Small sheep flock on rented grazing

Livestock markets, abattoirs and meat processors, plus local butchers or buyers who want whole or half lambs.

Sale of finished or store lambs, and sometimes cull ewes, priced by weight or per head. Income is seasonal and arrives in lumps, so monthly figures are an average across the year.

• Confident handling sheep
• Basic animal health and lambing know-how
• Record keeping and organisation
• Comfortable with outdoor work in all weather

• You will need a holding number and must follow animal identification, movement recording and medicine record rules, which differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check yours
• Short grazing agreements can end with little notice, so check the terms before you invest in fencing or stock
• Livestock insurance and public liability cover, especially if footpaths cross the land
• Lambing, disease and market prices can swing results a lot, so keep a cash buffer
• Fencing, water supply, handling pens and a way to move animals all need planning

Startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on flock size, fencing, water supply, handling pens and how you move animals. These are estimates, so plan your setup and keep a cash buffer for the first year.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £300 to £1,500, depending on flock size, lamb prices and how you sell. Lambing, disease and market prices can swing results a lot, so averages may hide big variation.

Check that you will need a holding number and must follow animal identification, movement recording and medicine record rules, which differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Also check your grazing agreement terms and livestock and public liability insurance.