The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Azzdodd on March 11, 2013, 12:45:58 pm
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I am getting 3 soay wether next week about 6/7 months old I want to know when to take them to slaughter I was hoping before next winter at about 11-12 months
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Normally about 18 months upto 2yrs fot the best results I think with Soays. Are you sure they are 6-7 months old? That means they would have been born in August/September which is very unusual for the breed.
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I thought that but she said there that age. I don't mind keeping them for winter but someone said there funny with the hay they eat!
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Ours eat the same hay as the other sheep. They do like some browsing such as willow branches, but will survive without them.
Soay are very much seasonal breeders so are usually born in April or May. We have found that sending them off at 16 months in August works well - they have a reasonable carcase size but any uncastrated males will not have picked up a taint. However, keeping them on for a further year to 28months, especially if they are wethers, will give you a better carcase size. Don't expect a fat lamb though - Soay don't do that :D
In common with other Primitives, Soay tend not to put on any condition over the winter, and can even drop back a bit in size over the winter months, so you are best to send them off in the summer when they have had a few months on really good grass, whatever their actual age.
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My mrs will be attached by next winter haha so they won't be here that long. If I take them at 12 months will they be nothing off them
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Not a lot, no ;D Those last 4 months of spring and summer grass make all the difference. But it's worth double checking when they were born.