The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: FahransFeathers on August 15, 2023, 09:00:44 pm
-
Hi
can anyone answer the following for me that would be great!
Age/time that tup goes to the ewes and how old the ewes have to be.
gestation time
time till weaning
age that you can sell on
age that you can take them to abattoir for meat and what weight is preferred
thanks!
really appreciate it if anyone can answer these !
-
> Age/time that tup goes to the ewes
Usually in the autumn. Fireworks on November 5th for lambs on April Fool's Day.
Tups can be used in the same year they were born, but more usually the year after.
>how old the ewes have to be.
Ewes can also conceive at under one year of age, to lamb at one year of age. However, they need more care and are more likely to have difficult lambings, so that's perhaps not one for the inexperienced.
More realistically, ewes are bred to give birth for the first time at two years old and then annually after that.
[/size]> gestation time
Roughly 145 to 155 days, depending on the breed.
>time till weaning
Anything from about 3 months, but generally longer if lambs are being left with their mums.
>age that you can sell on
Once weaned
>age that you can take them to abattoir for meat and what weight is preferred
Anything from 6 months to 18 months, depending on the breed. Target weight is also breed dependent.
HTH!
-
https://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/livestock/sheep/
-
As said above, most of your questions are breed dependent, but most ewes lamb for the first time at 2 years, so go to the ram in the autumn before at about 19 months old. Gestation averages 145-148 days for my breed (lleyns). My rams normally go in with the ewes on 1st October.
This year I weaned a few leaner ewes in June and those carrying a bit more condition in July. There’s no hard and fast rule for weaning, nor the age for sending to slaughter. We tend to send anything 42kg+ if it’s fit and has enough fat cover. Some people run them on longer for a heavier carcass. Sometimes that’s 12 weeks old, sometimes it’s 6 months.