sheep farming business plan pdf download

How to Create a Business Plan for Sheep Farming

If you plan to raise sheep for profit or at least try to break even while raising sheep, one of the most important steps you can take to set yourself up for success is to develop a business plan for sheep farming. A well-considered business plan is an essential part of operating any business, and sheep production is no different.

Your sheep farm plan should include a clear set of goals, a firm grasp of flock management fundamentals, and the marketplace in which you plan to sell your breeding stock, meat, wool, and (if applicable) dairy products.

In this article we’ll cover the basics to help you develop a successful business plan for sheep farming. 

Sheep Farm Business Plan Preparation

Putting together a business plan for your sheep farming operation isn’t so different from putting together a plan to launch any other business.

A business plan can help, even if you already have sheep on your property. Even if you have been raising stock for a few years. If you want to start running your farm like a business, creating an organized and informed plan can help. Not only can you get your farm out of the red, making a plan will also help you focus on your primary goals.

The basic components of a business plan for sheep farming may include the following 6 items: 

Cover Sheet

​Your cover sheet will include the name of your business, your farm’s contact information, and the date the plan was prepared. Even if you don’t plan to apply for a business loan, this is a good way to organize your sheep farm plan and help you take your efforts more seriously.

Executive Summary

This is a top-level summary of your sheep farm business plan, including a short description of your business, your mission statement and the goals you hope to achieve as you execute your business plan.

Business Description

Your business description should be a simple and accurate description of the main components of your business. This includes a short business overview, details about your business location and facilities, ownership of your business, and a short history of your farm.

Production Plan

Your sheep farm production plan will document the products that you will produce, how you will produce those products, and how much you expect to produce. This section should also detail any permits and regulations which may impact your production plan.

Marketing Plan

The marketing plan for your sheep farm should include a short summary of recent market trends, any marketing alliances you have or wish to build, an overview of your primary and secondary marketing strategies, and any competitive advantage your business has.

Financial Plan

Your sheep farm’s financial plan may be the most critical part of your overall business plan. Items you should plan to include in  your financial plan are a balance sheet, an income statement, cash flow statement, and your overall farm enterprise budget.

Don’t be Overwhelmed, Find Support!

While it may seem overwhelming, most states and counties have a number of resources to assist you. Creating a well-executed sheep farm business plan doesn’t have to be a lonely endeavor.

Look for your local small business development center, farm service agency, or cooperative extension office for support.

Online Sheep Farming Business Plan Generators

​We can also recommend the following online options if you need some assistance.

The University of Minnesota Center for Farm Financial Management has terrific online business planning software called  AgPlan  which is available for free!

Using this software allows you to not only view your business plan online, you can review examples of other people’s business plans created with AgPlan and also share your business plan with advisors to receive feedback and support.

Purdue University has an online business planner portal called  INVenture , which uses a simple question and answer format to help you write a cohesive sheep farming business plan.

We feel that either the University of Minnesota platform, or Purdue’s platform can work if you’re having a hard time getting started on your own, or finding local support.

3 Things Which Can Make or Break Your Sheep Farm Plan

While there are many variables involved when planning and operating a business, some matter more than others. The 3 primary variables you should pay special attention to when creating and executing a sheep farming business plan are: 

• feed costs , 
• market prices , and the 
• percent lamb crop .

Cost of Feeding Your Flock

As you probably know if you’re considering raising sheep for profit,  the cost of feeding your flock  will be your primary expense. This is particularly true for the cost of feeding your ewes.

While there are many strategies for determining your annual feed cost, including determining in advance  how many sheep per acre your farmland can support , there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to feeding a flock of sheep.

Early on you may have to estimate your annual feed costs. After a few years you will be able to average your historical spending to obtain an accurate cost projection.

Prevailing Market Prices

Market prices  for your meat, wool, and dairy products can change annually, seasonally, and even week to week.

Higher market prices will increase your profitability, but it’s important to compare “net” market prices.

If you have to sell through a livestock auction there will be extra cost. These businesses often charge a flat fee or a percentage of the sale. So a higher price may not net you as much as if you sold direct to a consumer at a lower price.

In general, if you can sell direct from your farm to commercial buyers or consumers, you can net more per sale. Cutting out the middle man is usually good business.

It’s important to be aware of this when you develop the marketing plan for your sheep farm.

Percent Lamb Crop

​Finally, the  Percent Lamb Crop  in any given year will have a major impact on your profitability. We define this data point as the number of lambs marketed (or retained for breeding) produced by each ewe exposed for breeding.

In general, producing more lambs will net you more profit, as it will typically cost the same amount of money (or close to it) to maintain a ewe, regardless of how many lambs she produces in a year.

A flock of prolific ewes that raise numerous healthy lambs will improve your percent lamb crop and can help make your sheep business more profitable.

For most shepherds, 200% is a realistic goal to set, and most sheep breeds can produce a 200% lamb crop each year if fed and managed properly.

A ewe’s age, weight, nutrition, and genetics can all impact her ability to deliver multiple lambs per year. Most ewes reach their peak productivity between 3 and 6 years of age; something to be aware of as you monitor the age of your flock.

Preparing a Business Plan for Sheep Farming (takeaways)

While raising sheep may not be the most glamorous or lucrative business opportunity, it can be one of the most rewarding, and if you can approach the endeavor from a practical business standpoint, with a thoughtful sheep farm plan, then you’ll have a better chance to succeed.

Raising sheep for profit can be realistic if you pay close attention to your production, financial, and marketing plans, and set a realistic budget. Most importantly – stick to the plan!

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Starting Sheep Farming Business in South Africa – Business Plan (PDF, Word & Excel)

Posted by BizBolts | Agriculture , All Articles , Business Ideas , Business Plans , Livestock Farming

There has been an increase in the demand for all types of meat, including mutton, in South Africa over the years. This is because mutton is a rich source of high-quality protein, and it is also an outstanding source of many vitamins and minerals. Sheep farming is a very profitable business to start in South Africa. The two primary products for sheep farming are sheep meat (lamb & mutton) and wool. The demand for lamb and mutton in South Africa is high, exceeding 200 000 tonnes per year. There is a large export market for South African sheep wool, as over 55 million KG of wool is exported from South Africa every year. This goes to show that a sheep farming business is lucrative to start in South Africa. This article will outline how to start a mutton & wool sheep farming business in South Africa, and the sheep farming business plan – PDF, Word and Excel.

