[gulli]

why do you spend so much on hard feed?

easiest way to improve your margin is to cut costs and add value. be that by getting lambs to slaughter weight faster with improved genetics or changing the way you market your lambs

[Azzdodd]

I pick mine up and drop off to everyone they all seemed happy and said they want more next year returning customers are good for business as they say good things too.....and the whole horse meat scandals people want to know we're its from. In my box they got 1 leg 1 shoulder breast chops I also had a batch off 100 minty lamb burgers made and 10 off them in each box (they were very popular)

[Hillview Farm]

I have Commercial breeds, I feed my ewes pre and post lambing. Got my lambs off to market by 4 months (they didn't get hard feed but the ewes had much more milk from the extra feed)

Azzdodd, what I good Idea! Thank you! I may have to call upon my friends and family and see who would be interested.

[SteveHants]

why do you spend so much on hard feed?

easiest way to improve your margin is to cut costs and add value. be that by getting lambs to slaughter weight faster with improved genetics or changing the way you market your lambs

Exactly - often less sheep = more profit.


I have very commercial sheep and aside from the odd bucket and bale of hay if there is no grass at all they get no hard feed.


I make money out of my sheep - not 'just about break even', but a decent enough margin.

[Hillview Farm]

and how many sheep do you have Steve? I don't have masses of grazing at the moment (working progress)

I think for my first year to break even is good! I'm proud of myself! I can only move forwards and up!

[mab]

why do you spend so much on hard feed?

easiest way to improve your margin is to cut costs and add value. be that by getting lambs to slaughter weight faster with improved genetics or changing the way you market your lambs

Exactly - often less sheep = more profit.


I have very commercial sheep and aside from the odd bucket and bale of hay if there is no grass at all they get no hard feed.


I make money out of my sheep - not 'just about break even', but a decent enough margin.

I'm glad to read that as I'm planning to stock lightly and use little feed. 

[SteveHants]

and how many sheep do you have Steve? I don't have masses of grazing at the moment (working progress)

I think for my first year to break even is good! I'm proud of myself! I can only move forwards and up!

I started with 15 Wilts Horns as a hobby......the next autumn I bought 40 Lleyns, the following spring I bought 50 in-lamb woolshedders to lamb at the same time.....this year I had about 270 to lamb, just got some more grazing, will be lambing about 325-50 next year....


You can see how quickly it spirals.....

[Ladygrey]

Hi there 

I realised that feeding was one of the most expensive things for sheep, so I got rid of the problem, by gradually selling off anything that has to have any hard feed.

I just sold my last two Suffolk mule ewe lambs a few weeks ago and now I am left with only sheep that do not need any feeding of cake, They are mostly shetlands or Shetland crosses but I have a few random sheep (Texel mule, Wilts horn cross ryeland) that were kept purely because they need no maintenance even though their breeds usually need more feeding etc.

My lambs have been on the worst grazing possible really this year its basicly been grazing straw but they have still managed to grow well without ever havig any extra feed or ewes having any feed.

Breeding pedigree shetlands for replacments next year aswel as cross breeding, none will be fed and all lambed outdoors (last year my field flooded so they had to be moved into a stable and workshop!)

Make the most out of your grazing, don't keep ewe lambs on unless they have been bred to maximise efficiency and figure out wether its best to under stock on land rather than over stock and I think you will be well on your way to making the most from your sheep!

[Hillview Farm]

and how many sheep do you have Steve? I don't have masses of grazing at the moment (working progress)

I think for my first year to break even is good! I'm proud of myself! I can only move forwards and up!

I started with 15 Wilts Horns as a hobby......the next autumn I bought 40 Lleyns, the following spring I bought 50 in-lamb woolshedders to lamb at the same time.....this year I had about 270 to lamb, just got some more grazing, will be lambing about 325-50 next year....


You can see how quickly it spirals.....

Yes I can but I think when you have those sorts of numbers it makes things cheaper. For example I don't have enough sheep to jab when heptavacing if I was doing 25 doses it would cost me £0.80 per head where as at the moment It costs me £2.50 per head as I cant make the most of it!

[shygirl]

and how many sheep do you have Steve? I don't have masses of grazing at the moment (working progress)

I think for my first year to break even is good! I'm proud of myself! I can only move forwards and up!

I started with 15 Wilts Horns as a hobby......the next autumn I bought 40 Lleyns, the following spring I bought 50 in-lamb woolshedders to lamb at the same time.....this year I had about 270 to lamb, just got some more grazing, will be lambing about 325-50 next year....


You can see how quickly it spirals.....

