Huge deficit in breeding sheep likely
Huge deficit in breeding sheep likely
By Jeremy Hunt
THE foot-and-mouth crisis will cause a massive shortfall in the number of breeding sheep on offer this autumn. Leading Cumbria sheep auctioneer Stuart Bell says numbers could be slashed by at least 60%.
The impact will be felt most severely across the integrated breeding pattern of Swaledale and Mule breeding stock and could create a shortage of North of England Mule lambs for several years.
"As well as a huge drop in the number of Mule gimmer lambs there will be a serious shortage of draft Swaledale ewes. Breeding stock prices could rise by at least 50% this year," says Mr Bell, of Penrith, Farmers and Kidds.
He anticipates a particularly fierce demand for ewes. "Although traditionally bought for crossing to produce Mule lambs, this years draft ewe trade looks like being dominated by hill farmers who have been hit by F&M and urgently need replacements to re-establish pure stocks of Swaledales.
"We have more orders for Swaledales than Mules. Hill farmers are desperate to know where their replacement sheep are coming from. As well as the loss of entire horned flocks vast numbers of Swaledale replacement hoggs were slaughtered as contiguous culls.
"These farmers will have insufficient flock replacements and wont be selling any draft sheep this year which will further reduce the number of sheep on the market."
But with a huge deficit of all sheep breeding stock and no imminent announcement from MAFF on the date when auction sales can resume, an urgent plea has gone out to all those who traditionally buy or sell sheep at the major autumn sales in Cumbria.
"To help everyone in the sheep sector and to enable us to create some form of structured trading out of the uncertainty that we all face, we are asking all our vendors and purchasers to register details of stock for sale and stock wanted," says Mr Bell.
Penrith Farmers and Kidds sells the largest number of Mule sheep in the UK – over 120,000/year. While the company knows how many sheep have been slaughtered in Cumbria on infected farms and through contiguous culls, it is the estimated numbers killed as 3km cases that makes it impossible to accurately calculate the "colossal loss" of breeding stock.
Hill farmers who lost away-wintered Swaledale hoggs as contiguous culls could retain this seasons crop of Mule gimmers if their land can support them through the winter.
"They could hold on to them to keep their sheep numbers up in the short term and at least give them something to farm. Their priority will be to breed remaining Swaledale ewes pure until numbers have been replenished," says Mr Bell.
Many regular midlands and southern counties buyers of Cumbria-bred Mule gimmer lambs have already offered them back as shearlings and found no shortage of north country purchasers through PF and Ks re-stocking register.
"Arranging farm-to-farm sales of stock should not be too difficult and I expect sheep will start moving as soon as licenses are available. We will draw on our experience of knowing who buys from who to help us match buyers and sellers of Mule gimmer lambs." *
SHEEPSHORTAGE
• 60% fall in numbers.
• Swaledale ewes scarce.
• Strong demand in hills.
• Stock register to match buyers and sellers.
For sale… Meatlinc rams are available.