Before you start a mutton & wool sheep farming business in South Africa, there are some important decisions which you have to make. You have to decide on the size of your sheep production business ie how many sheep you will have at your sheep farm.  There are many different sheep breeds, so you have to select which sheep breed you will use, location of your business, and your target market. The size of your mutton & wool sheep farming business will depend on the amount of capital you have, and your target market. It’s important that you get a good sheep production business plan before you start commercial sheep farming in South Africa.

NB: This article and business plan is about sheep for both meat & wool production. We also have an article and business plan for only meat production:  Mutton Sheep Farming Business in South Africa . 

Business Model

In order to successfully set up a sheep farming business, you need to select a healthy, high yield breed of sheep. You can buy the breeding stock and raise the flock for wool and mutton. There are different types of breeds to choose from. Some of the best breeds in South Africa for meat are Dorper sheep, Black-headed Persian sheep, and Meatmaster sheep, to name a few. Consider sheep that can be used for both wool and meat, such as German Merino and Suffolk sheep. When rearing your animals, there are three main methods that you can consider, which are intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive sheep farming. Intensive farming of sheep involves keeping your sheep in an enclosed area, also known as “stall fed” sheep farming. Feed, fodder, and water are brought to the sheep. When it comes to semi-intensive sheep rearing, the sheep can graze on their own, but they are given concentrates for nutrients. With extensive farming, sheep graze on their own and can only sleep in the shed. No extra feed is given to the flock. For commercial sheep farming, feed management is critical. In addition to green fodder, you must supplement the feed with nutrient concentrate.

Market Research

Gathering information about your potential consumers is important. As a livestock farmer, you need to gather information about what your consumers’ needs and preferences are. For any business owner, there may be many opportunities that you can tap into. It is critical to conduct market research in order to gain an informed view of what to expect when venturing into agricultural businesses for your sheep farming business to grow. Market research is a key aspect that business owners must undertake long before setting up an actual business. You can gain a lot of useful information and guidelines that will help sustain your farming venture. Researching the meat and wool markets will inform you about where and whom you should target when selling your products. It also allows you to understand your consumer better. Market research further helps you determine how much to charge for both wool and mutton as well as how much of the product you must provide. With market research, you can develop a production plan that can ensure your customers’ demands and needs are satisfied. Ensure that you do thorough market research when setting up your sheep farming business because it can determine whether or not your business will be sustainable or not.

Land For Sheep Farming

The choice of land for doing your sheep farming business should not be trivialized. Make sure that the land is not susceptible to water logging. An area that is generally on a raised terrain is ideal. There are also factors to consider that end up determining your choice of land location. For instance, proximity to essential amenities such as veterinary services and market is vital. That would imply that a strategic well serviced road network close by is a must. Not forgetting that there must be a clean and reliable water supply. The land must have sufficient pastures for the sheep to graze. And it should obviously be large enough to accommodate the number of sheep you want to breed.

Housing And Equipment

Two important things to ensure for the sheep housing are ventilation and adequate space (horizontally and vertically). How you will be doing your sheep farming determines the housing and equipment aspect. Sheep can be reared completely indoors or partially outdoors. For the former, there will be a need to have comprehensive housing built. If they get to be partially outdoors then housing might probably be for from when the day ends till the next morning.

Generally, the height of the roof level from the floor should on average be 1.8 metres. The space that should be available for one fully grown sheep should range from approximately 1-1.5 square metres. Basically, bricks, cement, roofing sheets, wooden logs, and fencing form the basis of what is needed for housing. Barns and sheds can nalso be used as sheep housing. Ideally it is recommended to fence even if you feel the housing is secure – it augments physical security. Fencing is also essential for the pasture. The required equipment for mutton & wool sheep farming includes drinking and feeding equipment. Your commercial sheep farming business plan should include the costs of purchasing equipment and sheep housing.

Sheep Breeding Stock

Choosing your breeding stock is majorly premised on the end products of your sheep farming business. Breeding stock that is best for meat production might not necessarily be best also for wool production. There are 3 broad classes of breeding stock in general. These are exotic, indigenous and cross breeds. By breeding stock we are referring to the sheep that mate to bring about the offspring lambs. The over-arching consideration to make is whether or not a particular breed can thrive in your local climate.

Sheep breeding stock is composed of ewes (female sheep) and rams (male sheep). The rams and ewes will mate to produce lambs which you will then feed and raise. It is highly advised that you get your breeding stock from reputable suppliers. When choosing breeding stock you must also carefully examine them before buying. That is meant to ensure they are in good health – buying from suppliers that have detailed health records would be the best. Most sheep farmers in South Africa prefer dual purpose sheep breeds. These are sheep breeds which are used for both meat and wool production. Examples of sheep breeds used in South Africa for meat and wool production include the Merino, Dohne Merino, South African Mutton Merino, Afrino Sheep and the Dormer. The most popular sheep breed in South Africa is the Merino breed, and breeds derived from the Merino. The mutton & wool sheep farming business plan should include the costs of purchasing the breeding stock.

Sheep Feed And Nutrition

There are two broad feeding approaches in a sheep farming business. The first one entails sheep feeding from pasture land since sheep are grazers. Pasture is the primary source of feed for sheep, and it’s also the one which is economically viable business wise. However when doing commercial sheep farming in South Africa, you will also need to give supplementary feed to the sheep. This ensures that the sheep get all the required nutrients for growth. Pasture might also not be adequately available throughout the year due to changing seasons. The supplementary feed to give to the sheep include grains, hay, commercial sheep feed, salts and minerals. Some of the common grains are sorghum, wheat and maize. Over and above all, ensure that the sheep have access to fresh, clean and reliable water for drinking. The feeding costs should be included in your mutton and wool sheep farming business plan.

Management and Labour

The number of employees needed for your mutton & wool sheep farming business will depend on the size of your sheep farm. At the minimum, you need sheep attendants who will keep the sheep. Their duties include f eeding the sheep,  cleaning and disinfecting the building and equipment, monitoring the sheep health, shearing the sheep wool, herding the sheep, and other day to day duties. Dedicate finance and marketing team may also be needed depending on the size of your sheep farming business. Your mutton & wool sheep farming business plan should take into account the salaries and wages of your employees.

