Page 12 | I’m a farmer, ask me anything

dontevenblink · 05/05/2019 00:31

But paragraphs worked that time...!

Gingerkittykat · 05/05/2019 01:51

What are the % of failed sheepdogs? My friend has had 2 now as pets. Her current one was rehomed because he is scared of sheep.

Do you think meat should go back to being a smaller part of our diet rather than an everyday meal? I can only afford lamb very occasionally but chicken in now ridiculously cheap.

bizzey · 05/05/2019 07:59

This thread has been fascinating!
Thank you OP.
I never knew about the crow situation and ewes. I hope your injured ewe is ok.

I do have a very silly question requarding the sheep on their backs and unable to get up.....
How do they end up on their backs in the first place ?

DogHairEverywhere · 05/05/2019 10:05

Bizzey - I do have a very silly question requarding the sheep on their backs and unable to get up.....
How do they end up on their backs in the first place ?
It happens more often at this time of year just before shearing. The sheep get itchy, roll around scratching and can sometimes end up in a dip of land, and be unable to right themselves.
It's safer to roll them away from you if you can, as they can kick out during the rolling process, but often they have rolled down a slight incline, so the only way to right them is the pull them over towards to. Just watch out for their flailing hooves. But it's always worth doing it, as they will die if left there too long.

bizzey · 05/05/2019 18:56

Ohh dear ..embarressing
Obvious really ! Before i saw your reply

I spike to my ds 14 ..he gave the sane answer!
I sort of imagined all these ewes lying on
Their backs ...with legs up in air ..

Sorry

DogHairEverywhere · 05/05/2019 21:11

Bizzey, they are there with legs in the air. They get sort of wedged in the dip and cant right themselves. Also, as they lie there, their weight sort of moves to their back and when you right them, the can look a bit of a funny shape sometimes.
If you're in sheep country, it's really obvious, if you happen to see one - feet in the air, straight up.

Usingmyindoorvoice · 05/05/2019 22:01

Just in case anyone wanted to know what to do
www.walesonline.co.uk/business/farming/how-you-can-save-sheeps-12825619

thislido · 05/05/2019 22:36

Bizzey you know when a insect gets stuck on its back? It’s like that.

LadyGAgain · 07/05/2019 09:56

I've been reading this thread to my DH and he keeps coming back to the following:
Before the crow culling license issue, HOW did you cull them? Do you all have shot gun licences and are brilliant marks-people? Poison I take it would harm livestock? Slingshot?
He is a man. And therefore obsessed with knowing this

AskAFarmer · 07/05/2019 11:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rabbitmug · 07/05/2019 12:13

I think Michael Gove has overturned the licence business. People just shot crows, you either hit them or you don't I guess...

Original poster

AskAFarmer · 07/05/2019 12:34

Sorry, ask HQ to just remove a para from my post but it’s all gone!

In short - yes, most farmers have a shotgun licence, and shooting is the usual method.

OP posts:

LadyGAgain · 07/05/2019 17:55

Thank you! DH can now breathe a sign of relief now he knows. Not knowing has been like an itch he couldn't reach

Original poster

AskAFarmer · 07/05/2019 19:17

His way made me think of Wile E Coyote and a box of dynamite

OP posts:

Valkarie · 07/05/2019 21:14

Going back to your post about organic, I am one of those people who buy because I thought it guaranteed certain welfare standards such as free range. Is this not true? I don't usually buy organic veg as it is so expensive and they don't need space to run around. But I do buy free range or organic milk, eggs and meat when possible to give the animals a better life. Am I being a mug?

Lalalalalalalalaland · 07/05/2019 22:04

Loving reading this.

Im currently a management accountant part time but have applied to study agriculture in September.

Me and dp don't come from farming families. Are we mental to think we could eventually be farmers??!

We want a different style of life for us and the kids (ive always been a country girl, pony club etc)

Planning on sheep as cows seem a bit high maintenance during the winter!!

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 07/05/2019 22:19

Dunno la la but I would love to do that (am a lawyer) so go for your dreams!! How do you buy a farm though?!

OnlineAlienator · 07/05/2019 22:25

Orhanic standards do extend far beyond routine use of chemicals and drugs. Its not the highest standard, but its rewarding for a step in the right direction so worth supporting.

OnlineAlienator · 07/05/2019 22:27

Me and dp don't come from farming families. Are we mental to think we could eventually be farmers??!

Depends what you want - a family home and to be supported by income from farming alone? You'd be spending well into the millions to buy a property, land and kit it out for commercial farming.

Lalalalalalalalaland · 07/05/2019 22:33

In an ideal world rent a council farm. Schemes in our county are favourable for people under 40, not from farming families and who have an education in agriculture.

If not, buy or rent some land. Definately not looking at it as an only income, DP is intending to continue his job (works 9-3.15 4 days a week but pays very well) so he can cover our living costs at least!

OnlineAlienator · 07/05/2019 22:43

Why not just have fun on a smallholding? OP gave a very good summary of why council farms dont really stack up upthread.

Lalalalalalalalaland · 07/05/2019 23:13

The sums she showed were similar to the ones we did ourselves.

Factoring in that we already pay circa £12000 a year to rent our house and the ones round her mostly have houses on. And we will have an off farm income, it seems workable to us.

But nothing is set in stone. Ive got 2 years of agricultural college to get to. I might pack it all in on month 1...if no luck bidding on a council one we may well buy or rent a smallholding.

OnlineAlienator · 08/05/2019 00:28

But do you have the 70k capital to invest? Rent is paid up front annually, livestock and machinery are a hell of an upfront cost, then you have your lead-in period to fund with running costs. Add in that most council farms arent that big, so you need to buy or rent additional land or contract or something....

thislido · 08/05/2019 06:33

Valkarie you can look up the standards reasonably easily. There are welfare elements to the standards, or at least to some of them. I buy organic eggs because the standards are higher than for free range: www.soilassociation.org/organic-living/what-is-organic/organic-eggs/

Original poster

AskAFarmer · 08/05/2019 06:39

Going back to your post about organic, I am one of those people who buy because I thought it guaranteed certain welfare standards such as free range. Is this not true? I don't usually buy organic veg as it is so expensive and they don't need space to run around. But I do buy free range or organic milk, eggs and meat when possible to give the animals a better life. Am I being a mug?

I was a bit scathing and generic of organic earlier (sorry!) - but no, whilst organic systems are usually free range, buying organic doesn’t guarantee free range. Tbh they usually are though.

There are different organic standards in the UK. Not all stipulate on welfare. The Soil Association’s standards DO stipulate on welfare though, so if you buy organic for welfare reasons, look for the soil association logo.

But organic meat will not necessarily be higher welfare than just plain old free range.

I would love it if the UK introduced stricter and clearer food labelling laws, as it’s all a bit of a minefield.

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