07/23. mainly red. (out of Manx Fiona who has since died very good genetics)

Heifers
Senwick Fauna 586916 600049. dob 29/5/21. Red and white
Senwick MerryWeather. 586916. 700050. 30/5/21 Black and White
Senwick Lilibet 586916. 700064. 14/6/22. Red and white
Senwick Queenie 586916. 600070. 17/06/22. Black and white
Senwick Sixpence. 586916. 600077. 23/06/22. Red and white
Senwick Jubilee. 586916 300081. 02/08/22 Black and white
Senwick. Princess. 586916. 400082. 06/09/22. Red and white

And steers
586916. 400061. dob 13/10/21
586916. 600063. 23/05/22
586916. 100065. 15/0622
586916. 200066 15/06/22
586916. 300074. 18/06/22
586916. 200080. 25/06/22

And a non breeding heifer
586916 100072 dob 17/06/22

Equipment / Re: 2-Stroke problem has defeated me

« Last post by chrismahon on April 18, 2024, 01:10:26 pm »

Here we are 4 years later. Recently purchased a Stihl MM56 mini-tiller after the bearing broke up on the MM55 and seized the motor solid. It's just run-in and has been starting first pull every time and was used last week. So today it wouldn't start. Tried choke, half choke and no choke but nothing. The fuel is new so the very first thing I checked was the exhaust pipe. Sure enough there were flecks of yellow dust around it. Being new and no soot it was easy to see the pollen deep inside and there was an awful lot came out, so that little bee must have been working flat out for quite a few days!

Perhaps I need to fit some plastic caps?

Wildlife / Swallows '24

« Last post by Possum on April 18, 2024, 09:29:29 am »

Looked out of the bedroom window this morning and saw a solitary swallow swooping over the rooftops

Such a marvellous sight after all the dreadful weather we have been having.

We had our first nest last year so I must make sure that the garage doors are left open to encourage them to nest again.

Sheep / Re: landes de bretagne sheep - any in the UK ?

« Last post by Bywaters on April 16, 2024, 08:30:07 am »

Quote from: messyhoose on April 15, 2024, 09:12:13 pm

moins sauvage??!! Theres a lady here with Ouessants and they are as friendly as anything!
There's Facebook group called European Wool Association that people share their sheep breed info on- you could ask on there whether anyone in Uk has any, or else if any breeders in France would be willing to export.....?