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The Old Ram-Australia
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G'day folks, posted the following on FB today,thought it may be of interest .
’day folks, I thought today I would examine COP (cost of production).Because today is not too “flash”,we had some rain overnight and the wind is blowing and the real temperature is below 10 c.
Over the years I have asked on many occasions of farmers large and small, “how much does it cost to get a lamb to market?”, The answer varies mainly depending on the size of the operation .In the main the larger farmers have a pretty good grasp of their costs but as the farm gets smaller farmers tend to be quite unsure about how much it does cost and there are some who reply “I don’t want to know, but I know I never make any money from the farm”.
There is in fact two separate types of return from having livestock .One is financial and the other emotional. Both have the ability to be quite rewarding.
I am going to use our farm as an example .Apart from food and personal every cost has a farm component .E.G. Land rates are calculated at 90%, phone is 50%, internet is 100%, and vehicles are at 80%. And so on as you work through the costs.
Once you have a total you divide it by the number of ewes you breed. IN our case in a “normal “year it is $50.00 per ewe per year. We work on a turnoff of 100% and in the current market a return of $150.00 per lamb, but it was not that long ago when it was $100.00 per head return, but you must just meet the market whatever it is at the time.
Our system of production means that we let the flock determine the level of production which is dependent on the season .For us the arrival of twins is a “bonus” rather than a necessity to fund the final outcome.
Our system of management continually “tests” the strength of the flock and they are bred to survive in all types of weather and feed conditions .There is held within the flock generations of knowledge which is passed from the older generation to the next over time ,in fact I believe it takes a year for the young ewes to acquire all the skills necessary to “survive” and so the reason that replacement ewes are taken away from the flock at 4/5 months of age means they must embark on a journey of “trial and error” to acquire the skills required .The idea of a “short holiday” while the mothers are re-joined is OK,if you watch when the young ewes are let back in with the flock they will “rush” to their mothers side and resume where they left off.
The recent introduction of the 3 Fat Ladies was an interesting test ,in the beginning they waited near to the gate so when the farmer arrived they would call, they were used to on a daily basis getting a ”kiss on the cheek "and a sandwich of Lucerne (Alfalfa) and even now they have not fully integrated into their group, but have teamed up with another ewe who was also a stranger when she arrived ,but they understand if they are “hungry” they graze, if thirsty they walk to the trough or dam, if it’s cold they look to where the rest are and if it is “hot” they find a tree to lay under.
On reading this I am sure some will “scoff” at the ideas presented ,but if you are “new” to sheep these ideas and concepts however non-traditional they be, are worthy of consideration.
I do hope you enjoyed reading this post as I have in writing it...T.O.R.
’day folks, I thought today I would examine COP (cost of production).Because today is not too “flash”,we had some rain overnight and the wind is blowing and the real temperature is below 10 c.
Over the years I have asked on many occasions of farmers large and small, “how much does it cost to get a lamb to market?”, The answer varies mainly depending on the size of the operation .In the main the larger farmers have a pretty good grasp of their costs but as the farm gets smaller farmers tend to be quite unsure about how much it does cost and there are some who reply “I don’t want to know, but I know I never make any money from the farm”.
There is in fact two separate types of return from having livestock .One is financial and the other emotional. Both have the ability to be quite rewarding.
I am going to use our farm as an example .Apart from food and personal every cost has a farm component .E.G. Land rates are calculated at 90%, phone is 50%, internet is 100%, and vehicles are at 80%. And so on as you work through the costs.
Once you have a total you divide it by the number of ewes you breed. IN our case in a “normal “year it is $50.00 per ewe per year. We work on a turnoff of 100% and in the current market a return of $150.00 per lamb, but it was not that long ago when it was $100.00 per head return, but you must just meet the market whatever it is at the time.
Our system of production means that we let the flock determine the level of production which is dependent on the season .For us the arrival of twins is a “bonus” rather than a necessity to fund the final outcome.
Our system of management continually “tests” the strength of the flock and they are bred to survive in all types of weather and feed conditions .There is held within the flock generations of knowledge which is passed from the older generation to the next over time ,in fact I believe it takes a year for the young ewes to acquire all the skills necessary to “survive” and so the reason that replacement ewes are taken away from the flock at 4/5 months of age means they must embark on a journey of “trial and error” to acquire the skills required .The idea of a “short holiday” while the mothers are re-joined is OK,if you watch when the young ewes are let back in with the flock they will “rush” to their mothers side and resume where they left off.
The recent introduction of the 3 Fat Ladies was an interesting test ,in the beginning they waited near to the gate so when the farmer arrived they would call, they were used to on a daily basis getting a ”kiss on the cheek "and a sandwich of Lucerne (Alfalfa) and even now they have not fully integrated into their group, but have teamed up with another ewe who was also a stranger when she arrived ,but they understand if they are “hungry” they graze, if thirsty they walk to the trough or dam, if it’s cold they look to where the rest are and if it is “hot” they find a tree to lay under.
On reading this I am sure some will “scoff” at the ideas presented ,but if you are “new” to sheep these ideas and concepts however non-traditional they be, are worthy of consideration.
I do hope you enjoyed reading this post as I have in writing it...T.O.R.
