All things Wooly!

Few pics from the last while for the (few) sheep fans on here😅First three are some of the mayo ewes and their lambs weaned,sorting them the last few days, ewes heading for the mountain now.
Fourth is some hoggets for selling, ram some extra ewe lambs on last year for selling.... See how they go but thinking its not worth the hassle.
Last them is a few of the lowland ones, all weaned now and trying to get as many away on grass as possible. Won't start feeding till sometime in September. Lambs seemed to stall a bit in the heatwave but are flying again so hopefully not to many will need finishing with meal.
 

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How long will the ewes give on the mountain before you have them in again?

Those lambs in the last few pics are in lovely order.
 
How long will the ewes give on the mountain before you have them in again?

Those lambs in the last few pics are in lovely order.
They will come down in late October for dipping and sorting for the ram. The ones going to the Mayo rams will go back up and the ones with the cheviot rams will stay on grass and once all covered head back for the mountain. They will see grass then around April next year for lambing.
 
They will come down in late October for dipping and sorting for the ram. The ones going to the Mayo rams will go back up and the ones with the cheviot rams will stay on grass and once all covered head back for the mountain. They will see grass then around April next year for lambing.
The cheviot rams would go on strike at altitude would they😅
 
Happened to be watching a few of the online Marts with hogget sales lately. A lot of hoggets not making over 200 and the majority going for around 170-200. Meanwhile ewe lambs are making big money for the right type, 130-160 for instance.
Chatting someone yesterday about this and their take on it was that more and more people are quitting lambing and want to buy the good ewe lamb for selling next year as hoggets as its a far easier game. No hassle of lambing and still able to draw all the money. As a result the buyers aren't there for hoggets. Does anyone on here agree with this or see it happening in their area?
 
Happened to be watching a few of the online Marts with hogget sales lately. A lot of hoggets not making over 200 and the majority going for around 170-200. Meanwhile ewe lambs are making big money for the right type, 130-160 for instance.
Chatting someone yesterday about this and their take on it was that more and more people are quitting lambing and want to buy the good ewe lamb for selling next year as hoggets as its a far easier game. No hassle of lambing and still able to draw all the money. As a result the buyers aren't there for hoggets. Does anyone on here agree with this or see it happening in their area?
What money is there to draw on sheep ?
The welfare scheme is approx. 10 euro a head but as far as I know its finished this year unless they give a 1 year extension like GLAS .
Think that ewe lambs are not counted for that anyways

Keeping a dry ewe lamb overwinter to sell the following Summer is not exactly a major money spinner .

Think hoggets are dear enough really .200 a head is getting to a price where it can be hard to justify them giving a return .Ewe lamb at 30/40 less would be better value .Would still get a lamb from them but usually less hold to service and litter size is smaller than hoggets.
That said if ewe lamb is dry next March and/or you don't like her for whatever reason she is still likely to make a decent factory price .The hogget in the same situation is gone at cast ewe price .
 
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What money is there to draw on sheep ?
The welfare scheme is approx. 10 euro a head but as far as I know its finished this year unless they give a 1 year extension like GLAS .
Think that ewe lambs are not counted for that anyways

Keeping a dry ewe lamb overwinter to sell the following Summer is not exactly a major money spinner .
Ewe welfare scheme Is continuing in the new cap AFAIK
I mean anyone that chooses the hogget route can draw the anc, bps, reap or what ever the next scheme will be without the hassle of lambing and the work tjat goes with it. These new environmental schemes will prob suit that kind of person very well as they are probably lightly stocked minimum fertiliser application etc.
 
Forgot about the ANC as not appliciable here .Think there is a minimum stocking rate for that .
No need to have stock to get BPS as all you need is to comply with GAEC .

The present welfare scheme is ok but not exactly a justifiable reason to keep sheep .That said both options I choose (scanning and mineral supplementation pre tupping) are ones I would have been doing regardless .
 
