The Lamb Pen
General Category => All Sheep and Lamb Discussion => : shadowran July 29, 2015, 06:45:17 PM
-
My question is how much would it cost to consign 5 lambs with hotel, fees, food travel, misc I think I am about 342 miles I wanted to figure how much each lamb should bring to break even or make money or even bring 10 lambs
-
You'll have to add it up. They have all the fees on the sale website (www.nuggetallamerican.com (http://www.nuggetallamerican.com)). I figured just for health certificates, entry fees and commission it costs me over $100/head to consign. Of course if your lambs sell for more you have more commission. The hotel is pretty cheap. I think we paid about $50/night for the one night we stayed this year.
-
The sale site says $30 entry fee per head and 12% commission. Plus you have to be a member of the California Suffolk & Hampshire Breeders Association, which is $25/year. All sheep must have a health certificate (our vet charges $30 for the certificate for any number of animals) and you have to submit scrapie/spider DNA, which means testing unless you know for certain that both sire and dam are RRNN.
Looking at this, I think my $100/head estimate is a bit low... And that's just the sale fees. Doesn't include fuel, hotel, food, bedding, etc. from the sale itself. I didn't consign this year. Figured after I took out the large cut that the sale costs, I could get more for them off the farm and/or selling online. I may try it again next year though, seeing how good these Maximus and ExGames lambs are turning out this year.
-
I need to take my animals to your vet Crystal! Our health fee is $80 per certificate.
-
Guess I won't complain then! After 14 years, we've finally got a vet that we're happy with. She's not super knowledgeable about sheep, but she's humble enough to admit what she doesn't know, willing to learn and try things. AND she gives me the meds I need, which our other vet was always reluctant to do.
-
No kidding Crystal! I want your vet. $140 for vet checks on three! Two ewe lambs and a yearling ram. And that didn't include the $20 for the Brucilliosis test on the ram. Definitely cuts down on the profit!!
-
We never "make money" on a live sale. Normally, I just hope that the lambs sell for enough to cover all the expenses. I look at those sales as advertisising, an oppurtuity to connect with some new buyers.