Sales And Marketing Strategies

Sales and marketing are important for the success of your sheep farming business. The livestock business in general is a bit different. With most meat products and livestock, prices tend to go down during the dry season. This is when feed and water are hard to find, and when drought threatens, a lot of animals may die. During these times, most farmers sell their livestock at the last minute, which forces prices down. As such, know the market trends and target certain markets. Consider selling your meat during festive seasons, religious holidays, and when many families traditionally slaughter a sheep or goat. Don’t wait too long when your products are ready, and watch the weather and market trends in order for you to sell when the price is high. Sell your sheep when they are strong and healthy to fetch a good price. Consider also getting a price guarantee. You can agree with a buyer to supply a certain amount of sheep, kg’s of meat, or wool of a particular age or type on a regular basis and at a guaranteed price. You can do that with supermarkets, abattoirs, mills, and textile companies.

Market for Sheep Meat and Wool in South Africa

Sheep Meat in a Supermarket in South Africa

The major products from a sheep farming business are sheep meat and wool. Sheep meat has 2 categories: lamb and mutton. Lamb is sheep meat from a sheep less than 1 year old, while mutton is from a sheep greater than 1 years old. There is high demand of lamb & mutton in South Africa, exceeding 200 000 tonnes per year. You can supply your sheep to abattoirs , hotels, restaurants, retailers, butcheries, meat processors and individuals. Most of the sheep wool produced in South Africa is exported. The sheep wool is sold locally in South Africa via auctions and then exported. South African Wool is exported to China, the Czech Republic, Italy, India, Bulgaria, Germany, and the United States.

Advantages of Sheep Farming Business

Sheep are relatively affordable and manageable compared to other livestock. These animals do not need expensive structures to house them, plus they require less labor than other kinds of livestock. The starting stock is relatively cheap, and the flock multiplies rapidly. These animals are economical converters of grass into meat and wool. They eat more varied kinds of plants compared to goats or cows, and this makes the animals excellent weed destroyers. Unlike goats, sheep do not damage any trees. You can take advantage of three different sources of income when rearing sheep; the sale of wool, meat, and manure. There is no need to throw away grains lost at harvest time; your sheep can easily convert the waste into profitable products.

Keys to Profitability

Set up a new market for your mutton and wool. If there is no market nearby, get other farmers to work with you and build one. Find a suitable location and design the market in close consultation with other herders, traders, and farmers. Ensure that your market has a shade structure, a fence, loading ramps, feeding and watering facilities, restrooms, and offices. Another tip to increase your profit is to partner with textile companies, abattoirs, butcheries, and supermarkets. Also ensure that you are mobile. Invest in a cold truck so that you able to transport your meat even over long distances. Lastly, learn what buyers want and find out what your consumer’s needs are and meet them.

PRE-WRITTEN SHEEP FARMING BUSINESS PLAN (PDF, WORD AND EXCEL): COMPREHENSIVE VERSION, SHORT FUNDING/BANK LOAN VERSION AND AUTOMATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For an in-depth analysis of the mutton & wool sheep farming business in South Africa, purchase our sheep farming business plan. We decided to introduce the business plans after noting that many South Africans were venturing into the mutton and wool sheep production business without a full understanding of the industry, market, how to run the business, the risks involved, profitability of the business and the costs involved, leading to a high failure rate of their businesses.

Our business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run a mutton & wool sheep production business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as the mutton & wool sheep production business plan will lay out all the costs involved in setting up and running the sheep farming business. The business plan is designed specifically for the South African market.

USES OF THE MUTTON & WOOL SHEEP PRODUCTION BUSINESS PLAN (PDF, WORD AND EXCEL)

The mutton and wool sheep production business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your meat & wool sheep farming business
• As a mutton & wool sheep farming project proposal
• Assessing profitability of the mutton & wool sheep farming business in South Africa
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

CONTENTS OF THE COMMERCIAL MUTTON & WOOL SHEEP FARMING BUSINESS PLAN (PDF, WORD AND EXCEL)

The business plan includes, but not limited to:

• Market Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• 5 Year Automated Financial Statements [ Income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, monthly cash flow projections (3 years monthly cash flow projections, the remaining two years annually),break even analysis, payback period analysis, start-up costs, financial graphs, revenue and expenses, Bank Loan Amortisation]
• Marketing Strategy
• Risk Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements
• Sheep farming guide (Technical Details of how to breed, feed and raise the sheep)
• Operational Strategy
• Why some South Africans in the meat & wool sheep production business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your meat & wool sheep farming business in South Africa
• Directory [Contact Details for South African suppliers of feeds, equipment, breeding stock, contacts of sheep farming training companies in South Africa, contacts of sheep farming organisations in South Africa]

The Mutton & Wool Sheep Farming Business Plan package consist of 4 files

• Sheep Farming Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive – 109 pages)
• Sheep Farming Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive – 109 pages)
• Sheep Farming Business Plan Funding Version – Editable Word File (Short version for applying for a loan – 44 pages)
• Sheep Farming Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel file)

Testimonial 4

The business plan was very helpful, you did a great job of taking ideas and putting them into words as well as pointing out other aspects of the business plan I wouldn’t have thought of. I got funding using your business plan and it’s now 4 months since I started my poultry business, and everything is going well.

Testimonial 7

Thank you BizBolts for the business plan. I received the business plan immediately after payment, it was money well spent ! I was able to easily edit the business plan. After using the BizBolts business plan, I can wholeheartedly recommend their products and skills.

Testimonial 5

The BizBolts poultry business plan led us down the path from start to finish. Contact details of suppliers of key requirements were included in the business plan. It helped us crystallize our strategy, and the business plan was well received by the bank.

Testimonial 2

I am extremely pleased with the business plan and financial statements. The business plan is very detailed & it meets my requirements. I feel better equipped with tools that can help me secure funding.  I would have no hesitation of recommending your business plans to other people.

Testimonial 3

The business plan has a highly professional look and feel. The research really helps me look deep into the market that I am targeting, it’s well suited for the South African market. The business plan clearly outlined everything I need to start the business and the costs. It’s now easier to budget and plan. Thank you very much.

Testimonial 1

Many thanks to the BizBolts team for putting together a fantastic business plan, I could not have done this business plan on my own. I managed to get funding from investors to start my butchery business using your business plan.

