[Zoe76]

Hi,

Please go easy on me! I'm thinking about buying some Dorset Horn/Poll wethers to fatten, slaughter and the sell the meat. The people I'm buying from want £50-£70 per lamb according to size. Is it worth it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SallyintNorth]

How old are they when you buy them?  Are you fattening them over spring / summer or will you have to buy hay as well?  Will they be grass fed or shall you cake them?  Do you have the grass or are you paying for grazing?   You might need to give them some minerals and worm them, maybe vaccinate them.

Kill and Butchery will likely cost around £25 - £30/head depending on size, plus extra for making sausages, burgers etc.

They should be a decent size, expect something like 20kgs - 22kgs meat per animal maybe?  (Before boning and trimming.)   

Would you sell as boxed half lamb?  What price do you think you would get?

If you don't have sufficient local market who will pick up from the butcher or from yourself then you might need to add costs for packaging for mail order.  Getting set up to do mail order meat is expensive, largely because of the carriage to get the materials to you.

[Zoe76]

Thanks for all the points to consider.

They're born between mid-Sept to early Nov. Planning on fattening some/if not all over spring/summer, might save a few to go next year as hogget.

Grass-fed and I have access to three 2 acre fields to grazing (no charge).

Will sell as boxed half lamb with prices for other cuts roughly the same as this:

Leg joints   From £14.85/kg
Leg and rump steaks   £22.50/kg
Loin chops   £22.50/kg
Rack of lamb/cutlets (French-trimmed)   £22.50/kg
Shoulder joints   From £10.20/kg
Diced/neck fillet   £15/kg
Mince   £11.85/kg
Liver   £7.95/kg
Lamb & mint sausages/Morroccan Lamb sausages   £12.90/kg
4oz lamb & mint burgers   £1.50 each

I also have a couple of Ryeland wethers I'm sending to slaughter as hogget in the Autumn.

[SallyintNorth]

Well then, on the face of it you should be able to return a decent profit on the operation.  Probably worth vaccinating (if the supplier hasn't) as the loss of one lamb (and cost of disposal) would make quite a dent in the income and profit.  Keeping them wormed and giving them minerals will also help to ensure that all are fit and ready to go off end of summer. 

Personally I wouldn't plan on keeping any over winter unless you have to - they will just eat hay, might need housing and bedding, won't grow much if at all over winter so then will need either cake or will eat some of the following year's spring grass to finish, and won't be significantly bigger or fetch much more than they would have in autumn.

And your ground won't have had a rest and be in best condition for the next batch

[twizzel]

Dorsets can run to fat very easily, and nobody likes fatty lamb. We have a few Dorset x lambs each year and any heavier than 44kg and they go too fat. Through the summer we draw any that are feeling fit and over 36kg. So be aware of that.


Your prices for individual cuts of lamb seem expensive. Chops at £22.50 a kilo seems a lot of money. But if you can get that then that’s great 

[Zoe76]

Dorsets can run to fat very easily, and nobody likes fatty lamb. We have a few Dorset x lambs each year and any heavier than 44kg and they go too fat. Through the summer we draw any that are feeling fit and over 36kg. So be aware of that.


Your prices for individual cuts of lamb seem expensive. Chops at £22.50 a kilo seems a lot of money. But if you can get that then that’s great 

Thanks for the feedback. What does it mean to draw a lamb? Excuse my ignorance!

[twizzel]

To pick them out for slaughter. We weigh them fortnightly and then anything over 37kg gets felt on its back for fat cover. If it’s fit, it goes.

[shep53]

My question is if born oct time why would they not sell them fat as the first easter lamb for maybe £ 130 - £150 this year  .  Space ?? inclination ??   In the store ring they would make more than £50-70 this year.   As  said they are not the ideal breed for keeping as older lambs ,as they put condition on very easily

[Backinwellies]

My question is if born oct time why would they not sell them fat as the first easter lamb for maybe £ 130 - £150 this year  .  Space ?? inclination ??   In the store ring they would make more than £50-70 this year.   As  said they are not the ideal breed for keeping as older lambs ,as they put condition on very easily

I was thinking exactly the same .....  lambs born before xmas should be fit to go by April (or they are very poor in which case dont touch them)
 
Definitely dont keep for hogget  .... 

[sheeponthebrain]

My question is if born oct time why would they not sell them fat as the first easter lamb for maybe £ 130 - £150 this year  .  Space ?? inclination ??   In the store ring they would make more than £50-70 this year.   As  said they are not the ideal breed for keeping as older lambs ,as they put condition on very easily
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completely agree.  they're worth more than that store, unless they are real wee runts