[Declan]

Im just home form the mart where i sold 3 great hoggets for a total take home of £201. Last year these were making £120-130 each.
 
Thing is I've got 14 lambs still- and was trying to fatten them up to get them sold but given prices the way they are im thinking strongly of keeping them over until next year for prices hopefully to recover a little. Of the 14 lambs (pure bred Lleyns) Ive got 6 ram lambs. I was planning to keep 1 field with the ram and the ewes, the other field for the ewe lambs and was wondering can i keep another field with just the ram lambs in together- given that they are brothers will they fight. Im sure I cant keep all the lambs together as they will tup their sisters.
 
Advice please.
 
Thanks

[jaykay]

I used to keep all my tup lambs together and they did fight a bit, but nothing dreadful.

You're right, you need to keep them apart from any females, incuding their sisters.

The trouble with keeping them over winter is that (well up here anyway) they don't grow between mid-October and the end of March unless you put a lot of cake into them - they just 'mark time' til the spring grass comes through.

[SteveHants]

No problem keeping tup lambs together - I don't castrate and I have field of 100 or so of them. Lamb prices will firm up at christmas, but don't excpect to see silly money like last year.


Watch they don't go over - if they are mature now, then they will discover girls, leave the choir and start to put on frame over autumn.

[mart2671]

No problem keeping all the tups together they wont fight theyll b  fine . I would look at how much will cost you to keep them over the winter as it may pay you to sell them now as theres no gurantee youll get a better price for them in March. If they are not fat wait a while to the dairy farmers put there cows in for the winter then theyll be looking for store lambs to fatten on all there cow grass. Last year i made more of store lambs than i did of fat lambs .

[Declan]

Thanks for that- I was actually thinking of keeping them for the year and selling perhaps as Pure bred Lleyn rams. They are gaining in popularity over this part of the world. 

[Pasture Farm]

Declan where abouts are you? Im looking for a Lleyn Ram Lamb to grow on for nxt year. Im not registered i just like the Lleyn.
I have just yesterday taken my last 14 lambs to market they where a bit on the small side but i decided rather than keep them through the winter and then have to cake them and worm etc i would take the hit now.
 

[Pasture Farm]

Ahhh just seen your profile a bit to far for me to travel !!

[Castle Farm]

I run all my un-cut tup lambs together (Lleyn) and market them as they make the weight. Any left after the 2cnd send off go as stores.

I did lose one last year through fighting. He got a blow to his body that ruptured a blood vessel.

Lleyns are getting very popular and deservidly so. Top breed for smallholders.