[Nithside]

[member=168790]bj_cardiff[/member]

Its the same up here I am at around 14 ewes to go to tup this year with 4 followers for next year and I have to clip my ewes on my own as starting price for anything under a 100 ewes is £100.  My goal is to get the flock to around 40 ewes.  I have the advantage of having come from a hill farming family with a lowland unit as well for finishing the fat lambs on over winter, and wintering the in calf cows on so i have plenty of sheep experience.

The big thing about going down the Cade/tame/pet lambs is once the are finished your area has time to clean up before the next lot come in so worm burden on them won't be heavy as with a long rest the ground will be clean.  Where as on small acreage it's harder to control as you will need to shut them off one side for around 4wks to let the other area clean up.

Sorry for being so technical but I've been working with sheep since the age of 4 so know enough to help out.

Sam

[Marches Farmer]

If you're planning to breed sheep one acre is really too small, unless you can rent land nearby for grazing when your own grass is short or are willing to buy in hay over the Winter.  The grass is growing here, but slowly as nights are cool and it's hardly rained for seven weeks.  Last Spring was so cold the fields looked like billiard tables until the end of May.

[eah1n12]

Thanks everyone!!!

I will definitely look into starting with some pet lambs and finishing them for the freezer.  I think like you've all said starting off with the intention of lambing etc might be a bit ambitious.  So ill look into getting some pet lambs from a small holder maybe.  I have the potential to rent some land of some friends, but I would need to make sure this is certain before delving straight in with getting a new breed!

Thanks for all the help and i'll read the stuff you've all sent.  As I'm a complete novice I do really appreciate the advice!!