The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: vegpatch on November 09, 2022, 04:09:56 pm

Title: Mutton from 3 yr old ewes - prices for meat boxes?
Post by: vegpatch on November 09, 2022, 04:09:56 pm

I have 2 three year old ewes going for slaughter shortly.  I've not done mutton before so wondering about how to price it. Do people normally price their mutton more cheaply than lamb?

I have loyal lamb customers queuing up to take the extra meat that we don't want so I'm not worried about getting rid of it - but I'd like an idea of what might be a fair price.  Any thoughts/advice most welcome.  Thanks.

Title: Re: Mutton from 3 yr old ewes - prices for meat boxes?
Post by: Fleecewife on November 09, 2022, 06:14:31 pm

Mutton is a wonderful and rare commodity.  By your language you are putting it down.  'Getting rid of it'!  Cheaper than lamb?


There are 2 kinds of mutton, that produced from ancient scrawny old sheep, and that produced from 2 or 3 yo animals.  Even meat from ancient ewes is good if cooked properly (very slowly).  Your ewes come into the young category.


I have only sold mutton or rather Hogget, from 16 month old males and I charge a good market price for it.  However, I mostly produce meat only for home consumption as a side effect of lambing for breeding stock. I have never sold ancient sheep mutton - I prize it too much.


So find out more about mutton, learn how to cook it (folk on here have lovely recipes and advice) then go out and sell your product with pride and for a good price, if you decide to sell it at all after you have tried it.


In fact I tend to get only the gigot from older ewes and have all the rest minced so I can make it into burgers, sausages, or cook it as mince. Mutton can take strong flavours such as garlic, chilli, North African spices and so on, rather than light herbs.

Title: Re: Mutton from 3 yr old ewes - prices for meat boxes?
Post by: vegpatch on November 09, 2022, 06:29:03 pm

Very sorry Fleecewife - I didn't mean to denigrate mutton at all.  Personally I love it.  I just meant that I didn't think I needed to make it extra cheap to be able to sell it (because I have people who will happily buy it from me). 

Locally I've only found one person who sells mutton boxes and their mutton boxes are cheaper than their lamb boxes - hence the query.

 :)

Title: Re: Mutton from 3 yr old ewes - prices for meat boxes?
Post by: twizzel on November 09, 2022, 07:30:52 pm

Cull ewe prices are strong at the moment… probably stronger than lamb prices. So don’t price yourself too short. Work out what they’d be in market, add on the kill and cut charge, then add a bit for the hassle.

Title: Re: Mutton from 3 yr old ewes - prices for meat boxes?
Post by: vegpatch on November 09, 2022, 07:53:52 pm

Thanks Twizzel, that's very helpful - hadn't thought of that.