Easycare Marketing

[Shropshire Farmer]

What are peoples thoughts of selling easycare lambs. Is dw the best option still or live in the market?
Also cull ewes dw or live in the market?

 

[Woolless]

I tend to sell the bigger batches in peak season deadweight to minimise the risk of catching a bad trade. I've done alright in the mart with hoggs in late spring and selling stores in December. Mine have a splash of Texel in them.

Cull ewes, if you have a deadweight option, then take it. Mine averaged £10+/head more on the hook last year than the last time I put the big batch through a ring in September.

 

[Shropshire Farmer]

Yes nervous of sending entire ram lambs to market, but as I’ve been told there is a festival coming up !!! Also both my contacts at abp and Dunbia said they had a glut of lambs currently and the price has dropped. Said the culls would be better on their feet.

 

[JSmith]

With the lamb trade dropping I’d do the easy care on the dead, any excuse to pull the price down on them an they will, where as on the hook it’s meat that pays not what it looks like!! The ewes want to go in the market I would of thought, five buyers is better than one, and probably rise in a couple of weeks due to festival!! Just my opinion, other opinions will be voiced and readily available, terms an conditions apply!

 

[Shropshire Farmer]

I think that’s what I come back too. There again I sent some to Melton Meats in the autumn and I didn’t feel particularly happy either.

 

[unlacedgecko]

I think that’s what I come back too. There again I sent some to Melton Meats in the autumn and I didn’t feel particularly happy either.

Send my culls and any hogg I didn't like to Melton Meats in April.

£2.70/kg for culls
£5.50 for hoggs

No grading no deduction (apart from levy) no minimum weights.

Very happy for non FA Shetlands.

 

[CopperBeech]

This year you could have sent anything live at all and you’d have made a good coin. I bought some tiny little shedding store lambs in December and sold them on as 30kg stores for £90-£95 but normal years shedding lambs are best sold dead unless you know buyers are there for them.

Can be difficult to place store lambs, but if you have any decent number of decent shedding store lambs I will come and give you a price for the lot.

With regard to ewes often find ewes are better off sold live, but got to pick your market especially for shedders. We use Rugby as they probably have the greatest number of buyers for ewes and a home for most types. However plain types with a smaller carcass I usually find better on the hook. Can usually get £65-75 on the hook for shedders, but this year have been killing them through the live market for £90-£150.

 

[Shropshire Farmer]

I need to reduce my numbers for 12 months due to new stewardship scheme and organic conversion. Have 80 tup lambs 25-45 kgs and need to cull 80 - 100 ewes.

 

[CopperBeech]

I need to reduce my numbers for 12 months due to new stewardship scheme and organic conversion. Have 80 tup lambs 25-45 kgs and need to cull 80 - 100 ewes.

Are the ewes culls or could be sold as breeders ? Breeders will be good money, better than a full price for an easy care. The heavier ram lambs are best sold on the hook. And either finish the rest ? Kill at lighter weights to get them gone quicker or sell as stores.

 

[Shropshire Farmer]

Ewes could be sold as breeders. Agreed lambs need to be on the hook. Will build again from shearlings and ewe lambs. Probably with exlana tups or may go with a continental sire.

 

[CopperBeech]

Ewes could be sold as breeders. Agreed lambs need to be on the hook. Will build again from shearlings and ewe lambs. Probably with exlana tups or may go with a continental sire.

Wouldn’t be a bad shout sticking the ewes on sell my livestock or on here in classified section.

And I would concur with the exlana tup over the easy care ewes.

 

[Shropshire Farmer]

Haven’t had to intervene with lambing the last 2 years. Mortality has been around 3% and lost 3 ewes out of 224 in lamb ewes this season.

 

[CopperBeech]

Haven’t had to intervene with lambing the last 2 years. Mortality has been around 3% and lost 3 ewes out of 224 in lamb ewes this season.

Write that on the advert.

 

[Shropshire Farmer]

Haven’t had to intervene with lambing the last 2 years. Mortality has been around 3% and lost 3 ewes out of 224 in lamb ewes this season.

I’ve just put the ewes on classified !!!

 

[neilo]

Haven’t had to intervene with lambing the last 2 years. Mortality has been around 3% and lost 3 ewes out of 224 in lamb ewes this season.

That’s quite extraordinary. Why change breeding if that’s the case? Stick with what’s clearly working for you.