Small scale cattle and sheep : building a viable enterprise – event summary

Small Scale Cattle & Sheep Meetings

These two meetings were well attended and provided the participants with a good opportunity to learn the key points they should consider when considering to start up a small scale farm business.

The first meeting was held at SAC Consulting Ayr office, whilst the second meeting was held on a farm near Darvel (on a cold & wintry day).  Topics covered included:

• Livestock selection
• Nutrition & feeding, including the range of feeds available, feed & mineral requirements and how overfeeding can cause problems.
• Condition scoring sheep
• Paperwork requirements and cross compliance e.g. recording movements, tagging, animal health.
• Health planning – the basic annual health planning calendars for cattle and sheep were discussed for different categories of health problems such as liver fluke, ectoparasites & relevant vaccinations.
• There were practical sessions to show the range of feeds available, condition scoring of sheep and animal health equipment, including how to calibrate items such as dosing and vaccination guns.
• Housing – basic drivers for housing and appropriate types & minimum sizing of housing for different types & classes of stock.  The importance of ventilation and bedding types were discussed in relation to animal health.

You can view the presentations from the first meeting here.

Key points from the sessions

• Consider what you want the stock for – there’s no such thing as a perfect breed, but there will be a perfect breed for what you want it to do.
• Liaise closely with your vet – they are your first port of call for advice about routine treatments.
• Diets for ruminants should be based around fibre and forages. Energy and protein is particularly important for growing, pregnant or lactating animals.
• Stock may need housing either for their own sake, or to prevent them from damaging land during winter through poaching.

Related downloads

• Small Scale Cattle and Sheep Mtg 1 Presentation TN658 – Condition scoring of sheep
• Croft and Small Farm Advisory Service Subscription Form
• Better-returns-from-body-condition-scoring
• BRP-Lameness-five-point-plan
• Premium Cattle Health Scheme