[sabrina]

Had a thought this morning about buying a couple of this years lambs in the autumn to run over the winter before going into our freezer. they would go on the hill paddocks all winter to clear up the grasses the ponies don't seem to eat. Would it be worth it considering they will need feeding over the winter.

[clydesdaleclopper]

It depends on breed. I only feed ours if the snow is thick or there is no grass.

[SallyintNorth]

Also depends on when you want to slaughter them.  If you don't give them any hay, they'll be thin come the end of the winter, so they'll need a couple of months of spring grass to fill out and be ready to slaughter

But even if you do give them hay, you'd be talking something like a bale a fortnight for 2 hoggs - surely worth it for lovely home-grown meat come spring 

However, if you have someone local sells lovely home-grown meat, you may be better off just buying that, of course.  Don't forget to cost fluke meds and vaccinations if you do a cost comparison

[sabrina]

Thanks, will look into it.

[clydesdaleclopper]

However, if you have someone local sells lovely home-grown meat, you may be better off just buying that, of course.  Don't forget to cost fluke meds and vaccinations if you do a cost comparison

But then there wouldn't be the benefit of cross species grazing for the pasture