[Coximus]

As it says - I was thinking of going along to the next two with a view to selling off some of my Hebrideans, and maybe buying a ew new bloods - Im down scaling the rare breeds as my commercial perpetration expands, and I;ve improved alot of my ground, so have less poor ground suitable for them;

I've been told horror stories of lots of ewes going for 15-20 every time (great if im buying),. but hardly worth going unless I really need to dispose of some. I appreciate a Heb does not have more than £30 of saleable meat on it so the fat price is always poor, but I also have the option of selling 2-3 at a time as meat so I'm in no rush or pressure to sell/
Would be selling 15 4 shear, 10 shearlings and 25 3 shear.

[Deere]

Hi,

Ive kept one eye on this post for a week or so now, hoping someone with more knowledge of the rare breed/native sale demand at York would post, unfortunately not!

I have four Soay 2017 ewe lambs and three boys (all non pedigree but pure) that I was considering taking up to the market but don't want to give them away or have to bring them home as Id like to purchase some other breeds.

To be honest that's exactly what selling at market is about, taking the risk.
You could put a reserve on them (then you have to think about transporting them home along with any purchases!), or only take a few and if they do sell well talk to the buyer or bidders afterwards? (not officially what the market would approve of but?).

Always a big problem, but its one everyone with these type of breeds has to overcome.

[harmony]

At the recent Rare Breed Sale at Kendal the prices were as low as I have seen for a while across the board not just primitives. Commercial breeding sheep prices are not too great at the moment either.


It is a buyers market at present. If you are staring out with sheep you could pick up a good flock for little money but if you are selling I think you will be disappointed.

[Fleecewife]

If you are selling at a rare breeds sale, then the stock you offer needs to be registered and top-notch to get good prices. You will be competing with top breeders.  If you are dumping off second rate stock, then they will be bought by the butcher for rock bottom prices.

[landroverroy]

I have bought and sold at York rare breeds since the first sale. As inferred, you will not get a brilliant price, on the whole, for sheep or cattle unless they are top quality and registered.
There are of course exceptions, and some of the poultry fetch ridiculous prices for poor birds (lice, scaly leg, diarrhea etc) because some of the buyers just see something that's pretty and don't know any better.


However the sheep and cattle buyers tend to be more discerning and know what they are looking for. (Usually a bargain!)
To maximise the price you get you need to present your animals to the best of your ability and stand by the pens when prospective purchasers come round so you can tell them the good points - ie they're tame, reared twins last year, off a famous sire, or whatever. Also, be prepared to go in the ring with them when they're sold - if you can't be bothered to stand by your animals when they're sold then why should anyone be encouraged to pay a decent price for them?


Yes you do get runs of ewes going for £15 -£20 each. Normally when someone has flooded the market with a batch of mediocre looking animals with no useful information accompanying them, and no vendor in sight either. Would you pay anything over the odds for such as these?


So you're planning to put 50 ewes in then Coximus. I would actually count that as flooding the market! I would actually pick out my best 6 and go to town on them - make them look as good as you can, put an amazing description in the catalogue and hope for the best. If you get a good price then it was worth it! (Or maybe not, depending on how you cost your time!)
If you don't then at least you haven't wasted your time bringing the other 44 in. 

[Big Light]

There was a big female dispersal of hebs at york last year and the females held their prices to what they were worth - obviously older sheep are generally worth less if they are thr same standard

[landroverroy]

Depends what you think they're worth!    There's quite a big difference in valuation depending on whether you're buying or selling.

[Coximus]

I will probably be going as a buyer now - 18 have already been eaten and the rest will be tupped to a Easycare.

[Marches Farmer]

So you're planning to put 50 ewes in then Coximus. I would actually count that as flooding the market! I would actually pick out my best 6 and go to town on them - make them look as good as you can, put an amazing description in the catalogue and hope for the best. If you get a good price then it was worth it! (Or maybe not, depending on how you cost your time!)
If you don't then at least you haven't wasted your time bringing the other 44 in.

I've found the rare breed sales generally a bit too far away from us to be worth the bother but I've taken good quality, registered Southdown ewe lambs and registered GOS gilts to Cirencester on a couple of occasions and got a good price.  I'd guess most buyers are there to get fresh breeding stock.