Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Any information or experience re sheep keeping small number of sheep please  (Read 9902 times)

Big Light

  • Joined Aug 2011
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We have Hebridean sheep but also keep a couple of Shetland ewes in the flock which we cross with the Hebridean Tup so we can produce a quicker carcase, we were later lambing this year and so were from mid April onward we took the Shetland crosses and a couple of the more mature Heb's to slaughter a couple of weeks ago - boned out they produced about 10 kilos of meat the Heb's were slightly lighter. We also took the last of our hebridean hoggets ( 18 months) they weighed in about 16- 17 kilos of meat. The Shetlands in the flock allow us an earlier taking of the current seasons lamb at a reasonable weight and reasonable fat covering.

Without being biased the meat from the Heb / Heb cross is fantastic - we have had so many people (without our bias) say that was the best bit of lamb they ever had - or have had in a long time - the meat is very tender with a delicate flavour and even so called non lamb eaters ( who have Been put off by lamb taint) have been converted. I would therefore suggest you use the meat first and see if you could use it all.

 It's actually quite nice putting a dish you have produced then cooked out in front of guests.

 10 kilos of lamb doesn't go that far and if you don't eat a lot of joints get a fair bit of it minced and use it that way.

 From 3 ewes you will usually have between 3-6 lambs but probably either 4 or 5 ( on a 1.5 average). If you take some late autumn time ( Oct / Nov) then again as hogget in the summer (and freeze it each time) i would suspect you could use it up easier than you would suspect

Also your productions cost for the lamb will be minimal maybe a couple of quid for a dose of medicine, kill costs are about £17 then either butcher yourself or get it done - your 10  kilos of lamb would be a £100 or more even in the supermarket - you will see even with butchery the cost advantages
« Last Edit: October 26, 2013, 08:55:17 am by Big Light »

 

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