[ZaktheLad]

I am planning to move towards a pedigree flock of Hampshire Downs over the next 2 years and therefore I am planning to sell 5 of my current commercial type ewes.  I have never sold ewes in-lamb or with lambs at foot and wondered what the market preference is?  Having looked back at the market reports locally, in-lambs ewes were not in much demand but I though TAS sheep keepers might give me their views on what they would prefer to purchase if they were looking.

The ewes could be either sold in lamb to my pedigree HD ram or I could lamb then and sell with their lambs at foot.  I would be looking at selling privately in preference to the local market route. 

I could put these 5 girls in with the ram tomorrow if I thought they would sell in-lamb before Christmas (with a lambing date of end Feb 2014) but would not want to do this and then be left with them as I am planning to lamb my remaining ewes in early April. 

Any thoughts?  Thanks.

[twizzel]

I would say worth more with lambs at foot- the purchaser then doesn't have to lamb them and also the schmallenberg issue is overcome if the lambs are already on the ground.

[Foobar]

Worth more with lambs at foot, but I think there might be more demand for in-lamb ewes.  Maybe ask your local mart, they will be able to tell you what the best options are for your local area.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I wouldn't sell in lamb ewes through a mart as the weird things prices have been going some of them get sent for slaughter even tho in lamb :-((((((   which sickens the abbatoir workers and isn't right, At least IMO.



So if selling /buying in lamb I would only do it direct. At foot could sell either way.

[zarzar]

We ourselves like to buy inlamb ewes over ones at foot but is just generall preference also you have to remember ewes where selling cheaper last year due to Smallenburg as farmers didnt want the risk of the ewe producing lambs with it.

[Hillview Farm]

You could try and sell them in lamb, if you get silly offers then keep them and lamb them, Sell them with lambs at foot. The market down here in the south was much better with lambs at foot due to the disease.

[Azzdodd]

If you sell local I would say In lamb if there prove mothers you should get good money. I' myself am wary of buying in lamb cause you never know what there In lamb to I had a friend buy 3 zwarble ewes supposed to be in lamb to a zwarble come out white and very blue faced looking

[GlebeFieldFarm]

I might be interested in these in lamb as I'm lambing february anyway. What cross are they?

[ZaktheLad]

There's a Charollais x Ryeland, 3 Texel x Charollais (all white faced) and a Suffolk x Charollais (brown faced).  2 x shearlings, 1 x 3 years, 1 x 4 year and 1 x full mouth.  All will be tupped by a pedigree Hampshire Down.   They are all homebred and one of the shearlings is daughter of the 4 year old ewe. 

Definitely will not be selling through the markets as would be worried about their ultimate destination.  Sending an in-lamb ewe to slaughter is disgraceful. 

[GlebeFieldFarm]

I definately would be interested in the Charollais x texels and suffolk x charollais. Pm in prices if you decide to sell them in lamb. 

[SteveHants]

It'll be interesting to see what in-lamb ewes fetch this year. Shmallenburg has kept the prices down the past couple of years, but confidence might be returning for later tupped ones...