Hi all, ive been following tff for about a year so thought I'd get involved. Don't want this to sound like sour grapes because I've sold my lambs store but we run a typical hill flock selling mule gimmer lambs and mule & swaledale store lambs. 2020 averages, mule gimmers £102, mule wethers £70, swale wethers £43, 2019 averages mule gimmers £72, mule wethers £47 swale wethers £22. I know brexit and covid have had a big impact on trade last couple of years and I wish everyone who took the risk on stores good luck but does the hill shepherd get a fair slice of the pie?
Does the hill shepherd get a fair share of the pie?
- Thread starter hill shepherd
- Start date
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
On those figures you are about £25/lamb better this time, which sounds fair enough. I know for certain that my average price per lamb sold didn't jump that much, all sold before Christmas. You have a fair point that everyone in the chain needs to share in these good times, otherwise there just won't be the stores and breeding sheep available to buy.
poorsheepfarmer
Member
- Location
- North York Moors
Finish your stores if you don't think you are getting enough pie
- Location
- East Ayrshire
I get what you're saying, but the store buyers don't know how big the pie is going to be when they buy your lambs. If the fat price had collapsed post-Brexit then you'd have had the biggest share. You can only sell when it suits your system and accept the market value.
- Location
- Cheshire
I’m afraid that this is my most used response when people aren’t happy with the store returns. This year I thought the hill boys (especially if you could hold until after September) had a fair share of the pie. I know it only takes a small wobble with us lowland boys for it too be passed back up the chain but it’s only the same when we’re selling at the other end.
If I could make my living without chasing around Cheshire & Lancashire fencing and moving sheep from August too May I would.... (actually that’s a lie, I’d still do it. I enjoy what I’m doing too much...
)
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
I think the way ewe lambs and gimmer trade has gone, there's plenty of pie in the hills...
If you feel there's not, change breeds and try a different pie
If you feel there's not, change breeds and try a different pie
- Location
- East Ayrshire
Just to add I was delighted with store prices this year, long may it continue, but I have no idea where the confidence in the market came from. They've been proven right though.
One year isn’t a fair reputation of what happens every year, if prices were similar to what they have been from now on then yes but Im sceptical over that
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
How much sub do your get per lamb sold?
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
cattleman123
Member
- Location
- devon
Everyone who wins think they are an Expert
We sell all our swale lambs finished and get between 80 normally and up to 120 this year, but a lot of folk who can’t do that get pinched, two year’s ago store lambs and mule gunners were pretty poor but fat lamb prices In the January were fairly good so they they got a poor share, people need to be able to make money out of them but the bill farmer who’s done most of the work should get the fairer share
- Location
- Fife
I sold my F1 shetlands before Xmas as stores at about 25-30kg. £49/hd.
I'm happy with that, as at this point they're effectively by products of the maternal line development. Power to the guy who bought them, I hope he makes a fortune. I didn't have the nerve to hold them past Bexit.
Got hammered on cull ewes last week though (£2 Shetland anyone?) Giving very serious thought to becoming FA and sending everything dead in future.
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
2019 second draw ewe lambs sold for £85 ,sold as gimmers in 2020 for £170 . 2020 2nd draw ewe lambs sold for £105 2021 who knows what they will sell for? As a producer I was happy with what I got but I think the buyer is getting a very good deal. I would say that he is getting the larger slice of the pie .