[benkt]

Hi Folks,


We're looking at starting a small trial run of sheep keeping this year. The plan is to get in maybe 6 lambs in spring and keep them through to slaughter in the late autumn before deciding whether to take the plunge with breeding etc. next year.


Before we start it would be really helpful to get some costings for this project. We have shelter and two stock fenced half acre paddocks for the sheep, so really looking for estimates of additional feed costs, shearing, worming etc. for a small flock of perhaps half a dozen lambs for the year.


Many thanks,


Ben

[DartmoorLiz]

I'm sure there's others who can chip in here but your set up makes me think you could get away with growing them fairly cheeply this year (depending on grass growth and quality).  That is If your land has not had sheep on it for a few years (ie is clean) and the lambs do not arrive with a big worm burden and they are not carrying wormer resistant worms and they are fairly healthy on arrival and they got enough colustrum when they were born.  But if they have tummy ache and their feet are hurting and they miss their mum (or never knew her) and their coats are itchy and the flies are laying eggs in their fleece ... you get what I mean. 

You probably won't need hay during the summer (its £5 per bale around here), likewise concentrate but if you do I recently paid £8 per 25kg sack and they'll eat up to 1.5 kg per day.  You probably will need wormer and your vet might sell you just enough for your flock.  Flies and lice might be a problem too and personally, I vaccinate against pneumonia and others with Heptavac P but its expensive - can't remember the price but its cheaper than losing one lamb ... its all about making friends with your vet and your local farm store.   Good luck, my first lambing was last year and its soooo rewarding. 

[jaykay]

It depends so much on where you are, when you need to feed, etc etc.

l am at 1000ft in Cumbria. It is very cold and wet, I have to feed between mid Oct and the end of April.

I've just calculated I spend £30 on hard feed and £60 on hay, per year, per sheep.

The worming, fly stuff, minerals, shearing, vaccinations, come in at <£10 a sheep.
So I reckon each sheep seems to cost me around £100 to raise! I make about £120 per carcase, sold directly to the public (friends, their friends). And perhaps £5-10 on some fleeces.

This used to work well with Rough Fells when I got the tup lambs away in October, before the winter. Now I have to take my Shetlands through the winter before they can go to the butchers, so a lot more money on feed, and the margins are therefore minimal.

Obviously if you have grass for longer, your returns are better and if you have a fast-maturing breed. And if you can make your own hay, and buy feed in bulk (I'm too small an operation for either of these).

[Marches Farmer]

Do you have a nice farming or smallholding neighbour who could hold your hand through this year?  If so he/she may be willing to sell you just the pour-on you need, lend you a pair of foot shears, and so on.  That will certaily keep your costs down and give you the benefit of someone to turn to if necessary.  Maybe you could offer labour, vegetables or something similar in exchange?

[Victorian Farmer]

Not good at the mo sold 150 in the christmas sale onley made 68 for good breeding stock .Thats very low it cost me £25 each ewe so very low.Better to do nothink and get from sale for 55 / 60 and slaorter no cost or work .

[SallyintNorth]

Once you have strong healthy weaned lambs, of a type that will finish (be ready to slaughter) before the grass loses its goodness, then your costs are minimal. 

Lambs aren't shorn in their first year.

If there's enough good grass and they're a type that will 'do' on grass alone, then you won't need cake.  However some won't put on all the muscle (meat) they can without cake, and a lot will need cake once the grass loses its goodness - as jaykay says, mid-Oct around here, usually.

And the other aspects are mainly in my first sentence.  Are you buying lambs born before Christmas, weaned off their mums once the grass really starts growing?  Then, if they are clean on arrival (either wormed or never needed it), you shouldn't need to dose them.  Possibly some minerals, depending on the local conditions (we're copper, cobalt and selenium deficient here.)

Or are you buying 'pet' (orphan or otherwise spare) lambs that need milk replacement for a period?  Now you have costs associated with milk replacer, cake, hay, vaccines, wormers - and potential losses.  (Any lamb can just decide to die, but it's more likely with a hand-reared one.)

I doubt fluke is a problem where you are, but in some areas now there may be a need for a fluke dose even in summer - check NADIS for details.

[Hillview Farm]

Hello 

additional feed costs = as long as your on sopping wet and freezing cold you should be able to get them to slaughter with no feed. £0

shearing= not needed with lambs. £0

Worming= Do FEC every 6 weeks or so. £6 a go.

Fly prevention= smallest bottles cost around £50 but they will do a lot of doses so try and find someone to share with.

sheep= Good luck! 

[benkt]

Thanks folks,
We're in the fens so low lying but a bit damp(!) at times. My butcher keeps sheep so I'll see if he's willing to share meds when he's doing his own flock. Sounds very promising though - fingers crossed we find some lambs! I don't mind getting orphans that need bottling as we have plenty of goats milk for them - but I'd rather avoid it if possible.
Ben

[sarahdean_66]

Where abouts r u I'm Cambridgeshire be st neots, is be willing to share meds if it suited. Or graze some of my sheep on ur land in exchange for meat!

[bazzais]

If your purely going into it to dip your toes -- dont think about the profit - your never going to make anything finishing lambs without a 'product line' approach.

Just enjoy it.  You would be better off buying/getting aquainted with a few mollies maybe?

[bazzais]

But then selling them is the hard part after getting so aquainted