# Raising sheep for market



## Guest123 (Oct 10, 2006)

I currently raise Babydoll sheep but I have curious about raising "market" sheep. I have about a 3 acre pasture with good fencing and access to water that I thought would maybe be a good place for more sheep. Can you purchase lambs in spring, keep them on pasture, and sell them in the fall? Can a person make any money doing this if things go well as far as health issues and normal setbacks involved with raising sheep? How many sheep could you keep on 3 acres without over grazing? Any information would be appreciated.


----------



## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Well.....yes, you can raise the sheep during the summer. A lamb is a sheep under a year old so marketing lamb is what you want to look at. Can you make money? I don't know. It's not easy- especially if you have to buy the lambs. How many sheep per acre will depend on what kind of grass and how much rain, etc. Generally speaking - 5 sheep make 1 cow - give or take a bit depending on breed of sheep. Are you selling to a market or selling them privately off your farm? What's the demand for lamb in your area? Any others around do it?

Sorry I can't be more help. I am sure others more experienced can. So much depends on the conditions in your area.


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> How many sheep could you keep on 3 acres without over grazing?


If you divide it into sections so you can rotate them, you could probably get 5-6 per acre on *good* pasture.

I don't know if you'll "make money" buying them then selling them later though.
You'd be better off to breed your own.


----------



## lilachill (Apr 2, 2006)

I raisied 2 lambs for the fall market. The one I sold paid for the one we eat. I rotated the lambs daily to improve my pasture.


----------



## houndlover (Feb 20, 2009)

I sell weaned black face X lambs from March to Jun for $100 regardless of their size, most are around 45-60 lbs. They are born between Jan and March and I have a minimum amount of $$ in them, a little creep feed and what I feed their dams. By October, those lambs on pasture alone should weigh around 130-170 lbs. The going rate is about $1.50 per pound live weight, $4 a lb butchered out for finished lambs. I do make money but I have 30 ewes of my own, 60 acres of good pasture, and can cut my own hay for winter.


----------



## JK-Farms (Feb 17, 2009)

i have done this mostly with goat kids and yes if you limit feed cost and have little to no health issues you can make some money, but dont expect to get rich. i was buying boar goat kids from under the mom for around 1.20 a pound at the auction. then sold them for around 1.60-1.80 a pound but them market was good and i spent next to nothing on feed.


----------



## Ernie (Jul 22, 2007)

If you consider yourself your first customer, then yes, you can make money.


----------

