jewel
Well-Known Member
those of you with your own land do you graze sheep or goats with your horses and there any bonuses to doing this
sheep/ goats
- Thread starter jewel
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clipclop
Well-Known Member
I tend to borrow sheep every summer. They go around and clear up the fields nicely.
Now we have less horses on the land I want to set up a rotation with our cow, some sheep and the horses. It breaks the worm cycle too.
Now we have less horses on the land I want to set up a rotation with our cow, some sheep and the horses. It breaks the worm cycle too.
MillionDollar
Well-Known Member
We have 600 lambing ewes (live on a farm) and we have them with the horses as well.
They are FANTASTIC at keeping the grass green and lush and in good shape. We never have ragwort and they stop the grass getting horse sick. They are also good at levelling the ground in the winter.
I'm actually setting a livery yard up so we will cut down but I'll always have sheep, i don't know why everyone who has land doesn't have them.
I have a few pet lambs looking for a new home, otherwise they've got to go to market
They are FANTASTIC at keeping the grass green and lush and in good shape. We never have ragwort and they stop the grass getting horse sick. They are also good at levelling the ground in the winter.
I'm actually setting a livery yard up so we will cut down but I'll always have sheep, i don't know why everyone who has land doesn't have them.
I have a few pet lambs looking for a new home, otherwise they've got to go to market
jewel
Well-Known Member
what sort of money do lambs cost? and are hard to look after
CheekyCob
Well-Known Member
Sheep. They eat the grasses the horses don't and they kill the worm cycle that the horses drop. Plus mine are adorable
air78
Well-Known Member
Sheep are great for the land...... goats are lovely, but a nightmare to keep, as they jump and climb! They are also more picky than sheep with regard to what they will eat (but they will happily eat your washing off the line!).
I bought some sheep a few weeks ago to keep our grass down. They cost £124 each per 1 ewe with 2 lambs at foot.This is the going rate at market near us for decent sized healthy lambs.
You have to get a holding number from DEFRA though, and a flock no. , and tag the lambs and ewe's accordingly.
They are easy to look after, but one of ewe's went (very) lame last week; I checked her feet etc and couldn't spot anything so we ended up having to get the vet out. He couldn't find any thing either, just gave her antibiotics and anitimflamitary's. Three days later she was better...... and I was the best part of £100 worse off
I bought some sheep a few weeks ago to keep our grass down. They cost £124 each per 1 ewe with 2 lambs at foot.This is the going rate at market near us for decent sized healthy lambs.
You have to get a holding number from DEFRA though, and a flock no. , and tag the lambs and ewe's accordingly.
They are easy to look after, but one of ewe's went (very) lame last week; I checked her feet etc and couldn't spot anything so we ended up having to get the vet out. He couldn't find any thing either, just gave her antibiotics and anitimflamitary's. Three days later she was better...... and I was the best part of £100 worse off
*hic*
village idiot :D
We have sheep and they can be a PITA when they jump out! We use them to keep the grass short where we have plants growing that are poisonous to equines so that there is no risk of that area being mown for hay - the horses won't eat the plants whilst they are growing - and we value the fact that our grass is never sprayed. But the best benefit is a freezer full of lamb. Organic lamb, used to keep our organic hay weed-free!
Lambs can be got for free but we found that the most cost effective way of doing it was to buy some sheep scanned in lamb - we paid £90 per sheep which is not cheap but they were experienced mothers and each carrying twins and then each year we buy in a "used" ram for around £40 (so we know he's fertile) and then when he's done his job and is getting a bit big for his boots and aggressive we have him slaughtered.
So for our initial outlay of £270 on three sheep we have had 12 lambs of which 10 have gone into the freezer and we have kept two of the girls to increase the flock (and eaten one of the original sheep who had developed arthritis and was uncomfy in the winter).
Lambs can be got for free but we found that the most cost effective way of doing it was to buy some sheep scanned in lamb - we paid £90 per sheep which is not cheap but they were experienced mothers and each carrying twins and then each year we buy in a "used" ram for around £40 (so we know he's fertile) and then when he's done his job and is getting a bit big for his boots and aggressive we have him slaughtered.
