[Hillview Farm]

I started up sheep this time last year, I've just about broken even on producing my lambs this year without my start up costs of buying the ewes and equipment such as hurdles etc.

I'm looking to maximise my returns and just wondered if any of you had any tips?

My biggest out lay was feed, How much does bulk buying feed save you? And could anyone share how much feed they used per head over the lambing period.

Thanks all 

[henchard]

With fat lambs only fetching £60 or so at auction you are going to struggle at the moment. I used to get that price when I was farming commercially in the 1970's

Personally I reckon that a small holder can only make money with sheep by filling a niche market, having a top class pedigree flock or perhaps killing their own lambs and distributing the finished meat as a premium product through their own shop/website.

At present i think commercial sheep farmers are struggling.


As for feed well it's impossible to say; depends how much grass you have through the winter but bulk buying will be cheaper but there can also be issues with more waste and storage etc.

Just my 2p

[Foobar]

Maximise your grass utilisation to reduce your feed costs. Use smaller paddocks and rotationally graze them.

[Azzdodd]

Last year I sold my lambs private (live) got about £65 a lamb this year I sent them all to slaughter ewe lamb as well. I sold for £75 a half and had 6 lambs £900 minus slaughter fee £20 each £120 for all 6 what it costs me a year In feed & up keep (shearing worming feed) I make a loss of about £100 but that doesn't account for all the meat I get from it I love having the sheep and to me if I break even I'm happy. With just sheep it's hard I have a few things hens & ducks and the make up the difference I loose by selling there eggs

[Hillview Farm]

I'm really lucky and get top quality hay for free  So that helps a great deal! Its been such a lovely feeling with it sat in the barn since It came off the field and I've got more than enough to last me. Last year I was abit quick off the mark to bring my girls in but this year I plan to keep them out longer, until the ground is sodden as we are on heavy clay.

I may consider lambing earlier to get into the early market as I missed the good prices this year by a week!

Azzdodd, Was that selling to friends and family or was the lamb advertised? I am happy I've broken even and now I've got everything I need it will keep my costs down anyway I also sell duck eggs

[Marches Farmer]

If you can't do big numbers you have to find your niche.  Showing and breeding high quality stock is perhaps best left to those with more experience.  We breed Southdowns and make sure they're in tip top health and well handled for smallholders, particularly first-time sheep keepers. We always emphasise that we're always on the end of the phone or e:mail for advice or ideas and we offer ram hire for those who don't want a ram on the place all year round.   We also breed them as grass-fed terminal sires for Mule flocks.  Our Badger Face are bred pure for replacements one year and crossed with the SD's for a commercial type crossbred to be sold as stores at market the next.  This way we try to spread the risk and hope that low prices in one area will be balanced by higher in another.  It's always a balancing act and, yes, sometimes it does feel like being in a circus!

[shygirl]

maybe looking after the grass more ie fertilise etc may reduce the need for hard feed.
def buy in bulk- our feed bulk delivered by the ton (40 miles) is 40% cheaper than our farm store 5 miles away. even cheaper if you dont want plastic bags.

[SteveHants]

this might seem like telling my grandmother how to suck eggs, but you need to be examining your margin. Is it worth buying nuts to keep more animals/ac when you could stock less and not have to buy hard feed? Examine all your inputs and outgoings - are they nescessary? My system minimises outlay (no shearing, little need for clik etc, worming only on FECs saves money, low density stocking means I don't buy feed, decent ebv rams mean my market lambs achieve killing weight in the shortest possible time etc).


I have to do the sums properly when they are all gone, but without my wage (because I forget to log my hours) - my cost of production for a market lamb is somewhere between £15-20.

[goosepimple]

I've made a dramatic loss this year and am reviewing what we keep.  At the moment it's rare breeds - soay, moorits, ronaldsays.  The latter are the most expensive to keep as they need more specialist treatment.  Soays suit us as they are self shearing and hardy when it comes to disease, the moorits do need sheared but are just beautiful. 
 
Getting cheap or free things is brilliant, it's hard to break even and as for making a profit 
 
I think I need to get into breeding and getting rid of older stock sooner.  But at the moment I'm just thinking of keeping cheaper to buy wethers to keep the grass down and meating them in the winter. 
 
To be honest, our two mini shetland ponies keep the grass down much better than a flock of sheep.
 
My 2p's worth 

[Azzdodd]

I sold to friends and work people. I could have sold 20 but I wasn't gonna buy any in an be stuck I case I never. The free hay is a really good thing or you. It's what costs me the most winter feed. You only get out what you put in.

[Hillview Farm]

I sold to friends and work people. I could have sold 20 but I wasn't gonna buy any in an be stuck I case I never. The free hay is a really good thing or you. It's what costs me the most winter feed. You only get out what you put in.

Sorry for possibly a silly question, don't you have to be careful with selling privately? I.E Can you only sell to friends and family or am I thinking of something else?

[shygirl]

I've made a dramatic loss this year and am reviewing what we keep.  At the moment it's rare breeds - soay, moorits, ronaldsays.  The latter are the most expensive to keep as they need more specialist treatment.

in what way do ronaldsays need more expensive management?

[Dan]

I sold to friends and work people. I could have sold 20 but I wasn't gonna buy any in an be stuck I case I never. The free hay is a really good thing or you. It's what costs me the most winter feed. You only get out what you put in.

Sorry for possibly a silly question, don't you have to be careful with selling privately? I.E Can you only sell to friends and family or am I thinking of something else?

It's easy as long as you're organised. We take orders for butchered half lambs, and the customers either pick them up from the butcher or we pick them up from the butcher and deliver them. This means we don't need to worry about Env Health certification, etc.

[Fleecewife]

As Dan says plus as long as your meat is butchered in a proper butchers you can sell it to anyone.  If it's homekill only you can eat it.

[Hillview Farm]

Ahh I see, so I can get the abattoir to butcher them! lovely job