Taking Lambs To Slaughter

[Ridgetop]

Guessing - BAD!
Weighing - GOOD!

You will find that when their weight gain slows down to .5 lbs. ADG you need to monitor them carefully. Carrying lambs past their optimal weight gain just to put a couple extra pounds on them over a few extra months is a money waster. Although you are planning to keep them on pasture, you have limited space and can't afford to waste grass on lambs that are not gaining well. I think you will see a big difference in the lambs from Ringo. Size and weight can be deceptive so make weight, and the amount of meat you can feel on the lambs' bodies, the key to when to slaughter. A smaller looking lamb with a tremendous leg and loin will weigh heavier than a tall lanky lamb. That wool covers a lot.

 

[Baymule]

Don't I know it (now)! Enter exhibit humpback ewe

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[Ridgetop]

LOL We all have to learn! I have 30 years experience on you and am still learning.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

[Baymule]

Happy Thanksgiving y’all!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Happy Thanksgiving day backatcha!

 

[Baymule]

We picked up meat on Friday. We had 2 customers waiting, both came to the farm and picked up their order. One is a chef, cooking it for his parents. His Dad works at Lowes, where we met him and he told us how much he liked lamb.

The other couple came yesterday. We met him at the taco truck. His wife is from Spain, the high point of her visit was giving animal crackers to Ringo. They both enjoyed the farm and meeting the dogs and sheep. They were so excited to visit the farm and want to bring their grand kids back to see the sheep. Ringo is quite the ambassador! LOL

Next I’ll take pictures of meat and advertise it on Craigslist, Facebook marketplace and a local Facebook group. We’ll see how it goes. We have a 10 pound minimum purchase. I would like to sell whole or half a lamb, but I don't know if the lamb market will take it here. Perhaps by selling small portions of lamb, I can build my customer base and move people up to half or whole lambs.

I had half the ground meat made into pan sausage, it is delicious! I don’t know why I haven’t thought of this before. @Mike CHS have you ever done this?

We went to an auction yesterday only to find it closed for Thanksgiving weekend. But we were able to talk to a man who runs things. He said lambs 6 months to a year sell for $75 to $125 a head, ram lambs bring the higher price. The better auctions are in west Texas, many hours away, where they sell by the hundred weight. We don't have enough lambs to make such a trip worthwhile. Mike, what are auction prices in your area?

So if selling meat direct to customers turns out to be a PIA, we have another avenue for sales. We finally have enough lambs to market in different venues, so we'll see how this all goes. ​

 

[Roving Jacobs]

Lamb pan sausage is one of my faves! Our processor does a sage sausage that's out of this world. We had a whole sheep just done in sausage recently because we go through so much of it

Good luck selling your lamb! It's the right time of year for those of us who eat lamb on Christmas so hopefully you're sold out quick.

 

[HomeOnTheRange]

He said lambs 6 months to a year sell for $75 to $125 a head

That sounds low for our area. Our auction is tomorrow (first Tuesday of the month) so I will see what they are selling for. We have haulers that come in from CA and drive the price up because they have such a huge shortage in CA they can buy them at our auction, haul them back to CA and still make a profit.

 

[Baymule]

That sounds low for our area. Our auction is tomorrow (first Tuesday of the month) so I will see what they are selling for. We have haulers that come in from CA and drive the price up because they have such a huge shortage in CA they can buy them at our auction, haul them back to CA and still make a profit.

Sounds low to me too. West Texas has better auctions and prices than East Texas.
I downloaded prices from Hamilton auction, but that is 3 1/2 hours away from us. I don't think that trip would be worth it for 8 lambs. LOL

 

[HomeOnTheRange]

At the auction today I was stunned at the prices. I stood there for 3+ hours in shock at the price people were paying. @Baymule, thanks for the link. While it looks like they are getting 10-20% more for the lambs there, the price for ewes and rams are low. I did not see a single wool ewe go for less than 195HD and the rams were going as high as 375HD with a low of 275HD. Might have to get back in the the sheep/goat business if these prices hold!