So for our initial outlay of £270 on three sheep we have had 12 lambs of which 10 have gone into the freezer and we have kept two of the girls to increase the flock (and eaten one of the original sheep who had developed arthritis and was uncomfy in the winter).
Christmas_Kate
Well-Known Member
Goats will eat anything, including a horses tail (so do sheep, but are less likely to). Sheep fall ill quickly. They wake up in the morning feeling great and say to themselves "this looks like a good day to die", and then they drop dead.
Sheep are NOT cost effective, unless you buy lambs and have them slaughtered before they a) grow into big sheep that need shearing or b) grow into huige Tups. Most of all, they are STUPID!!
BUT, they do keep the grass in tip top condition, will eat what the horses won't.
I need more sheep, just waiting for the cades to be weaned and then hopefully they'll come out and G will have a small flock to keep him company
.
If I had the chance, I'd have some of my own. Despite their downfalls, i think they're fab
.
Sheep are NOT cost effective, unless you buy lambs and have them slaughtered before they a) grow into big sheep that need shearing or b) grow into huige Tups. Most of all, they are STUPID!!
BUT, they do keep the grass in tip top condition, will eat what the horses won't.
I need more sheep, just waiting for the cades to be weaned and then hopefully they'll come out and G will have a small flock to keep him company
If I had the chance, I'd have some of my own. Despite their downfalls, i think they're fab
MillionDollar
Well-Known Member
Not much at all (around £50 per lamb). And no they are not hard to look after at all. They'll need shearing once a year (about May/June) worming every 6 months and feeding if they need it. They might need their feet trimming occasionally if they get too long, but you can do that yourself. But the benefits they give, they just pay for themselves.
Chex
Well-Known Member
My friend has two sheep that were orphans last year, and so far they've cost her a fortune! They were free though, they were runty lambs that weren't expected to survive. They always seem to have something wrong with them, and are incredibly accident prone. One of them attacks you if you go in the field too
I have tons of sheep and lambs in my field, and while they're good at keeping the grass down, they're a bit of a pain. The lambs seem to think that Chex is a sheep (I think its the white legs) and keep following him around and getting under his feet, which is not going to end well! They seem to die a lot too
flower
Well-Known Member
Can't comment on sheep but goats are a nightmare. Yard has 2 pigmy goats that look adorable but are a right pain. They do eat anything and everything so you have to keep tack room and feed room door shut - if the feed room is left open they go in, knock the feed bins over and pig out.
They also have horns and take great delight in scraping the side of the few lorries that are on the yard (one of which is mine). I've taken to putting sheep hurdles round it, but the sharp edges of them have taken the paint off and the goats often use that as a ladder to lean on to scrape their horns on the higher bits of the lorry - we put tape round the sharp edges of the sheep hurdles and the goats just chew it off.
So, my advice on getting a goat would be don't! Or if you do get a baby one and look into having its horns off.
They also have horns and take great delight in scraping the side of the few lorries that are on the yard (one of which is mine). I've taken to putting sheep hurdles round it, but the sharp edges of them have taken the paint off and the goats often use that as a ladder to lean on to scrape their horns on the higher bits of the lorry - we put tape round the sharp edges of the sheep hurdles and the goats just chew it off.
So, my advice on getting a goat would be don't! Or if you do get a baby one and look into having its horns off.
tina579
Well-Known Member
we have a farm, so lots of sheep, my old horse was always fine with them but we graze a few fields with horses and one of theres did nothing but chase the sheep! i love sheep but think you are prob best letting a local farmer graze your fields every so often as the work they cause is quite a bit, my dad goes and shears some for ppl and they say they had problems getting someone to come an shear them etc, also if something goes wrong with any of them it can get expensive. having said that they do keep the grass lovely!
jewel
Well-Known Member
so can i just get sheep or do i need to register with defra