Forgot about the ANC as not appliciable here .Think there is a minimum stocking rate for that .
No need to have stock to get BPS as all you need is to comply with GAEC .

The present welfare scheme is ok but not exactly a justifiable reason to keep sheep .That said both options I choose (scanning and mineral supplementation pre tupping) are ones I would have been doing regardless .
Ya, anc is minimum stocking rate. If people are anyways serious about sheep they should be doing them things regardless of the tenner a head. Its just a bonus to be getting paid for it.
 
Happened to be watching a few of the online Marts with hogget sales lately. A lot of hoggets not making over 200 and the majority going for around 170-200. Meanwhile ewe lambs are making big money for the right type, 130-160 for instance.
Chatting someone yesterday about this and their take on it was that more and more people are quitting lambing and want to buy the good ewe lamb for selling next year as hoggets as its a far easier game. No hassle of lambing and still able to draw all the money. As a result the buyers aren't there for hoggets. Does anyone on here agree with this or see it happening in their area?
I’ve heard the same about hogget prices doesn’t make sense really when I got 175 in the factory for lamb/hoggets last April and if I kept them til now I might get 170/180
 
I’ve heard the same about hogget prices doesn’t make sense really when I got 175 in the factory for lamb/hoggets last April and if I kept them til now I might get 170/180
That's the gamble you take with these things.
 
Happened to be watching a few of the online Marts with hogget sales lately. A lot of hoggets not making over 200 and the majority going for around 170-200. Meanwhile ewe lambs are making big money for the right type, 130-160 for instance.
Chatting someone yesterday about this and their take on it was that more and more people are quitting lambing and want to buy the good ewe lamb for selling next year as hoggets as its a far easier game. No hassle of lambing and still able to draw all the money. As a result the buyers aren't there for hoggets. Does anyone on here agree with this or see it happening in their area?
Over here it’s been happening for a few years,old timers not bothered about making money they just want something to look at with minimal labour.
 
Did anyone watch the Jalex sheep sale on marteye? Just curious to know what kind of prices the hoggets made. Looked fair fancy sheep in the done deal adverts.
 
Did anyone watch the Jalex sheep sale on marteye? Just curious to know what kind of prices the hoggets made. Looked fair fancy sheep in the done deal adverts.
Top price in borris yesterday was 450 anyway for a pen of hoggets. The run of it was 210 to 230 or 40 I suppose. Very little sold below 200.

Cant help you on the jalex
 
Top price in borris yesterday was 450 anyway for a pen of hoggets. The run of it was 210 to 230 or 40 I suppose. Very little sold below 200.

Cant help you on the jalex
Thanks for that. I would have liked to have gone down to the sale in Borris but I didn't get a chance. 450 is some money for hoggets. Here I thought the lad that bought 30 cheviot hoggets in baltinglass last year for 400 had paid big money.
 
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2ADD192D-F21E-48A2-8EC6-D113025D6301.jpegSheep enjoying the garlic mineral lick. I don’t know if it’s wishful thinking but worm burden and fly strike seem to be a lot less this year. It’s time to do the second FEC for the sheep welfare scheme so that will tell me something.
 
View attachment 96543Sheep enjoying the garlic mineral lick. I don’t know if it’s wishful thinking but worm burden and fly strike seem to be a lot less this year. It’s time to do the second FEC for the sheep welfare scheme so that will tell me something.
Let us know how it goes.

Trouble with that kind of thing is that it's the few who don't go to the lick that will have the burden, and you'll end up dosing the lot.
 
Let us know how it goes.

Trouble with that kind of thing is that it's the few who don't go to the lick that will have the burden, and you'll end up dosing the lot.
I agree but the sheep go mad for it . When They run out and I put a new one in they would nearly knock you over to get at it so hopefully they are all getting a lick off it.
 
Picked up these two boys today. Two wicklow cheviots, for running with the mayo ewes. my father would always have used these but I tried a North Country cheviot last year...was overly happy with the lambs so back to the tried and tested!
 

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