How much does your market under declare lamb weight?

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Yes it has always helped if you watch your lambs being graded. We used to watch every lot go through but time constraints and new hygiene rules etc mean it's too much hassle to go in every time now. It certainly helps if the grader knows who you are. Also very important never to complain to the grader, best to keep them talking about something totally unrelated like rugby or trotting. ;)
If they are Welsh perhaps the rugby wouldn't be the best thing for me to talk to them about just at the moment :whistle::whistle::whistle::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 

gatepost

Member
Location
Cotswolds
Welcome to the farmers world! our local knocks 1kg off, when I first went back live, I mentioned the sudden loss of weight, and was told that it allowed for all the muck on the scales? which self zero every time! Also I had too recalibrate my new electronic scale, so followed procedure and used 10 new 25kg bags of soya, next lot of lambs seemed to weigh light to my mind, and for once they were actually heavier at market? re calibrated scales using weights, then reweighed remaining soya, every bag 2kg light. :scratchhead:
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Welcome to the farmers world! our local knocks 1kg off, when I first went back live, I mentioned the sudden loss of weight, and was told that it allowed for all the muck on the scales? which self zero every time! Also I had too recalibrate my new electronic scale, so followed procedure and used 10 new 25kg bags of soya, next lot of lambs seemed to weigh light to my mind, and for once they were actually heavier at market? re calibrated scales using weights, then reweighed remaining soya, every bag 2kg light. :scratchhead:
we are had every which way
 

Victor

Member
Location
Devon
I'd like to say my local market always weighs the same as what they are weighed at home but the buyers complain they don't kill out so well from that market I wonder why?
 

Victor

Member
Location
Devon
Some days I think rubbish to this why bother, apparently no one wants the product, and no one wants me to make a living. but for some bazaar reason I keep doing it, just to annoy the wife really.
Unfortunately there are far too many Farmers annoying their wives
If we perhaps tried to please them the price of our product could improve
 
Last edited:

MRT

Member
Livestock Farmer
if they were all honest it wouldn't be a problem, weights should be correct end of
That's how I see it. Some locals have messaged me to say it happens to them as well in this location so at least its not just me! Makes me feel a lot better about it
 

MRT

Member
Livestock Farmer
I took 18 lambs this week, all strong abermax x mule lambs all weighed over 50kgs, most mid 50s if they were 49.5 they were sent dead to dunbia, only properly above 50kgs went live

They were dry in a shed, they ended up weighing 48kgs at the market.... not sure how that happened

Your dodgey driving skills? ;)
 

Allied Weighing

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Llangernyw
As someone who was asked in my early career in the Weighing business approx 25 years ago 'Can you make the scales weigh light?' The answer is 'yes of course i can, but I'm buggered if i am going to'

These markets have to have their scales calibrated and certified by Trading Standards/ weights and measures, usually annually, and calibration certificates are issued to the markets.

Obvious things to look out for on the scales.
1) Large amounts of muck around the load cells and underneath the platform.( muck underneath the scales will effectively make them weigh light)
2) Always make sure scales are at zero, before any weighing begins.
3) Simple check if possible weigh yourself before hand at home use your own bodyweight to check the scales weigh within 1kg( this is acceptable plus/minus 1kg) Walk round all 4 corners of the scale to make sure the weight is the same. If not complain.
4) Ask to see the latest calibration certificate make sure it is up to date.
5) If not report to Trading Standards.
6) This is probably why I dont get asked anymore to check market scales
 

Allied Weighing

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Llangernyw
One of the very first sets of weigh beams we sold 10 years ago was sold to a farmer down near Swansea, he had always complained that his cattle were weighing light.
So after he got the scales he put 10 head through, made a note of their weights
Went to market, each one was coming up between 40/50 kg lighter than what he weighed them ( short travel time to market)
He queried this with the market manager told them he had weighed them before hand with his calibrated scales, manager took him to one side, and paid him an extra £500( there or thereabouts) to keep him quiet.
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
As someone who was asked in my early career in the Weighing business approx 25 years ago 'Can you make the scales weigh light?' The answer is 'yes of course i can, but I'm buggered if i am going to'

These markets have to have their scales calibrated and certified by Trading Standards/ weights and measures, usually annually, and calibration certificates are issued to the markets.

Obvious things to look out for on the scales.
1) Large amounts of muck around the load cells and underneath the platform.( muck underneath the scales will effectively make them weigh light)
2) Always make sure scales are at zero, before any weighing begins.
3) Simple check if possible weigh yourself before hand at home use your own bodyweight to check the scales weigh within 1kg( this is acceptable plus/minus 1kg) Walk round all 4 corners of the scale to make sure the weight is the same. If not complain.
4) Ask to see the latest calibration certificate make sure it is up to date.
5) If not report to Trading Standards.
6) This is probably why I dont get asked anymore to check market scales

You miss the point

The scales will weigh perfectly
 

JP1

Member
Livestock Farmer
If everyone is so sure they are being ripped off why don't they do something about it? Take it up with weights and measures. Ask market to do check with some 25kg bags.

Farmers are always bloody moaning, but never do anything about what there moaning about. I think most of them enjoy being miserable.

What do you think a 25kg sack will weigh on a market weigh scales then?
 
After but they only trim waste off. You know the price before they leave the yard and if you've sent a lot of lambs previously you have a good idea on weight too. All lambs sold live end up in an abattoir anyway. Do you think the buyers do this at a loss?

Buyers most of them are only buying on account so they have their price per head that's why if they need lambs they pay more if they don't want them they leave them there the markets weigh them light so looks good price per kg on market report
I understand why you sell dead but they would pay more if all went through the market not just yours everybody s
 

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