Yes I can but I think when you have those sorts of numbers it makes things cheaper. For example I don't have enough sheep to jab when heptavacing if I was doing 25 doses it would cost me £0.80 per head where as at the moment It costs me £2.50 per head as I cant make the most of it!

on a similar note - if you are £10 down per head each year on  a flock of 10, its not the end of the world. but £10 down each head on a flock of 400 - its a serious problem.

[gulli]

and how many sheep do you have Steve? I don't have masses of grazing at the moment (working progress)

I think for my first year to break even is good! I'm proud of myself! I can only move forwards and up!

I started with 15 Wilts Horns as a hobby......the next autumn I bought 40 Lleyns, the following spring I bought 50 in-lamb woolshedders to lamb at the same time.....this year I had about 270 to lamb, just got some more grazing, will be lambing about 325-50 next year....


You can see how quickly it spirals.....

Yes I can but I think when you have those sorts of numbers it makes things cheaper. For example I don't have enough sheep to jab when heptavacing if I was doing 25 doses it would cost me £0.80 per head where as at the moment It costs me £2.50 per head as I cant make the most of it!

how many sheep do you keep?
yes having more sheep can make some thing cheaper per sheep, but if you think your feed bill is too high and that it will reduce if you have more sheep then you are wrong.

you need better sheep

[SteveHants]

you need better sheep

Now theres a debate that could run and run.......




You also need a sound culling policy and a commercial attitude. Oh, and possibly not be lured by 'market-topping' willy-waving.

[Hillview Farm]

and how many sheep do you have Steve? I don't have masses of grazing at the moment (working progress)

I think for my first year to break even is good! I'm proud of myself! I can only move forwards and up!

I started with 15 Wilts Horns as a hobby......the next autumn I bought 40 Lleyns, the following spring I bought 50 in-lamb woolshedders to lamb at the same time.....this year I had about 270 to lamb, just got some more grazing, will be lambing about 325-50 next year....


You can see how quickly it spirals.....

Yes I can but I think when you have those sorts of numbers it makes things cheaper. For example I don't have enough sheep to jab when heptavacing if I was doing 25 doses it would cost me £0.80 per head where as at the moment It costs me £2.50 per head as I cant make the most of it!

how many sheep do you keep?
yes having more sheep can make some thing cheaper per sheep, but if you think your feed bill is too high and that it will reduce if you have more sheep then you are wrong.

you need better sheep

firstly i'm not saying that my feed bill is too high i'm saying its the highest thing I pay for. I dont pay rent, get hay for free so the most I pay is for feed and I buy the odd bag here and there. I'm sorry I didn't explain very well.  I'm not sayinf having more sheep is cheaper either. And lastly I dont need better ewes as I bought the best my budget could get me and then some. Ok so they aren't pedigree but I went to the best commerial sheep farmer in my area and got his best. There is nothing wrong with my sheep. I understand this is oppinions but I was just looking for idea's for example selling them dead, not someone seeming to be having ago at me. There is no right or wrong answers

[ZaktheLad]

Indeed, there are no right or wrong answers and everyone has to use a system that suits them best and what they are happy with.   Interestingly enough, here's the comment from the market report at Cirencester market 5th September from the sheep auctioneer - "Meat is the key to selling lambs at present and is not achievable with grass alone.  The difference between the meated lambs and leaner sorts it will pay to feed them."

325 sheep is a lot different from a flock of 10.  I only have 11 breeding ewes and they have the best that I can afford of everything.  I would never consider feeding them crap hay and I also feed them hard feed up to lambing and also afterwards for a couple of months.  I have sold my ewe and ram lambs for £100 each this year - all have gone to breeding or pet homes, so a different sort of market.  I am happy with this price and as long as I break even or make a small profit that's all I require.  Keeping 11 breeding ewes is a hobby not a business as it would be if I had 320-350 sheep, I do not have a commercial attitude to the whole thing and care more about the sheep and looking after them than the profit I might make.

Hillview Farm - you have done very well in your first year to break even and sounds as if you are doing everything you can to not only to ensure you don't make a loss, but that you also feed your sheep in a manner in which you are happy doing - 

[shygirl]

firstly i'm not saying that my feed bill is too high i'm saying its the highest thing I pay for. I dont pay rent, get hay for free so the most I pay is for feed and I buy the odd bag here and there. I'm sorry I didn't explain very well.  I'm not sayinf having more sheep is cheaper either. And lastly I dont need better ewes as I bought the best my budget could get me and then some. Ok so they aren't pedigree but I went to the best commerial sheep farmer in my area and got his best. There is nothing wrong with my sheep. I understand this is oppinions but I was just looking for idea's for example selling them dead, not someone seeming to be having ago at me. There is no right or wrong answers
[/quote]

i think people are just keen to talk economics on sheep so its an interesting thread, i havent seen a thread on this subject before and im not a sheep expert so i find it fascinating.  dont take it personally.