Are you considering a sheep rearing business but wondering if it is profitable? Then you are reading the right article.
You know, everyone wants to make sure about profit before starting a business and that is the right thing to do. This article answers the question of profitability in sheep-rearing businesses and how to go about it.
Sheep rearing is simply nurturing sheep for commercial purposes. It involves raising and breeding sheep. Sheep rearing is one of the traditional business people engage in globally. Sheep rearing or farming is a type of animal husbandry and serves as a source of income for many farmers.
Sheep are domesticated, ruminant (cud-chewing ) animals, kept as livestock. Sheep are reared for their meat, wool, milk, and manure production. Sheep has one of the most nutritious ad tasty meat in the world. Sheep meat is sought-after meat after red meat, it contains high-quality protein and is a source of essential minerals and vitamins.
The sheep rearing business has boomed over the years and has become a very promising and worthwhile business during the course. Sheep rearing business can be very profitable if managed well and you could get your capital back within a short period.
Advantages of sheep rearing
Rearing sheep has a lot of advantages, this makes the venture easier and more reliable. Some of these advantages include:
• Sheep rearing does not require large capital. When rearing sheep, you could start small and increase your capital with time.
• Sheep can feed on grasses, plants, and chaffs from some crops. So you could do low-budget feeding for them.
• Sheep give birth to kids frequently, so the size of your fold would increase within a short period.
• Sheep rearing requires less labor when compared to other livestock farming.
• Sheep can adapt to almost all environmental conditions, so it reduces loss.
• Sheep do not require a large living space except they are much in number and the housing does not need to be expensive.
• The products of sheep can be used for different purposes.
How to make profits from sheep rearing
• Meat
Meat is one commodity that is always in demand and as stated earlier, sheep produce one of the most sought-after meat. One of the most traditional ways to make profits from sheep is selling lamb/ram for meat. You could take them to the market or abattoir for buyers.
• Dairy production
Sheep (ewe) milk is another product that is in high demand these days. Dairy sheep produce an extensive quantity of milk. Sheep milk is used as raw materials for the production of products such as Yogurt, Cheese, baby food, cosmetic products, etc. One could sell the milk produced by the sheep to businesses that produce those products and that will be another way of profiting from the sheep business. However, it is important to ensure that the milk is clean and free from diseases, or else buyers would not want to patronize you.
• Wool/sheep skin
The wool gotten from sheep is used to produce clothes, blankets cushions, etc and the sheep skin is used in making footwear, bags, and clothes. The wool gotten from sheep can be sold to fabric manufacturing business and profit will be made.
• Sheep Manure
The dropping from sheep can be used as manure for crops. In modern-day agriculture, there is no such thing as waste. Sheep droppings can be used as fertilizer to increase the texture of the soil. One can decide to sell it as manure or use it on his farm. However way, one chooses to use it, it is still seen as profit.
These are ways to profit from the sheep rearing business however, one must not profit from all the products of sheep. It is advised that you choose a primary product you would want to profit from and nurture it to become the best in that area. For instance, if one decides to profit majorly from meat, he would put more effort into nurturing and feeding the sheep to be and look healthy and free from diseases in other to enhance sales. Also, there are different breeds of sheep for different products.
How to start a Sheep-Rearing Business
Now that the advantages and ways to make profits from the sheep rearing business are outlined, the next question would be how to start a sheep rearing business. Starting a sheep rearing business is not difficult but, one must have a good knowledge of the animal (sheep) you want to rear; feeds, feeding habits, breeds, how to take care of them, etc. Also, one cannot just purchase sheep and start the business, there are steps to follow to ensure one gets it right. Here are the steps for starting a profitable sheep-rearing business;
Research and draw a business plan
Every business requires a business plan and the sheep-rearing business is not left out. A business plan is the basics of a successful business no matter the type of business. It is like the road map of the business, hence before starting in the sheep rearing business, it is important you do your research and come up with a suitable business plan according to your budget.
Also, under this step, you decide why you want to start the sheep-rearing business; Meat, milk, or wool/skin? It will determine who your targets are and how to go about nurturing the sheep and the breed of sheep you rear.
Find a good farm location
The location of the farm is a very important factor in sheep-rearing so, one must get it right. When selecting the sheep farm, look out for the needed facilities in rearing the sheep. Some of these facilities are grasses, neat and drinkable water, also transportation for marketing purposes.
Purchase Healthy Breed of Sheep
This is the next step after finding a good farm location and this is the most important step. The breed and health of sheep you purchase determine the profit of the success of the business. There are a lot of sheep breeds, while purchasing, it is important to look out for sheep that:
• Can adapt to your place because not all sheep are suitable for some areas. The weather condition might not be favorable for some breed.
• Fits into your aim for sheep-rearing (Meat, milk, or wool). Some breeds are good for meat, some are good for milk while others are good for wool production. Sheep should be purchased according to your aim for sheep-rearing.
Feeding
Feeding is important for growth and maximal production, hence the sheep should be fed with high-quality feeds to keep them healthy and free from diseases. Research the appropriate feeds for them and you could take them to feed in a green pasture. Also clean, fresh water should be provided for drinking.
Housing and Shelter
There should be a proper house for the sheep and it does not have to be expensive. The house should be constructed in a clean and dry area, a wet environment is not good for rearing sheep as it is prone to contamination. The house should be able to protect them from harsh weather and predators.
Also, there should be a fence to constrain their movement when grazing.
Farm Management and Care
The farm management and care involve vaccination, hygiene, and care of the sheep to ensure maximal production and production against diseases. If the farm is being managed properly, the chance of profit is very high.
A sheep rearing business is profitable and, like every other business, you need to put in the work required. There is a popular saying that says “Life is what you make out of it”. We could use that saying with sheep rearing business too; “Sheep rearing business is what you make out of it”. Make the best from it.
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