The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: robd on September 08, 2011, 11:01:03 am
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Having acquired a small flock of 25 as a job lot, I am now needing to reduce numbers as I don't have sufficient pasture for this number long term. I am intending to take some to Norwich market next Saturday, but having never done this before I am looking for some advice. I have tried phoning several times but can't get any answer so I thought I'd try on here...
I am intending to take 5 Hill Radnor ewes (each around 9 years old). Does anybody know what time I should get there? Do I need to take feed/water? I assume I need to complete movement licenses. Some of them are missing ear tags - should I be replacing them and if so with what (my understanding is that they don't require EIDs as they're too old, though I'm happy to be corrected). Do I pay a fee to put them in the auction, or does the buyer pay a premium? What happens if they don't sell?
Sorry for so many questions, but this all seems quite daunting for a first-timer!
Rob
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Hi Robd. It sounds as if you need to go and suss out a sale before you put your own sheep in. That way you will know the place and how things work, what you need to take etc. You will also get an idea of who will be buying and likely prices - which vary from place to place and week to week.
However, 9yo ewes? They will most likely just be bought by the butcher for pies so would you not be better to send them off to the abattoir yourself (I think that's at Bungay?) You will get plenty of tasty meat from them.
If not, then - tags. Sheep of that age need a single ear tag, no EID. If you know the number and flock mark of the original tag you can contact one of the tag companies such as Ketchum who will send you out a replacement tag with the same information on it. If you don't know the details of the old tag they will send you a red replacement tag with your details on. The cost is minimal and they will keep you right. You will probably also need an applicator if you haven't tagged before so choose replacements which need the same applicator as the tags you intend to use for lambs (there are many different models)
Yes you will need a movement licence wherever you take the sheep - market or abattoir. If they don't sell at market then you take them home.
It is daunting the first time - and for several times after that, but you will eventually become an old hand yourself :)
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They will need to be tagged but not eid unless they were born this year or last.
You should phone the market and book the ewes in that way you have a better chance of getting them in a decent part of the sale rather than just stuck on the end.
You will need to fill out a movement licence, the mart will send away any paperwork that needs sent to the department.
You won't need to take feed or water for your sheep, if you do the chances are they will be about the only sheep in the mart with feed in front of them. It doesn't really do them any harm and the killers prefer the stock to be empty if they are slaughtering them for obvious reasons.
Find out when the sheep are being sold and be there at a resonable time, they don't need to be in the pens 4 hours before the sale starts but at the same time the mart finds it difficult to move stock through the pens once the sale has begun.
There shouldn't be any fees for the sale of your sheep but there will be a commision charge. It is usually 3-5% of the final price that the sheep achieve. There is VAT and insurance on the commision. You'll probably be paid by cheque, you cam normally pick that up from the mart office on the day of the sale or they will post it to you.
Your ewes if they have some flesh will probably make about £48-£50 pounds, if they are fat then they should achieve around the £60 mark, hopefully more!
Most important of all, have fun and enjoy the day. Don't get too nervous, that just makes loading them in the morning a nightmare. Be warned, it will be over in a flash and you'll be left wondering exactly what just happened!
We all look forward to hearing how yo've gotten on! :)
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yes Id like to hear how you get on as Ive never taken any stock to the market :yum: :yum:
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We're all watching this space ;)
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It is important to fill in a FOOD CHAIN INFORMATION this states that all drug /treatment withdrawal periods are clear so they can go for killing it is part of the new movement document or if old style movement then you can get a FCI from the market
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Keep trying the phone no.; They'll answer eventually (when the market was in progress was when I seemed to catch them).
I made sure I got there before 8.00 as recommended by the bloke I (eventually) talked to because I didn't want the inspector to see my (fully carpeted) 'livestock transporter' ;) ). When I got there, there was a chap whom I asked what I should be doing; he said "put him in there" then told me where to go to do the paperwork.
I didn't take feed & water and there wasn't anywhere to put such in the pens.
my little ram made about £50 (38Kg) and the charges came to less than £2 (I think - it was back in January). The cheque and info arrived in the post within a week.
mab
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Many thanks for the posts so far. I've still not managed to get through to the market on the phone, but I'll keep trying. If all fails I guess I should aim to turn up at 8am as suggested above and go from there. I have ordered some red replacement tags from Ketchum (thanks for the tip - everybody else seems to want to sell you at least 50 tags). I will post again after the event and let you all know how it went.
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It couldn't have been easier at Norwich market on Saturday. I turned up at around 8.30 with 5 ewes, I was shown which bay to reverse the trailer up to, unloaded, handed in the movement license and was told the cheque would be sent on Monday. I decided not to wait and watch the sale (too much to get on with at home), so I don't know how much they sold for yet - hopefully I will receive a cheque in the post tomorrow...
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I have attended our local market a couple of times to try and understand its working. Its fascinating and fast moving, I found I had little idea what price had been reached until afterwards.
I'd be interested to know if anyone has seen or taken soay sheep to a sale other than specialist ones? I'm trying to gauge what the buyers would make of a pen full of them, being so different and smaller than commercial breeds. Would the buyers even appreciate the difference in the meat?