Well, these guys are at the butcher this morning, they are the rams that did not make the grade here. There were 2 others that went the way of the farmers market in December.
If you get any ewe lambs this year dont make the grade but will work in a cross program let me know I would love one to breed to my shetland. I soo would have shorn them first LOL I am kinda greedy like that.
I know, Dustin, its always tempting to shear first. But I'd feel really bad driving down the freeway in the winter with naked sheep in the back of the pickup. If we had a trailer to haul in, I'd probably do that, since they'd not be out in the wind. That one guy on the right side had a really yummy fleece, too.
Can anyone say "fiber wether?" I KNOW meat is one of the products from sheep, but to me, especially if you are breeding a dual-purpose breed, meat could be the last resort? But then too, there would have to be a market for wethers......sigh.
Mmmmm. And complicating matters is that a 100# wether is worth about $150-175 right now sold at auction. You'd be hardpressed to get someone to pay much more than $50-75 for a fleece wether. I'm actually losing money by selling the lamb meat this way right now, but I want to keep the customer base I have developed, and greatly prefer taking the lambs to the butcher rather than having them go through the process of the auction at the sale barn, then trucked hundreds of miles, and then through the processing plant. I have a much better control over their lives and death doing it my way.
A lovely group!
ReplyDeleteI'm in total agreement with Carol, a 'LOVELY GROUP'!!!
ReplyDeleteWell, these guys are at the butcher this morning, they are the rams that did not make the grade here. There were 2 others that went the way of the farmers market in December.
ReplyDeleteIf you get any ewe lambs this year dont make the grade but will work in a cross program let me know I would love one to breed to my shetland. I soo would have shorn them first LOL I am kinda greedy like that.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really cool photo
ReplyDeleteI know, Dustin, its always tempting to shear first. But I'd feel really bad driving down the freeway in the winter with naked sheep in the back of the pickup. If we had a trailer to haul in, I'd probably do that, since they'd not be out in the wind.
ReplyDeleteThat one guy on the right side had a really yummy fleece, too.
Can anyone say "fiber wether?" I KNOW meat is one of the products from sheep, but to me, especially if you are breeding a dual-purpose breed, meat could be the last resort? But then too, there would have to be a market for wethers......sigh.
ReplyDeleteMmmmm. And complicating matters is that a 100# wether is worth about $150-175 right now sold at auction. You'd be hardpressed to get someone to pay much more than $50-75 for a fleece wether. I'm actually losing money by selling the lamb meat this way right now, but I want to keep the customer base I have developed, and greatly prefer taking the lambs to the butcher rather than having them go through the process of the auction at the sale barn, then trucked hundreds of miles, and then through the processing plant. I have a much better control over their lives and death doing it my way.
ReplyDelete