I don't normally sell sheep. We keep the ewes as replacements, and we castrate the rams and butcher them at a year. However, this little guy is just too cute. I can't really use him myself since he is third generation Antiquity Oaks, which means he is related to two of my rams, which means he is a half brother, cousin, nephew, or uncle to most of my ewes. (I started with only three ewes. The rest were all born here.) But I have no idea how to go about selling sheep. I know it took several years for my goat sales to take off, so what are the odds that I could sell this little guy? especially in this economy?
Monday, May 25, 2009
To sell or to eat?
I don't normally sell sheep. We keep the ewes as replacements, and we castrate the rams and butcher them at a year. However, this little guy is just too cute. I can't really use him myself since he is third generation Antiquity Oaks, which means he is related to two of my rams, which means he is a half brother, cousin, nephew, or uncle to most of my ewes. (I started with only three ewes. The rest were all born here.) But I have no idea how to go about selling sheep. I know it took several years for my goat sales to take off, so what are the odds that I could sell this little guy? especially in this economy?
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14 comments:
He is a beauty, Deborah. You've taken a good first step by highlighting him here. You might also try advertising him on the Shetland Yahoo Group as well as the Spotted Shetland List. If you can't sell him as a breeding ram, perhaps someone might be interested in a gorgeous whether for their fiber flock.
Good Luck!
I've got about TEN I'm facing the same question with....
:-(
Hi Deb,
If he's breeding quality, you might be able to. People still like spots, plus he's brown based. Two recessives. He is an attractive little fellow.
Wait and see if his testes drop and his bite stays even, and if conformation-wise you feel he has something worth passing on. Not so different than evaluating bucklings, I suppose.
He is adorable! I've seen so many gorgeous lambs on the farm blogs I follow that I faced a decision when I met a friend for dinner at a Lebanese restaurant yesterday - I had to pass up the lamb dishes! Just couldn't eat the little guys. I hope you can sell him to someone who will breed him.
Nancy in Atlanta
Nancy in Atlanta
He is a very attractive spotted brown-based ram lamb, and I personally LOOOOOOVE fleckets. I would like to see pictures of tail, hind legs, side view, horns, et cetera when he gets a little older. A fleece sample would be nice, or a fleece analysis ($1.25 from Texas A&M.) Also would be willing to trade you my current Nigie buckling, whose mother is a "permanent" (terminology?) champion as well as a 3*D and who was a *S himself at birth. If you might be interested, email me at arrountree@yahoo.com
Good luck with your decision Deborah. I don't think you'll have any trouble selling him - especially if you do a few more posts on him! Sounds like there's some interest out here. I was looking to see where you live, and we don't have shetlands (and goodness knows, we have an abundance of little rams this year!) He is very adorable.
If you were just closer :(...he would be perfect as a pet wether lamb for my spinners flock!
He is so cute. I know nothing about anything animal, but I do know cute. ;)
I have to agrre he is particuarly cute good luck with finding him a good home.
He is so cute!!! I would try craigslist. There are many nice folks on it that could maybe help find him a new home where he'd be spoiled rotten.
He is SOOOO adorable! I grew up on a farm and we raised horses, cows and pygmie goats.
what a cutie! I love the color and markings (I'm not familiar with terminology, but I know cute too)!
he is adorable!!
is he still available?how much?
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