Small sheep flock for lamb and wool

Families and home cooks buying lamb directly, restaurants and butchers, cultural and religious communities who buy whole lambs, and hand spinners buying fleeces.

Sell lambs by the whole or half animal, or by the cut after processing, plus fleeces and breeding stock. Income is seasonal and comes mostly after lambing and in the fall.

• Comfortable handling animals
• Basic animal health and lambing care
• Fencing and general farm repairs
• Selling directly to customers

• Check your province's rules on farm or premises registration and animal identification (ear tags and traceability)
• Meat generally has to be processed at a licensed abattoir to be sold; check whether provincial licensing limits sales to your province
• Check whether your municipality allows livestock on your property size and what the setbacks are
• Winter feed, vet bills and predators such as coyotes and dogs can eat into margins
• Consider farm liability insurance, and ask your province about farm business registration and tax treatment

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $5,000 to $25,000, depending on your land, fencing, shelter and how many breeding sheep you buy. Winter feed and vet bills are also worth budgeting for.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $500 to $3,000, depending on flock size, how many lambs you sell and whether you sell fleeces. Feed, vet bills and predator losses can eat into margins.

Check your province's rules on premises registration and animal identification. Meat generally has to be processed at a licensed abattoir, and provincial licensing may limit sales to your province. Also ask your municipality about livestock and setbacks.