Testimonial 6

It is with excitement and pleasure to inform you that I have been successful in securing a loan from my bank. This would not have been possible if not for the BizBolts Business Plan. Thank you for your help, my dreams are now coming true.

GET THE SHEEP FARMING BUSINESS PLAN (PDF, WORD AND EXCEL) - R500 Only.

We decided to make the business plan affordable to anyone who would want to start the business, and the price for the pre-written business plan is only 500 Rand.

We have several payment methods which you can use.

Payment Method 1 (Visa card, Mastercard, Credit card, Debit Card)

Click  Buy Now  below to purchase. After you have purchased, you will instantly see the download link for the business plan package on the screen. We will also email you the download link. Get instant access to the business plan now!

If you want to purchase multiple business plans at once using Visa Card/MasterCard then  click here: Business Plans Store

The business plan package is a zipped compressed file containing the PDF, Word and Excel documents. To open the package after downloading it, just right click, and select Extract All. If you have any problems in downloading and opening the files, email us on [email protected] and we will assist you.

Payment Method 2 (Instant EFT - FNB, Absa, Standard Bank, Nedbank, CapitecBank, Investec, TymeBank and African Bank. )

If you want to purchase multiple business plans at once using Instant EFT then  click here: Business Plans Store

Other Payment Methods

• Cash deposit into our FNB Company Bank Account
• EFT Transfer to our FNB Company Bank Account

Call/Whatsapp us on +27606334830 for the other payment methods. (Whatsapp us by clicking the link https://wa.me/27606334830 ). Email: [email protected] .

About The Author

BizBolts (Pty) Ltd is a business research company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. We sell prewritten business plans for various industries including livestock production, crop farming and retail businesses. BizBolts also publishes articles on business ideas, business news, business tips, personal finance, and entrepreneur profiles.

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Sheep Farming Business Plan: Definitive Guide

Table of Contents

What you need in your sheep farming business plan

Here are some basic components of a sheep farming business plan:

• Cover sheet : The front page of your business plan. This gives an overview of what the rest of the pages will present.
• Executive summary : This gives a more detailed overview than the cover sheet, highlighting the most pertinent parts of your business plan.
• Business description : Describes what your business is, who it caters to, and the types of services you offer.
• Production plan : Contains the resources, approaches, and techniques you need to use to end up with the products you will eventually offer to your market.
• Marketing plan : This describes your target market, the communication channels where you can find them, and techniques to start engaging with them and promoting your product or service.
• Financial plan : This contains the monetary aspects of the business, such as your overall budget, the breakdown of your budget, and your goals to reach your target income.
• SWOT Analysis : It documents your and your business’s  strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats .
• Job Roles and Responsibilities : This outlines the roles to be filled in your business. How many people will it take to run your operation? What will their roles be?

Sheep farming business plan template

Below are a selection of farming business plan templates that you can use to inspire your own business plan:

• Farming Business Plan (government of Wales)
• Strategic Business Guide (Beef + Lamb, New Zealand)
• Small Farm Business Plan (Oregon State University)
• Sheep & Goat Farm Business Plan (Farmers’ Marketing Institute)

Questions to ask as you create your business plan

Here are some questions to ask yourself to give your sheep farm the best chance of success you possibly can:

• Start by deciding how big you envision your sheep farm. Is this a hobby farm (small-scale) or a larger business?
• How many sheep do you plan to have?
• Are there any restrictions on what kind of sheep you can raise? Do you need to abide by certain state or federal regulations?
• Is this a family farm? If not, how many employees do you plan to have?
• How much land do you already have? Do you need to acquire more land?
• Which type of farm will best suit your needs and goals?
• What are your goals?
• What are challenges will you face as a sheep farmer?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What assets do you have now that can help you with your business?
• What kind of facilities do you have now?
• How much money do you have set aside for this project right now?
• How will you manage labor and equipment costs?
• What kind of market research have you done on the local sheep industry in your area? 
• Who is your target market?
• Are there any laws or regulations that may affect or restrict what can be done on a sheep farm in the area where you intend to do business (such as zoning laws)?

Designing a profitable sheep farm

If you want to make your farm as profitable as possible, make sure to consider the below points carefully:

• Pick your primary commodity : What sheep products do you want to sell? Are you producing meat, milk, wool, or all three? Meat tends to be the most profitable.
• Choose your preferred breed of sheep : Some breeds of sheep are more profitable than others. If you’re raising meat sheep, for example, you’ll likely want a hair sheep that puts on weight quickly and is as low-maintenance as possible. The Dorper, Katahdin, and the  American Blackbelly  are generally recognized as relatively profitable, low-maintenance breeds.
• Manage your sheep’s nutrition : Remember, your sheep are your livelihood. What they eat impacts the quality of the final product. Make sure they get the nutrition they need.
• Prepare ahead : Don’t be caught off-guard for predictable events like changes in weather or lambing season. Avoid costly mistakes by preparing in advance.

Startup budget for a sheep farm

Part of your business plan should cover the rough numbers involved in getting your business going. 

This is particular to each business, but a few large capital expenditures universal to sheep farmers are:

• The cost of your sheep (for a rough number, assume around $400 per sheep)
• The cost of your sheep barn or sheep shed, as well as the fencing on your property. Sheep fencing will be one of your largest startup costs, especially if your property is big.
• Other startup costs include sheep shearing equipment, milking equipment, basic veterinary care equipment, and sheep drench.

Joanne is a nocturnal person who loves traveling and coffee. She’s also an animal lover (and rescuer) who makes it a point to befriend every animal she meets. Her passion for learning led her to writing about various topics. As someone who dreams of becoming an “animal whisperer,” she aims to continue learning about animals–particularly sheep, and at the same time, share her knowledge here at Sheep Caretaker.

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Livestock Farming Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Livestock Farming Business Plan

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 500 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their livestock farming companies. We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to help you create a great business plan.

In this article, you will learn some background information on why business planning is important. Then, you will learn how to write a livestock farming business plan step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

Download our Ultimate Business Plan Template here >

What is a Livestock Farm Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your livestock farming business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategies for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a Livestock Farm

If you’re looking to start a livestock farming business or grow your existing livestock farming company, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your livestock farming business to improve your chances of success. Your livestock farming business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for Livestock Farming Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a livestock farming business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans, and angel investors. When it comes to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan (hand it to them in person or email to them as a PDF file) and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to ensure that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings and bank loans are the most common funding paths for livestock farming companies.

