[lokismum]

hi all
we think we may like to get some lambs for meat 
have looked into pigs and worked out as long as we check sows have been wormed and had vacs we wouldn't need to do anything before they are slaughtered 

could you let me know if we would need to do it with sheep if so what would it involve rough price etc
and what age is best to buy them in at
and to slaughter at
would they need feet trimmed etc
would male or female make a difference or could i buy both
not looking at getting ewes wouldn't want to breed just grow on


if it works out OK will do a course

[Dan]

Have a read of this recent thread about cade (orphan) lambs which should help give some idea of what's involved:

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=31654.0

I'd say it's an order of magnitude more challenging than fattening weaners.

HTH. 

[SallyintNorth]

Pigs want to eat, grow, rootle.  Happy souls, don't tend to have many problems.

To quote an old Exmoor farmer,

Sheep just has two hobbies.  What they can eat and what they can die of.

There are all sorts of pitfalls and horrible things can happen to lambs - not least being eaten alive by maggots.  Not a venture to undertake lightly.