Weekly Charge for Winter Grazing of Store Lambs?

Western Pomise

Was chatting a farmer I would bump into every now and again the other day. Like a lot of men he has gone into dairying but not on huge scale. He was saying with all the heavy rain that's falling up here in NW that he is going to have to put in cows earlier than he hoped and not leave out younger stock too late. I have around 70 ewe lambs that I will be holding over the winter to sell as hoggetts next year. Would be about 30 to 35 kg on average weight wise. I asked him if he would have any ground that I could put them in on for say December and January given fact he won't get land grazed out fully given weather conditions here.

He said that he may well have and he would have a better idea in a months time. I've never winter grazed stock with another person but do know of a few fellas that get strong ewes away from December to end of February to dairy farmers to tidy out paddocks for them and that they typically pay a euro a week per ewe to the Dairy man.

Advantage to Dairy man is their fields get well grazed out and that helps quality of grass the next Spring. Advantage for sheep farmer is their own ground gets a rest while stock are away grazing on good quality ground.

Am just wondering what would be a fair weekly rate for store lambs who obviously don't eat nearly as much as a strong ewe. In fairness it's me asking that man if he could take lambs in from me so if it suits him I will do it but price would want to be reasonably realistic too:)

Appreciate thoughts from anyone with experience of this type of arrangement.

Thanks.

wrangler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058266615/weekly-charge-for-winter-grazing-of-store-lambs

I think 80c - 100c/hd/wk is about the going rate for ewes. Dairy farmers have moved away from taking in sheep now and graze their cows in February on Nov/Dec grown grass.

They'd be closing paddocks for early grass from now on

orm0nd

. .

Western Pomise

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119718972#Comment_119718972

Thanks Wrangler,it wasn’t rate for ewes I was wondering about, it was for store lambs that would be around 35kg.

Presume it would be somewhat less than for strong ewes.

Thanks for any replies.

Western Pomise

Hi all,

Anyone have idea of rate for store lambs for winter grazing,

Thanks.