    Finish Your Business Plan Today!

How to write a business plan for a livestock farming business.

If you want to start a livestock farming business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. The guide and sample below details the necessary information for how to write each essential component of your livestock farming business plan.

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your executive summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the kind of livestock farming business you are running and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a livestock farming business that you would like to grow, or are you operating several family-owned livestock farming businesses?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. 

• Give a brief overv iew of the livestock farming industry. 
• Discuss the type of livestock farming business you are operating. 
• Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. 
• Provide a snapshot of your marketing strategy. Identify the key members of your team. 
• Offer an overview of your financial plan.

Company Overview

In your company overview, you will detail the type of livestock farming business you are operating.

For example, you m ight specialize in one of the following types of livestock farming businesses:

• Cattle Ranching : In order to effectively raise cattle until market-ready, ranchers must have enough land for cattle to roam and eat grass. The rancher must also provide supplemental food, medicines and a number of procedures to ensure cattle sent to market are healthy and at an optimum weight.
• Sheep Farming: Sheep farming is a process of maintaining order in the herd and corralling sheep when necessary. Farmers must feed and medicate sheep efficiently and they use sheep dogs to assist in many daily efforts. Sheep are prized for their wool and may be sent to slaughter as lambs if they are young. Sheep are often used on vacant fields to graze with an environmentally-friendly outcome. 
• Chicken Farming: Chicken farmers need to provide water, food and medications to raise chickens until market-ready. Chickens may be free-range or kept in sheds during growth cycles. While hens produce eggs, roosters provide barnyard protection and enjoyment. 
• Hog Farming: Hogs are notoriously expensive to raise, primarily due to food costs and medications; however, they demand high prices at sale and produce generous profits when sent to market. Hogs are grown in pens to control weight gain and are carefully assessed for market-readiness.

In addition to explaining the type of livestock farming business you will operate, the company overview needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to questions such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of cattle sold each season, the number of sheep successfully shorn each year, reaching X number of ranches owned, etc.
• What is your legal business structure? Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry or market analysis, you need to provide an overview of the livestock farming industry. While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the livestock farming industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating. 

Secondly, market research can improve your marketing strategy, particularly if your analysis identifies market trends.

The third reason is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your livestock farming business plan:

• How big is the livestock farming industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential target market for your livestock farming business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your livestock farming business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: corporate buyers, stockyard owners, and individual buyers.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of livestock farming business you operate. Clearly, individuals would respond to different marketing promotions than stockyard owners, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, including a discussion of the ages, genders, locations, and income levels of the potential customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can recognize and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers. Ideally you can speak with a sample of your target customers before writing your plan to better understand their needs.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are othe r livestock farming businesses. 

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t directly competing with your product or service. This includes specialty types of beef cattle, such as organic or grass-fed, imported lamb or beef, or eggs that are infused with additional supplements. You need to mention direct competition, as well.

For each direct competitor, provide an overview of their business and document their strengths and weaknesses. Unless you once worked at your competitors’ businesses, it will be impossible to know everything about them. But you should be able to find out key things about them such as

• What types of customers do they serve?
• What type of livestock farming business are they?
• What is their pricing (premium, low, etc.)?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective. And don’t be afraid to ask your competitors’ customers what they like most and least about them.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide lower rates for stockyards despite fluctuating higher market prices?
• Will you offer beef cuts that your competition doesn’t?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.

Marketing Plan

Traditionally, a marketing plan includes the four P’s: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For a livestock farming business plan, your marketing strategy should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type o f livestock farming company that you documented in your company overview. Then, detail the specific products or services you will be offering. For example, will you provide uncured, smoked ham and bacon, pasteurized eggs, or free-range chicken? 

Price : Document the prices you will offer and how they compare to your competitors. Essentially in the product and price sub-sections of yo ur plan, yo u are presenting the livestock you offer and their prices.

Place : Place refers to the site of your livestock farming company. Document where your company is situated and mention how the site will impact your success. For example, does your cattle ranch contain grassy acreage, allowing cattle to eat naturally? Is your chicken ranch situated in a weather-friendly environment? Does your hog farm contain heated and cooled hog pens for the well-being of the hogs?  

Promotions : The final part of your livestock farming marketing plan is where you will document how you will drive potential customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Advertise in local papers, radio stations and/or magazines
• Reach out to regional stockyards 
• Distribute farmer newsletters to stockyards
• Engage in email marketing
• Advertise on social media platforms
• Improve the SEO (search engine optimization) on your website for targeted keywords

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your livestock farming business; including caring for livestock, securing and maintaining food supplies and medications, planning transport to market, invoicing customers and paying bills.  

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to ship-to-market, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your livestock farming business to a new ranch or farm.

Management Team

To demonstrate your livestock farming business’ potential to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company. 

Ideally, you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing livestock farming businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act as mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing a livestock farming business or successfully running a livestock stockyard.

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance s heet, and cash flow statements.

Income Statement

An income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenue and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you ship 500,000 head of cattle this season, or will you expand your farm by several hundred acres? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets

Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your livestock farming business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a lender writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement

Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and ensure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt. 

When creating your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a livestock farming business:

• Cost of breeder chickens, lambs, farrow pigs or calves
• Cost of farming equipment and vehicles
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Other start-up expenses (if you’re a new business) like legal expenses, permits, computer software, and equipment

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your ranch deed of ownership or a list of buyers you partner with in buying and selling operations.

Writing a business plan for your livestock farming business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will understand the livestock farming industry, your competition, and your customers. You will develop a marketing strategy and will understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful livestock farming business.

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Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

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Business Management

If you’re thinking about raising sheep commercially, there are many different factors to consider. Use Penn State Extension’s vast collection of resources to help make your farm a profitable one. Topics covered include an introduction to livestock production, using flock records to set goals and make selection decisions, farm biosecurity, pricing meat, marketing your products, and farm finances.

Raising Sheep for Profit

Raising sheep for profit is possible on both small acreage-farms and much larger enterprises. Profitability can be challenging, but with productive sheep and close control of expenses, it is possible to make your operation efficient. Successful marketing of sheep products is also critical for a profitable sheep operation.

