getting out of sheep

epfff

Traditionally we had mainly sheep here and since I went to college back in late 90s sheep have being slowly disappearing and cattle increasing up 150between bulls and heifers
now down to 60ewes I have no probs handling shearing etc just Have good Off farm job and young famly oh also works shifts
Question is why would I stay with 60 as they seem to take as much work as the cattle

jomoloney

epfff wrote: »

Traditionally we had mainly sheep here and since I went to college back in late 90s sheep have being slowly disappearing and cattle increasing up 150between bulls and heifers
now down to 60ewes I have no probs handling shearing etc just Have good Off farm job and young famly oh also works shifts
Question is why would I stay with 60 as they seem to take as much work as the cattle

I like sheep, but in your situation I reckon 60 ewes isn't worth keeping

Molly Bawn

. I am a part-time farmer and run about 80 ewes now on the land as well as dry stock. Sheep will graze off fields, eat ragwort, and produce at least one lamb each year. Sheep can live on very little grass unlike cattle. Sheep make land the old people said and in my case its very true. Maybe consider changing the breed of sheep / rams. I find mule type sheep (Cheviot or mountain sheep crossed with a Border Leicester or Blue Leicester ram) is a great mother, and produce prolifically. I often threaten that I will get rid of sheep especially when I have no one to help at lambing time but then when I am selling the lambs and getting a good price in the Mart, I can see the plus side of it.

Conmaicne Mara

epfff wrote: »

Question is why would I stay with 60 as they seem to take as much work as the cattle

Good for the grass and land in general to be mixed farming? That's the benefit I can think of, but if the time doesn't allow that's another story.