Ridgetop
Herd Master
How old are the ewes? Are they going to be bred this year?
Margali's Griffin Wood Ranch
- Thread starter Margali
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #952
Margali
Herd Master
I did not get fecals tonight. My head gate and chute setup needs bracing. It was too wide and flimsy. I will build braces tomorrow and get them done Thursday evening?
@Ridgetop They are 11 and 12 months old. I will be breeding them this year aiming for January lambs. I should be picking up my ram this weekend. Snickers is a 5yr old, mellow ram trained to electric fence.
He is a HSC Covington ram which is one of THE breeders in Texas.
@Ridgetop They are 11 and 12 months old. I will be breeding them this year aiming for January lambs. I should be picking up my ram this weekend. Snickers is a 5yr old, mellow ram trained to electric fence.
He is a HSC Covington ram which is one of THE breeders in Texas.
Baymule
Herd Master
He sure is a handsome ram! Congratulations!
Ridgetop
Herd Master
I am familiar with Covington. He is also working on parasite resistance. That is a nice ram - good length of body.
If you want to sell the ram lambs at the auction, I suggest you expose in May for October lambs. They will be weaning/selling age in February. Easter 2024 is March 31 and the prices tend to drop several weeks before Easter. Your best selling month would be February, unless you plan to hold them until they are 5-6 months old. Not sure what your market is or how much grazing you have. Since we are a dry lot situation here I like to pull the ram lambs off the ewes around 12 weeks and take them straight to auction. They are usually around 50-70 lbs. depending on whether they are twins, singles, etc. I don't creep feed any grain and like them off the ewes and off my feed bill asap.
If you want to sell the ram lambs at the auction, I suggest you expose in May for October lambs. They will be weaning/selling age in February. Easter 2024 is March 31 and the prices tend to drop several weeks before Easter. Your best selling month would be February, unless you plan to hold them until they are 5-6 months old. Not sure what your market is or how much grazing you have. Since we are a dry lot situation here I like to pull the ram lambs off the ewes around 12 weeks and take them straight to auction. They are usually around 50-70 lbs. depending on whether they are twins, singles, etc. I don't creep feed any grain and like them off the ewes and off my feed bill asap.
farmerjan
Herd Master
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
- Messages
- 11,494
- Reaction score
- 45,323
- Points
- 758
- Location
- Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Baymule
Herd Master
We have already discussed that! LOL
- Thread starter
- #957
Margali
Herd Master
The auction here sucks on pricing. My commercial lambs I listed online as availble at 3weeks old in January and February. All 3 were sold with deposits in hand within 2 weeks. No one else in area had lambs on the ground yet. Cute pictures sell!
One of the buyers has already requested ewe lamb out my new ewes. I guess I need a mailing list for potential repeat buyers.
farmerjan
Herd Master
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
- Messages
- 11,494
- Reaction score
- 45,323
- Points
- 758
- Location
- Shenandoah Valley Virginia
The auction here sucks on pricing. My commercial lambs I listed online as availble at 3weeks old in January and February. All 3 were sold with deposits in hand within 2 weeks. No one else in area had lambs on the ground yet. Cute pictures sell!
One of the buyers has already requested ewe lamb out my new ewes. I guess I need a mailing list for potential repeat buyers.
Baymule
Herd Master
Figure out how many sheep you can handle. You may have to sell more lambs than you really want to, but keep the best 1or 2. Use the sales money to buy wire or feed or barn improvements. Your lamb sales may have to support your sheep habit for awhile. LOL
I’m having growing pains. 8 ewes are with Cooper. 2 ewes are heavy bred, due in a couple of weeks. The 3 ewes I finally got papers on should be bred to Ringo, let me take that back, they ARE bred, a bunch of times! The Old Man was having his last fling! I’ve got my fingers crossed that they are pregnant. 3 of the Texas Five are ready to breed and will go see Cooper in April. But I got no lambs to sell! And then I want to keep them all……. I need lambs that I don’t like, so I’ll sell them, get the money and buy more fence wire, feed, hay…….. it never ends. Oh, I forgot, buying 2 registered ewe lambs the end of April…..When they are old enough to breed and have lambs, ya’ think I’ll sell their lambs? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
I’m having growing pains. 8 ewes are with Cooper. 2 ewes are heavy bred, due in a couple of weeks. The 3 ewes I finally got papers on should be bred to Ringo, let me take that back, they ARE bred, a bunch of times! The Old Man was having his last fling! I’ve got my fingers crossed that they are pregnant. 3 of the Texas Five are ready to breed and will go see Cooper in April. But I got no lambs to sell! And then I want to keep them all……. I need lambs that I don’t like, so I’ll sell them, get the money and buy more fence wire, feed, hay…….. it never ends. Oh, I forgot, buying 2 registered ewe lambs the end of April…..When they are old enough to breed and have lambs, ya’ think I’ll sell their lambs? NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Mini Horses
Herd Master
Yeah, I have similar issues....need to sell but some are JUST keepers 
At least for a while. Start ups are difficult. Spent a lot to get here... But I work to pay for it -- so there ya go.
At least for a while. Start ups are difficult. Spent a lot to get here... But I work to pay for it -- so there ya go.