Sheep producers have to face another challenge. The average consumption of lamb is declining and people consume it mostly during the spring holidays rather than all year. Producers can do a lot to increase the popularity of lamb. They can market it for various ethnic holidays or there may be existing markets to take advantage of.

Timing is another important factor. The price of lamb is often higher in the spring. Knowing what prices to charge for your meat cuts is dependent on the cost of production. The cost of raising an animal includes the cost of the initial purchase through until the day of slaughter.

Sheep Farm Business and Management

If you want your sheep raising operation to be a successful one, there are several factors to bear in mind. These include safe operation and facilities, nutrition and manure management plans, and risk management. Flock records can be used to set goals and make selection decisions. You should also have a strategy and budget for selecting your next ram . Being prepared for an emergency plays a critical role in a sheep raising business.

Another important aspect to consider is how you’re going to finance your sheep farm . There are many ways to finance your new enterprise, but you will need a written business plan to show the funders how you plan to use funds and make repayments. You can use budgeting to help guide you in making the best financial decisions.

Penn State Extension’s Custom Agricultural Business: A Guide to Get You Started is for farm owners, operators, and producers who want to know more about running a successful livestock business.

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Starting Mutton Sheep Farming Business Plan (PDF)

The sheep farming business has grown tremendously over the last decades. Production of sheep meat was originally developed as a by-product of the wool industry. Today, the sheep farming business has shifted to encompass meat production; there are large sheep operations around the world primarily meant for meat production. This is due to the realization of the unique taste and nutrition found in sheep meat thereby increasing its demand. In addition,sheep are generally easy to handle and require less inputs and infrastructure. They are among the most efficient of all domesticated livestock and can adapt to the most extreme environmental conditions. Due to these reasons, an increased number of farmers seek to partake in the sheep farming business. This article will outline how to start the mutton sheep farming business, and the mutton sheep farming business plan – PDF, Word and Excel.

Sheep farming is a lucrative business, providing income for millions of people, but there are some essential things you need to do before you venture into the mutton sheep rearing business. You have to decide on the size of your meat sheep farming project i.e. the size of your sheep flock; location of the mutton sheep farm, and your target market. These choices will be affected by the amount of capital you have, and the size of your target market.

If you do not have a lot of capital, you can always start small and grow your sheep breeding business overtime. You also need to carry out market research (Who are you going to sell the sheep to? At what price?) and write a good meat sheep farming business plan before you start the  project.

NB: This article and business plan is about sheep for meat production only. We also have an article and business plan for both Wool & Mutton Sheep Farming . 

Business Model

The core focus here is selling mutton meat. You can sell live mature mutton sheep. You can consider their weight or you can simply charge when selling them. You could slaughter them and sell them as whole carcasses. Usually their weight is considered when selling them like this. When slaughtered you can also sell them as portions e.g. halves or quarters. Alternatively, you can sell the mutton meat by weight e.g. per kilogram or pound. Those are the main options when it comes to selling mutton meat in mutton sheep farming.

Land for Meat Sheep Farming

To run a successful meat sheep farming business, the availability of productive land is of the essence. Sheep are natural foragers thus require ample grazing pastures. Land should be evaluated prior to the onset of sheep farming. If all the forage dry matter produced on a hectare of land could be harvested as hay and measured in tons, you would have an estimate of your land’s productive capacity. This will help to determine whether or not the land is ideal for the mutton sheep farming business. Note that if the land chosen is not adequately productive, a lot of money will be directed towards purchasing supplementary feed. The grazing land should also consist of a readily available water source. Water lines should be provided if the land does not have a natural water source. These are somewhat expensive and so troughs can be used an alternative. Your meat sheep farming business plan should take into account the cost of purchasing or leasing the land.

Housing And Equipment

The appropriate housing and equipment for a meat sheep farming business depends on the breed, climate, lambing season(s), grazing availability and the farmer’s management preference. If lambing is to start in the cold season, animals have to be protected from the harsh weather conditions hence good housing is of the essence. However, if it is due during the warm season, outdoor lambing may be done. The upside of using outdoor housing is that feed and labour costs are reduced, and so is the risk of infectious diseases. With indoor housing, sheep are protected from harsh weather conditions. Farmers must consider fencing the the sheep farm. A three strand barb wire fence is usually not effective in keeping sheep inside the pen. Woven wire fencing or electric netting is often best. Take note that this is done to protect the animals from predators. Sheep require adequate space, for this reason, housing should have sufficient space, feeding facilities and be designed for ease of cleaning. Sheep housing can be in the form of sheep barns, sheds or similar structures. The equipment required for your mutton sheep breeding project include feeders to put the feed, and drinkers to put drinking water for the sheep. Your meat sheep farming business plan should outline the costs of housing and equipment needed for your meat sheep farming project.

Breeding Stock

Sheep breeding stock is composed of rams (male sheep) and ewes (female sheep). Selecting the appropriate breeding stocks goes a long way in ensuring a successful mutton sheep farming business. A flock is made up of individual animals with a wide range of physical traits, from body size to growth rates, fertility to sex drive and from milk production to mothering. The performance of breeding stock therefore depends on genes, hence the importance of having sound knowledge of various types of sheep breeds. Prolificacy is an important aspect to consider. Ewes that are twins are generally more likely to produce twins themselves. Also, awes born single but are daughters of twins have higher changes of producing twins. For this reason, it is essential to keep accurate records. In addition, ewes that have lambed well previously should be highly considered. Ewes that have had problems lambing or raising lambs, are persistently lame, have mouth or udder issues should not be selected. Only fit, healthy ewes that belong to good breeds should be put to the tup. When selecting rams for mating, their health is also important. Rams that are thickly muscled especially through the leg and loin are ideal. Smooth shoulders and straight backs are desirable traits in sheep. When selecting breeding stock for a sheep farming business, the ram’s testicles should be inspected. They should be firm, evenly sized, and move freely within the scrotum. Both the testicles and epididymis should be free from lumps. The mutton sheep farming business plan should include the costs of buying the breeding stock.

