The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: andywalt on September 09, 2010, 06:29:45 pm

Title: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: andywalt on September 09, 2010, 06:29:45 pm
My 10 store lambs are going to the abottoir in two weeks time,they are all sold individually to family and friends, can anyone give me an idea what they would be looking for an average dead weight in meat for each lamb? They do differ in size a couple of weathers seem massive, but as this is my first time it would be nice to see what you would expect?      RIP  :sheep:

thanks

andy
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: shrekfeet on September 10, 2010, 08:18:24 am
Dead weight will be roughly half live weight.

Are you selling them butchered? If so, what price per kilo?
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: andywalt on September 10, 2010, 02:07:06 pm
I am selling them butchered by the abottoir into cuts to friends and family, £100 per lamb

some lambs will be heavier than others so i will do some mixing and matching with the joints to make it fair.

is that what you do?
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: daddymatty82 on September 10, 2010, 09:11:29 pm
what are the live weights we weigh before they go to get a fair weight so we know what to expect back roughly  our farmer fiend weighs a week before they go then keeps them in until kill saves on the stress on rounding up across 100 acres and then there in confines of barn to  get them in trailer with little stress and also  depending on what other people charge in your area will be a good guide price as the local abattoir is selling at £80 atm we don't use them as they got a different butcher in now who is crap so its just a guide price if we cant find anyone selling in the area
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: andywalt on September 10, 2010, 09:32:42 pm
We dont have any weighting equipement so we have no idea what to expect, I will try take some potos of them this weekend and see if you all think they are ready to go, RIP ;D
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: daddymatty82 on September 12, 2010, 09:49:10 pm
how much you being charged for cull and cut?
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: andywalt on September 12, 2010, 09:53:06 pm
I am being charged £15 per lamb, culled and cut into joints and bagged
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: Rosemary on September 12, 2010, 10:17:42 pm
That seems reasonable. I think ours quoted £13 to kill, then the butcher is on top of that. Not much competition though.
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: Brucklay on September 13, 2010, 09:10:17 am
As my first lambs are due to go soon this is a 'read' topic for me - we also don't have any fancy weighing gear but did manage to weight our ram lamb with
1. A sack and some rope
2. A long metal pole (good length of wood would do the job)
3. £3.50 spring scale to 50 kg

A simple harness hooked onto the spring scale and then leavered the pole down over a gate till the lamb was off the ground - not very elegant but did the job - he's 46 kg
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: andywalt on September 13, 2010, 11:46:30 am
I will have to try that one !!!
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: daddymatty82 on September 13, 2010, 07:10:06 pm
or anyone close to you with a set of sheep scales that you could borrow?  we pay about £24 cull and cut  we just need to get a few booked in or it will be to late as they sometimes shhut down for the xmas trade in some areas
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: bigchicken on September 13, 2010, 10:23:39 pm
Hi Rosemary where do you get your done that is a very good price.
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: shrekfeet on September 14, 2010, 11:39:56 am
I pay £20 kill and cut and then I charge £5/kilo. Local bucther charges £5.60.

The key is in the hanging (not to kill them to improve the flavour ;-)
We hang for 2 weeks and I recommend it to all
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: Frieslandfilly on September 14, 2010, 01:41:04 pm
Hi

We sold our lambs at £100 to family and friends last year, they came in a between 18 & 22kg, this year I have told them that the price will have gone up to around £130/40 depending on size, this is because they cost more to buy in and the feed was more expensive.

Dawn
Title: Re: Store Lambs to the abottoir
Post by: shetlandpaul on September 14, 2010, 02:48:16 pm
yikes thats a lot.