Any trade on Ewes and Lambs this time?

[Anymulewilldo]

But who would take the biosecurity risk of buying breeding sheep from lots of sellers? Eg what the macket for putting the ewew back in a breeding sheep?

Why is someone who want an easy life willing to take an ewe in "end of life" condition with her lambs? Or are these most draft hill sheep getting a last year on good grass?

They aren’t end of life ewes. Those ewes on a good lowland farm and farmed well will crop hellishly well compared to where a lot of them have spent most of their lives. Mules that have lost a tooth here and I cull them as grazing pressure is too high for ewes with missing teeth can go on to have 2/3 crops more on better farms.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Thats exactly what i was going to put . And plus its a good job there are people who buy and sell sheep alot otherwise these people with closed flocks would have no markets to sell into

Great minds

 

[Anymulewilldo]

We've been selling mule outfits for the last few weeks sold our last batch today. We have averaged £242 for mules with twins at 2-3 week old . But in my opinion i would say they have been dropping abit each week as numbers increase and the weathers not helping the job at the moments. If you do sell some make sure they have strong lambs that have been outside as young lambs have been the alot cheaper with the weather as it is.

I’ve never understood how folk get out on those outfits bought in the first month of the season they always seem to make near as dammit finished price before you’ve farmed them for 3/4 months

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

There’s a lot more farmers running flying flocks (mine included) than there are running closed units.

The sheep I make the most money on are the ones I buy and take a chance on. Doesn’t always work, but more often than not it does.

Same with cows. Plus you may not want to keep terminal sired lambs (or heifers) as replacements.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Same with cows. Plus you may not want to keep terminal sired lambs (or heifers) as replacements.

Same here. I don’t want maternal bred male calves or lambs to deal with. Terminal sires, finish everything and pick what replacements I want. Heifers tend to come from the same breeders though. They fit my job nicely

 

[ringi]

There’s a lot more farmers running flying flocks (mine included) than there are running closed units.

The sheep I make the most money on are the ones I buy and take a chance on. Doesn’t always work, but more often than not it does.

But I don't think you are buying from 500 different people who had a few ramdom ewes over summer

 

[kfpben]

I often buy gimmers with lambs at foot.
Generally what happens is it gets to April, the grass is taking off, and a landowner contacts me saying ‘I have some grass, I want it kept tidy, are you interested?’ Generally they don’t tend to think too far ahead in my experience.

I don’t have enough mouths, so I go shopping. A highlight was getting in one of @gone up the hill ’s Sedgemore reports as an ‘unknown buyer from upcountry’ or something which made me laugh.

A gimmer with a single lamb makes a cracking ewe going forward.

 

[ringi]

I often buy gimmers with lambs at foot.
Generally what happens is it gets to April, the grass is taking off, and a landowner contacts me saying ‘I have some grass, I want it kept tidy, are you interested?’ Generally they don’t tend to think too far ahead in my experience.

I don’t have enough mouths, so I go shopping. A highlight was getting in one of @gone up the hill ’s Sedgemore reports as an ‘unknown buyer from upcountry’ or something which made me laugh.

A gimmer with a single lamb makes a cracking ewe going forward.

Do you get a long enough commitment from the landowner to be able to overwinter the ewe yourselves?

 

[kfpben]

Do you get a long enough commitment from the landowner to be able to overwinter the ewe yourselves?

Yes, I always get something in writing on a decent block of ground.

 

[ringi]

What is in it for the seller, as I expect if enough ground to overwinter and lamb will have enough ground for summer?

 

[kfpben]

What is in it for the seller, as I expect if enough ground to overwinter and lamb will have enough ground for summer?

I’m not too sure if I’m honest. Everyone has different circumstances and set ups.

All I know is that in this area there are increasing numbers of farmers and landowners wanting sheep on their ground, but ever fewer people wanting to shepherd them. I try and fill the vacuum!

 

[Keithy1394]

I’ve never understood how folk get out on those outfits bought in the first month of the season they always seem to make near as dammit finished price before you’ve farmed them for 3/4 months

I thought that at the time i would'nt want to be buying them but i dont mind selling them

 

[Anymulewilldo]

What is in it for the seller, as I expect if enough ground to overwinter and lamb will have enough ground for summer?

There’s a good margin to be made in wintering and lambing ewes then selling as outfits most years. As for keep. I’ve access to 2k acres + of winter keep but only 400 acre of proper summer ground plus 120 acre of national trust shite grazing. I’m looking at starting buying draft ewes, sending them on keep, lambing them here then selling when the lambs get to 3/4 weeks old.

 

[tr250]

How old are the lambs now, 3 weeks/ months time when it has dried up trade should be on fire I would guess

Be no point selling then as they will be near fat

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Be no point selling then as they will be near fat

I think he meant 3 weeks to a months time… not 3 months

 

[gone up the hill]

I often buy gimmers with lambs at foot.
Generally what happens is it gets to April, the grass is taking off, and a landowner contacts me saying ‘I have some grass, I want it kept tidy, are you interested?’ Generally they don’t tend to think too far ahead in my experience.

I don’t have enough mouths, so I go shopping. A highlight was getting in one of @gone up the hill ’s Sedgemore reports as an ‘unknown buyer from upcountry’ or something which made me laugh.

A gimmer with a single lamb makes a cracking ewe going forward.

Only takes that one or two extra buyers to turn up and can easily put £40/50 head on trade for just that one week.

Couples trade is very very good, Sedge has had singles to £292 outfit for FM, this week i think it was about £240 for singles, Exeter has had no end of outfits over £300 head week in/ out this year, only types struggling are the small hill type ewe and lambs and which for some reason there seems to be a lot about this year!