Breeds of Meat Sheep

The selection of specific sheep breeds for mating is an important decision in a sheep farming business. There are currently over 1000 breeds of sheep worldwide and farmers have to choose a breed that is suitable to their environment. It is important for farmers to have adequate knowledge about their characteristics so as to select the most ideal breed. Some meat breeds of sheep are easily identified by the nature of their hair.  They are often referred to as a ‘haired’ variety because they produce little or no wool, instead they have hair coats similar to goats . However some meat breeds also produce wool, and are often black faced. Meat sheep breeds are primarily known for their superior meat quality and growth traits. The common breeds for a meat sheep farming business include Suffolk, Dorper, Hampshire, Southdown, Montadale, Dorset, Shropshire and Romanov. Some sheep breeds are generally hardier than others, whereas some are more reproductive and grow at a faster rate. Breeds such as the Katahdin are growing in popularity due to their hardiness, meat production, growth and fertility. They are also very tolerant to parasites. The Hampshire and Suffolk breeds are highly famed due to their hardiness, desirable growth traits as well as carcass traits. They tend to grow larger than most sheep breeds hence are ideal for a sheep farming business. It is advisable for farmers to select a breed that is more tolerant to the climate, diseases and parasites prevalent in the area.

Feed and Nutrition for Mutton Sheep

A sound nutrition plan is the backbone of a mutton sheep farming business and will dictate herd health, reproductive rates and longevity of the sheep flock. A sheep’s daily energy requirement can be generally achieved by grazing pasture alone, except during dry periods when the grass is poor. In such cases, nutritious supplements should be provided. The essential nutrients sheep require are: energy (fat and carbohydrates), protein, vitamins, minerals, water, and fibre. These 6 essential nutrients are key in the roles of growth, production, and reproduction. Sheep can get these nutrients from feed such as grain, hay and silage. Supplementary feed that is high in proteins, for example lupins, should be given. Supplementary feed is used to:

• reduce grazing pressure on pastures that have minimum groundcover for erosion control
• meet the sheep energy and protein requirements
• improve production of meat in order to achieve a high produce
• reduce the grazing pressure on pastures to ensure that pasture is available  during the winter season

Health And Disease Management

Regular inspections are necessary.

Regular inspection of your mutton sheep flock is important. That way you can detect any anomalies sooner. There are a number of tell-tale signs you can spot. For instance, the mutton sheep can be sluggish, their posture can be unusual, or they can be unusually isolated. There can be slimy discharges from the orifices. Their droppings can be abnormal in some way. It could be that their feeding patterns can be lower or erratic. Their bodies can have unusual discolorations or patches. There could even be swelling on parts of the bodies. These are some of the examples but they are many. The principle is to daily inspect your mutton sheep. Early detection of diseases helps in making quick interventions possible. If it is say, one mutton sheep infected you can immediately quarantine it to avoid disease outbreaks.

Prevention Is Much Better

Some of the common diseases that affect mutton sheep are blackleg, pulpy kidney, tetanus, Johne’s disease, sheep pox, anthrax, and foot and mouth, amongst others. The best way to deal with diseases in mutton sheep farming is by preventing them. One of the potent ways to do that is by getting your mutton sheep vaccinated. Diseases such as anthrax, foot and mouth, sheep pox, and tetanus can be vaccinated against. Ensuring your mutton sheep are not stressed helps prevent diseases. Stress can stem from poor living conditions and poor nutrition. It is also important to ascertain the mutton sheep are not diseased when you source them. When diseases do emerge use applicable chemical methods as prescribed by animal health experts.

Management And Labour for a Mutton Sheep Farm

The number of employees you require for your mutton sheep rearing project will depend on the size of your sheep farming business. You will need sheep keepers who will be responsible for f eeding the sheep,  cleaning and disinfecting the sheep housings, arranging mating for the sheep, and other related duties. There may also be need for finance and marketing team, depending on the size of your meat sheep production business. Your meat sheep farming business plan should take into account the salary costs for all the people you are going to employ.

Sales & Marketing Strategies

If you want to easily sell your mutton meat, target ethnic or religious markets. Christians, Muslims, and Jews are huge consumers of mutton meat. These groups have notable global holidays such as Easter, Christmas, Ramadan, and Passover, amongst others. You can find ways to engage customers directly or you can go to marketplaces where these people normally buy mutton meat. If you can find customers who purchase mutton meat in bulk that would be great for easy revenue generation. Engage meat wholesalers or retailers. You can engage outlets such as supermarkets or butcheries. This also spans to outlets that use mutton meat in their operations. This can be hotels, restaurants, and the like. Get involved in farmers markets or events e.g. livestock auctions. As always being online and doing digital marketing is necessary.

Market for Lamb & Mutton

The primary product for this business is sheep meat. Meat derived from sheep is referred to as lamb and mutton. Lamb is meat from a sheep that is less than a year old. Mutton is meat from sheep that is over a year old. Yearling mutton is used when referring to meat from sheep age between 1 and 2 years. Meat from sheep is rich in proteins, vitamin B12 and minerals. The market for lamb & mutton is very huge and is ever increasing. You can supply sheep meat to abattoirs, local butcher shops, retailers, hotels, supermarkets, restaurants, wholesalers and individual consumers.

Advantages Of Mutton Sheep Farming Business

Low cost to start and run a mutton sheep farming business.

Mutton sheep do not need much space to thrive. They can also thrive with just foraging on e.g. brush and weeds. This limits feeding costs. Mutton sheep do not require sophisticated housing structures. They can do well with just decent makeshift structures. Maintenance costs are also quite low. Labour costs are also limited due to the nature of mutton sheep. Mutton sheep tend to move in groups and are generally well-behaved. Their herd instincts are top notch. This means just one person can easily mind a big group of mutton sheep. You can even mix mutton sheep with other livestock e.g. goats.

There Is A High Preference For Mutton Meat

Mutton meat typically has a rich flavour and the meat is also lean. Mutton meat is much tender than most meats. This is usually because in mutton sheep farming, the sheep forage a lot. That greatly contributes to the quality of their mutton meat. Mutton meat is also rich in nutrients. All these aspects make mutton meat a favourite even for health-conscious consumers. This contributes to you fetching good prices for your mutton meat. In fact, mutton meat is considered a luxury meat in many places. Thus you get to enjoy market access and good prices.

Not Just One Revenue Stream

The main product in mutton sheep farming is often mutton meat. However, you can also realize revenue from other sources. For instance, there are mutton sheep varieties which can also produce milk. There are also mutton sheep varieties which can produce wool. Once you slaughter your mutton sheep you can sell the skins. Not forgetting that you can sell their droppings as manure. Another revenue stream is using your mutton sheep for weed control. You can charge people to put your mutton sheep in areas where they need weeds removed. Mutton sheep do feed on weeds so you make money whilst contributing to their nutritional needs.

