The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: OhLaLa on November 27, 2010, 11:24:48 am

Title: Comparison : in-lamb ewes or lamb at foot?
Post by: OhLaLa on November 27, 2010, 11:24:48 am

Obviously price varies, but in general, what sort of price (or percentage) difference am I looking at when choosing to buy a (hopefully) in-lamb ewe now, or ewe with lamb at foot - or ewe with two lambs at foot next spring?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Comparison : in-lamb ewes or lamb at foot?
Post by: Freddiesfarm on November 27, 2010, 11:53:59 am

Price wise they can be very similar!  At this time of year in lamb ewes are probably about £100+ depending on age and breed etc.  Ewes with lambs at foot would be normally between £40 and £60 per life. 

Atleast when you buy with lambs at foot the hard work has been done for you, but BEWARE....look at the ewes for strange tufts of fleece where they may have had a prolapse harness on or other markings to indicate issues - I sell a handful of ewes with lambs at foot but generally it is either the pain the backside ewes or ones which have had issues when lambing.  I have some suffolk cross things I will sell this year just because they don't fit in with the rest of my sheep and are too tame with the dogs and people which is fine if they are in a small bunch but not when you are trying to move a couple of hundred down the road and they wander off to say hello to everyone they see!!

Have a look at market reports for your area - I look at the Exeter Market and Sedgemoor reports and that gives you a good idea.