Thinking about starting with sheep

[Masco&Bongo]

I've been thinking of renting a field and getting some sheep to put on it...

There is a 2 acre field for rent on my drive to work, and I've been wondering whether we could rent it and put some sheep on it.

Apart from the obvious thing, such as how much the field would be, and the other obvious thing - cost; what else do I need to consider?

Has anyone got sheep, or kept them before? Any pointers for me?

[red]

we have sheep :)

what do you want to do with the sheep - raise them for wool - meat .. both?

in an ideal world, the field would be divided up into sections, so you can rotate the grazing.

[Masco&Bongo]

Are there breeds you can have for both wool and meat?
I'd also have to find a local abbatoir willing to slaughter small amounts for me in that case, and a butcher who would either do it for us, or show me what to do...

So, we'd need to consider fencing/access if the land needs to be rotated. Realistically, how many sheep are normally kept per acre?

Hhmmmm, lots to think about!

[red]

Are there breeds you can have for both wool and meat?

well yes.. all breeds are both.. just depends on the quality of meat and quality of wool :) - Some breeds have a really course wool that isn't much good for spinning etc, but if you are not that bothered about the wool or the skins, then this wont be an issue. probably the best bet there would be to look around and see what breeds you like the look of. We started with Devon closewools, as i wanted a local breed, since then have got a Zwartbles cross, as they are friendly and I wanted black wool in my flock. And we have kept a cross breed. Might be best to approach local farmers and see what they have. Also find your local small holders association, and join it.. ours does courses that are very useful and a mag with adverts from local people... could be a good way to start?

If you want to raise your own lambs for meat, you will need access to a ram. on 2 acres you wont have room to keep a ram yourself.. but, like us, you could borrow a ram, or run your ewes with a flock that has a ram in Autumn. So you would need to make a contact first, and buy the appropriate sized sheep! You might be best to approach someone who already owns sheep, locally to you and talk it through with them - either through a contact in your smallholders assn, or each breed has a breed society, you might find members near you etc.

I'd also have to find a local abbatoir willing to slaughter small amounts for me in that case, and a butcher who would either do it for us, or show me what to do...

most abbatoirs would be willing to do small numbers.. many have an attached butcher to them, so you can send in your lambs alive, and they come back in bits in bags (minus their personality.. so to speak!). Otherwise, your local butcher will probably cut them up for you, you arrange for the carcass to be delivered to him direct. Having said that.. there are a number of online vids on how to cut up a lamb, and we butchered our own pigs last year (after they were killed!) and it was much easier than you imagine.

So, we'd need to consider fencing/access if the land needs to be rotated. Realistically, how many sheep are normally kept per acre?

Hhmmmm, lots to think about!

we have 3 sheep (+ their lambs for half the year), on about 1 to 1.5 acres. We have too much grass in summer and not enough in winter! - we supplement their food if its snowy, or they are pregnant, during the lean months. you could keep more sheep and feed them more - i spose.

other things to consider.. sheep need their hooves trimming regularly. And they have to be dagged - ie have the pooey bits of wool cut off around their bums. you have to think about who will shear them, and watch out and deal with parasites etc.
Lambing is stressful, and also very rewarding.
Does the field you are considering have any shelter - ie tall trees/hedges ? for shade, etc. if tis very waterlogged -this wont be ideal for sheep. They'll need access to water.
You should be able to check them at least once a day - we do twice a day and more.

I do enjoy keeping sheep - they all come over for a pat or scratch, the lamb is delish, and i feel good about the way they are raised, and to my surprise (i sort of forgot sheep came with wool!), I really enjoy processing and making things out of their wool.

[Gert]

Red has said most of it really, but i would just say that the set up costs of sheep keeping are probably more than you would expect. you'll need a variety of bits and pieces of kit in order to keep them healthy and in good nick.
As red said you need to divide the land up, to prevent worm problems etc
You also need to work out how you are going to get them to slaughter and shear them yourself. I'm not trying to put you off at all, it's just that It's not quite as simple as just having the land.

best of luck

gert

[Pennylane]

All sheep have to be tagged even if they are pets now...a flock and a holding number is needed, the person who rents the land might know this....as has already been said there is more to this than meets the eye,,,but very rewarding in many ways.

[tizzy]

How are you going to keep an eye on them regularly through the day if they are not close by? Is there some shelter for them in this field or are you going to build one? Does it have a water supply?
You might find it impractical if they aren't close at hand all year. Also, even just a dozen ewes represent a considerable investment and a cast ewe or one with bloat will die in a short time if you're not there to see to her promptly. Problems like fly strike progress very fast and again, vet bills or dead ewe, if you don't spot it early. I would give this stuff some careful thought before going ahead with this plan.
Sorry about the doom and gloom ........grow hay long distance, it's less agro

[Pennylane]

It is sad to put a dampner on things, but as has already been said there actually is a huge amount of things to consider. Before I got sheep I found someone to agree to be my mentor and advise me through it , I did not want to be neglectful through innoncence. Even after all these years there is still more to learn,I still have friends to refer to, and the advice is not always the same ,there is always more to learn.
One old boy said to me, "As soon as you get Live Stock, you have to think about it as Dead Stock, what are you going to do when it dies?". so that went off into a lot of questions being answered before I even bought them.
Having said that, despite the lows the Highs have been most wonderful,and I have learnt to spin , which I never thought I would master, along with many other woolcrafts.
What I have learnt, is that if I was still living the Good Life in London I would have tried to learn while there..using real fleece is so much better for our countryside. The farmers do not make a profit from the fleeces, in fact a loss by the time they have paid the shearer...so I would have played a part in keeping sheep in the fields just by valueing Wool more...I love it