Keys To Profitability

You can significantly reduce feed costs by making your own. Find a good place for the mutton sheep to forage; it helps in reducing feed costs. Make sure you choose the best mutton sheep breeds. Some mutton sheep breeds are location-specific so seek expert guidance. Be vigilant when it comes to disease and pest control. Have active biosecurity measures to restrict or control who accesses your mutton sheep. Keep comprehensive records so that your decisions e.g. feeding are evidence-based. Marketing is critically important in mutton sheep farming. Identify markets and even find clients well in advance. Build your mutton sheep farming business in such a way that you have batches. This will ensure you always have revenue inflows. Work towards scaling your mutton sheep farming business to enjoy economies of scale.

With all this information you can start a mutton sheep farming business. It is advisable to always be in constant touch with animal health experts. This will help you make informed decisions from start to finish.

Pre-Written Mutton Sheep Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel): Comprehensive Version, Short Funding/Bank Loan Version and Automated Financial Statements

For an in-depth analysis of the mutton sheep farming business, we encourage you to purchase our well-researched and comprehensive meat sheep business plan. We introduced the business plans after discovering that many were venturing into the meat sheep production business without enough knowledge and understanding of how to run the sheep business, how to keep the sheep, lack of understanding of the financial side of the business, lack of understanding of : the industry, the risks involved , costs and profitability of the business; which often leads to disastrous losses.

The StartupBiz Global mutton sheep farming business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run your mutton sheep production business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as you will be aware of all the costs involved in setting up and running the meat sheep farming business.

Uses of the Meat Sheep Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The mutton sheep farming business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your meat sheep production business
• As a mutton sheep farming business proposal
• Assessing profitability of the sheep meat production business
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

Contents of the Mutton Sheep Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The meat sheep farming business plan include, but not limited to:

• Marketing Strategy
• Financial Statements (monthly cash flow projections, income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, break even analysis, payback period analysis, start-up costs, financial graphs, revenue and expenses, Bank Loan Amortization)
• Risk Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• Market Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements (Including technical aspects of how to keep and rear the sheep, feed requirements etc)
• Operational Strategy
• Why some people in the mutton sheep farming business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your meat sheep farming business

The Pre-written meat sheep farming business plan package consist of 4 files

• Mutton Sheep Farming Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive Version – 93 Pages)
• Mutton Sheep Farming Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive Version – 93 Pages)
• Mutton Sheep Farming Business Plan Funding/Bank Loan Version- Editable Word File (Short version for applying for a loan/funding – 40 pages)
• Mutton Sheep Farming Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel File)

The business plan can be used in any country and can be easily edited. The financial statements are automated. This implies that you can change eg the number of sheep, selling price of  the sheep etc, and all the other financial statements will automatically adjust to reflect the change.

Click below to download the Contents Page of the Meat Sheep Production Business Plan (PDF)

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Get the Mutton Sheep Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

Click Buy Now  below to purchase using Paypal, Credit Card, or Debit Card. After you have purchased, you will immediately see the download link for the business plan package on the screen. You will also immediately get an email with the business plan download link. The Pre-written business plan package (PDF, Word, and Excel) costs $30 only!

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Haramaya University, Sheep and Goat Fattening and Breeding Project: A template

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Ahmedin Abdurehman

Getachew Legese

mesfin mengistu

Awoke K A S S A Zewdie

Solomon Gizaw

Tadelle Dessie

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to impr ove food security and reduce poverty in developing countries thr ough research for better and more sustainable use of livestock. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR Consor tium, a global research partnership of 15 centres working with many partners for a food-secure future. ILRI has t wo main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, W est and Southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia. ilri.org CGIAR is a global agricultural r esearch partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 research centres that are members of the CGIAR Consor tium in collaboration with hundr eds of partner organizations. cgiar.org

Nigatu Wolde , Ajebu Nurfeta

This study was conducted to assess feed resource availability, chemical composition and dry matter digestibility of major feedstuffs in Sodo town and Sodo Zuria Woreda, Wolaita Zone of Southern Nation Nationalities and People Regional State. One hundred twenty dairy farms, (60 from urban and 60 from rural dairy production system) were selected for the study randomly. A structured questionnaire was prepared and an interview of each household was carried out to collect data on demographic and characteristics of households, livestock holding and composition, objective of dairying, available feed resources and feeding practices ,dairy cattle feeding management practices and constraints of dairy cattle. The common feed samples which were used in urban and rural sites available across the different season were randomly collected. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data using SPSS. The average family size of the households was 5.7 for urban and 6.1 for rural. Average farm size of households in the rural production system was 0.73 ± 0.07 ha. There was no significant difference (p<0.05) in cattle holding between urban and rural systems. Purpose of cattle keeping was for milk sale, milk and meat, for home consumption, security and income source .The major feed resources available were natural pastures, crop residues, improved forages and pasture and agro-industrial by-products (AIBP). About 657 total dry matters (tDM) per household per annum was produced from all feed resources in rural kebeles, whereas about 1104 tDM was the total annual requirement. There was a deficit of about 60%. The major constraints hindering dairy production were feed scarcity, land/space limitation and high cost of animal feed .In urban area, the highest (P<0.05) CP content was for Sesbania whereas the lowest (P<0.05) was from natural pasture for roughages . Sesbania had the highest (P<0.05) IVDMD while the lowest was for natural pasture. Linseed had the highest (P<0.05) CP content and IVDMD. In the rural area, among roughage feeds natural pasture had the lowest (P<0.05) CP content while the highest (P<0.05) was for Sesbania. The IVDMD for desho were higher than the other feedstuffs. Linseed cake had the highest (P<0.05) CP content. Among the AIBP, mixed ration and linseed cake had the highest (P<0.05) IVDMD. In conclusion unless efforts are made to meet the nutrient requirements of dairy cattle through proper feed management and supplementation it is not possible to optimize the milk production potential of dairy cows. It is necessary to supply adequate amount of feed all year round through treatment of crop residues which are the dominant feedstuff and supplementation with tree legumes.

Adane Hirpa

Mohammad Rifky

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