Author Topic: buying lambs (Read 5788 times)

cowpat · « **on:** December 30, 2013, 06:19:51 pm »

I have a small amount of grazing and would like to put some lambs on it this year to keep the grass down and then end up with some meat?.what time of year could I get them.i don't really want cade lambs.i toyed with the idea of 2 in lamb ewes but ive never lambed before so didn't know really what direction to take.any advice would be great???.

twizzel · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2013, 08:45:01 pm »

Store lambs at weaning possibly, a commercial type would be ready to go to slaughter at 6-7 mths so by the time they are weaned you're only looking at 8 weeks or so of keeping the grass down from when you get them to when they leave for the freezer. You could go down the primitive route though and buy some weaned lambs in summer and keep them through until the following spring as they take a lot longer to finish.
How much land have you got? It's better to have sheep in groups of 3, then if 1 dies, you aren't left with 1 sole sheep who will not be happy.

cowpat · « **Reply #2 on:** December 31, 2013, 10:26:07 am »

only just over an acre although the grass is prolific.

JulieWall · « **Reply #3 on:** December 31, 2013, 12:02:49 pm »

By the time they are ready to leave the mum they won't be worth buying as they'll cost too much to buy and you'll not knock a hole in the grass before they are ready to go. Buying cade lambs is better but if possible get them after 3 weeks old. If anything hasn't had it's colostrum or has the same thing it's mother died from it will usually drop dead at 3 wks old, I've seen it too many times. Failing that, get them from someone you know and trust.

twizzel · « **Reply #4 on:** December 31, 2013, 02:22:03 pm »

As Julie says cade lambs is better but I doubt you'll find a farmer willing to sell a cade at 3 weeks old or older, the hardest work is done by that point (getting them strong and on the bottle, introducing creep) and they only have 3weeks left on milk before being weaned. If you do find one willing to sell them at that age they will be expensive. Most of the farmers I know will want cades gone once they are 24-48hrs old after they've had colostrum.

JulieWall · « **Reply #5 on:** January 01, 2014, 11:59:00 am »

That's true Twizzel, it's all about the profit margin where bought in feed is involved, a mother raised lamb is more cost effective. There is always going to be a risk with an orphan lamb especially for a beginner. I guess it's a case of do your best, take advice but don't beat yourself up if it doesn't survive.

cowpat · « **Reply #6 on:** January 01, 2014, 09:50:39 pm »

after hearing your opinions I might go back to the in lamb ewe approach.i realy want something to keep the grass down and some tasty home grown lamb would be a great bonus

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #7 on:** January 01, 2014, 11:52:23 pm »

I don't know where you are cowpat but on 1 acre of good grazing you could have a few primitive wethers, and I would think you would be able to pick some of them up at a reasonable price. They grow more slowly and will be delicious

I would strongly recommend getting a little experience with meat lambs before getting in-lamb ewes.

Daisys Mum · « **Reply #8 on:** January 02, 2014, 08:37:16 am »

I have bought 4 lovely Shetland wether lambs to graze a hilly part of my fields. I would think something like that would be happy on 1 acre. I will keep them through next spring and possibly summer too before sending them off.
I have to say "bigchicken" ( who bred them) if they had been ewes I would be keeping them, they are lovely little boys, very popular in the village as they speak to everyone who passes by.

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2014, 09:43:38 am »

Would it be worth considering asking a local farmer if he'd like to graze the grass off (not personally, you understand...) in exchange for a lamb at the end of the summer?

Alternatively, geese eat as much grass as sheep and are far less trouble with DEFRA rules etc. And either taste good or lay the most scrumptious eggs.

twizzel · « **Reply #10 on:** January 02, 2014, 11:49:15 am »

I doubt a farmer is going to be interested in an acre of grazing $:-\$
Would also second the thought on having meat lambs before getting in lamb ewes... I've had orphans for the last 2 years (reared and finished just over 20 over the 2 years) and am only just thinking of having a few nice ewes to breed from. Hopefully going to see some in the next few weeks

JulieWall · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2014, 01:47:41 pm »

If you do get in-lamb ewes, if you go for a more primitive breed with a reputation for good mothering instincts such as a Shetland or Jacob you probably won't need to intervene anyway.
I know I have suggested this before but how about asking a local sheep farmer to let you be his assistant at lambing time? It will give him extra help and you can get free tuition and see mal-presentations first hand. Once you and he are friends you'll have someone who's brains you can pick if you need to.
It's probably a bit late in the year to buy in-lamb ewes now anyway, you'd need a crash course in correct feeding, pre lambing vaccination and all sorts, that really would be an in-at-the-deep-end experience for you.
Go help a farmer and you'll be all set up for starting with your own sheep this summer or autumn.

Rosemary · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2014, 02:16:44 pm »

Quote from: twizzel on January 02, 2014, 11:49:15 am

I doubt a farmer is going to be interested in an acre of grazing $:-\$

Maybe a small farmer

We have about an acre at a local National Trust property about two miles away. We usually stick the ewes with singles and the ewe hoggs up there after lambing to graze it down then put some sheep up later in the year to graze it down again - it was the ewe lambs this year.

Works well - folk go to see the sheep (being Ryelands, they like the company) and it saves the NT bloke cutting it. We've done this a couple of years now and it looks far better than when we started.

Anke · « **Reply #13 on:** January 02, 2014, 03:22:11 pm »

Quote from: Rosemary on January 02, 2014, 02:16:44 pm

Quote from: twizzel on January 02, 2014, 11:49:15 am
I doubt a farmer is going to be interested in an acre of grazing $:-\$

Maybe a small farmer We have about an acre at a local National Trust property about two miles away. We usually stick the ewes with singles and the ewe hoggs up there after lambing to graze it down then put some sheep up later in the year to graze it down again - it was the ewe lambs this year.

Works well - folk go to see the sheep (being Ryelands, they like the company) and it saves the NT bloke cutting it. We've done this a couple of years now and it looks far better than when we started.

Actually just over an acre makes good summer grazing for the tups! If you could have a couple plus maybe two wethers, preferably primitive (as long as the fences are good and no ewes next door), then have the wethers for your consumption when the boys go too work in autumn - I would love an arrangement like that!