Club Lamb Prices

[dstonestreet]

Is $200-$350 a decent price for club lambs? This is typically our price range and we have a few buyers who feels these prices are too high. Our lambs have won Grand & Reserve at our local fair and placed well at other fairs in our surrounding area. We make sure the lambs are vaccinated and wormed before they leave our farm. We clip the lambs and offer any help that we can. Our website and facebook page has our ram info. Please feel free to take a look at both our website and facebook page http://www.stonestreetclublambs.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/Stonestreet-Club-Lambs-223532481010046/ A few breeders have told us we are actually charging less than what we should be. Any intake on this matter would be great. Thanks.

[EmsoffLambs]

Ultimately, club lambs are only worth what someone is willing to pay for them.  Price is depended on quality, genetics, breeder reputation and market. Also keep in mind what sale barn prices are. Any 60# lamb is going to bring $130 at the sale barn. You are putting a lot more money and time into your show lambs, between genetics, show feed, shearing, having the buyers out to your farm, support after the sale, etc. That all has a dollar value.

Looking at the quality of your lambs, your prices seem on target, if not a little low. Your Black Velvet buck doesn't impress me but Dangerous Games looks like a move in the right direction for you. As far as pricing them... You just have to base it on demand. If some buyers are shying away, I wouldn't be concerned so long as you have others who are willing to pay what you're asking. If you don't have other buyers, then you have a decision to make. Honestly, it very well may be better for you to take those bottom end lambs to the sale rather than showing them as show lambs. For one, it's less head ache. Load up the trailer and drop them off and you're done with it. No scheduling with buyers to come out, no after the sale support. And even more importantly, your reputation is riding on every lamb you sell. Those bottom end lambs can hurt your reputation as a breeder. Every breeder has at least a few no good lambs each year. The smart ones don't try to sell those as show lambs. I have one in my pen right now. Full sibling to my best lamb last year but he's no good. I had someone call looking for an early, cheap lamb but I opted not to sell him. I don't want my name attached to a last place lamb.

And one more thought... For us, the online sales have really helped us tremendously. The local kids here won't pay more than $200-$400 for a show lamb and only a few will go to that upper end.  I can't pay my feed bill selling lambs for less than $300.  The online sales, being an auction format, really have helped me determine what my lambs are worth. If they are consistently averaging $600 in the online sales, then I can feel pretty confident that that's what they are truly worth based on quality. But I'll never get that for them selling them locally. So the second thing the online sales have done is expanded my market. I no longer have to rely on those buyers that will only pay $200. I have sent lambs into eight or nine different states in the last three years. I sell more lambs to other areas of the state than I sell locally. So that may be something to consider too.

[dstonestreet]

Thank you for the input. I appreciate it. We are trying to head in the right directions with our lambs. We have started to weed out as you say the no good lambs, because you are right a breeder doesn't want their name on those lambs.

We have been thinking of the idea of having an online sale, but wasn't sure how it would go since we are only known locally. Then again it would be a bigger audience.

Thank you again, you gave us a lot to think about.

[EmsoffLambs]

My recommendation with the online sale is to at least until you establish your reputation, don't try to have your own sale. Odds are your lambs aren't going to sell well that way. Instead, save your very best lambs and enter them into an "open" sale or try to put together a sale with a more established breeder or two. This is what I have done and it's worked well. One of our state's ag universities hosted and online sale every year and we got a few in that one. Some breeders in the northern portion of our state put on a sale and I asked to be that one. I was included in another sale that tried to assemble good lambs from across the country. And I consigned a couple ewe lambs one year in Willoughby's open benefit sale. In each of these sales I would consign between two and five lambs. Since there were several different breeders in each sale, it attracted more buyers than if I were the only one consigning.  This seems to have worked better or me than the sales I've seen that the less established breeders have put on of their own. Those sales seem to have a lot of no sales and low prices.

[EmsoffLambs]

Oh, and one more thing. You HAVE to get your good lambs to good feeders and this can be challenge. You have to get some wins, and more than just local, to be taken seriously to get good prices. I have sold good lambs for less than they are worth to get them to good feeders who can make them reach their potential. Those families are worth their weight in gold. Treat them right and they will repay you with wins and increased sales!

[dstonestreet]

Thank you again so much for all of the advice. I couldn't agree more with you on getting good lambs to good feeders. This has been somewhat of a problem for us, but we have learned it makes a big difference. Thank you again.

[shadowran]

Great advice from Ems as always, just a thought for you keep in the publics eye I have been raising sheep for 20 plus years and now since I haven't been in a auction for a few years I cant even get a call back from some of the people running them, don't be discouraged you will get there your sheep look good.

[dstonestreet]

Well we had our open barn this past Saturday and we sold all 28 lambs we were offering for sale. We received a lot of positive feedback about the lambs. We only had two buyers complain about the prices being too high (these two buyers were the buyers that my original post was about). If they would have decided not to buy lambs, we ended up having a wait list, so it seems our prices were fair after all. Thanks again for the advice.

[Don Drewry]

Very few sheep breeders are trying to make a lot of money doing this, and quite frankly a lot would be happy to break even.  But, given the demand for breeding stock you have to spend some money to get good stock to sell. No guarantees that you will get good lambs but it sure improves the odds. 

I have little patience for people that want to only pay feeder lamb price or even only a modest margin for a show lamb.  That's fine if you have a production class where only rate of gain is measured.  But as soon as you start trying for "the look" the prices go way up. When I raised Polypays, I could usually buy any ram in the country I wanted for $1,000.  Even, at that time, you'd buy about your 100th choice for a market style ram. The people that want to buy a competitive show lamb for $200 and less are effectively saying,

"We really like showing sheep but we aren't willing to pay what it costs to raise a decent show lamb.  Would you please subsidize my kids project.  I know I drive a nicer car than you do, and I know we have a fancier place, but I really am not willing to put another $100 or $200 into each of their lambs and you have so many sheep what's the difference to you if you lose a little on the ones you sell us."  If you try to sell freezer lambs very hard, you can easily find people willing to pay more for a good butcher lamb than some want to pay for show lambs.  (Actually happened several years ago at a sale I was at.  While I was at the sale watching several lambs not bring the floor then of $125, my wife sold a butcher lamb off the farm for $150.)

[sheepherder007]

A little math about show sheep
Three lambs under different levels of production and their costs based on 200% lamb crop raised which is on the high side of normal.
ENTRY LEVEL
1.    Ewe cost $500 X 10 lambs lifetime              $50
2.   Ram cost $2500 X 250 lambs lifetime          $10
3.   Feed cost for ewe with twins   $150/2         $75
4.   Vet ewe and lambs                                           $10       
5.   Lamb feed to 90 days                                        $50
6.   Land and pasture costs  $50/2 lambs             $25
7.   Utility and facility repair                                     $5
TOTAL                                                                         $225
UPPED MY GAME
1.   Ewe cost $1000 X 10 lambs lifetime                  $100
2.   Ram cost $7500 X 250 lambs lifetime                  $30
3.   Feed cost for ewe with twins   $150/2                 $75
4.   Vet ewe and lambs                                                   $10 
5.   Lamb feed to 90 days                                               $50
6.   Land and pasture costs  $50/2 lambs                    $25
7.   Utility and facility repair                                           $5
TOTAL                                                                           $315
WENT AI And RECIP
1.   Donor ewe $7500 X 100 lambs lifetime                   $75
2.   Semen                                                                             $200
3.   Vet services                                                                    $150
4.   Recip  $250 X 5 lambs lifetime                                     $50   
5.   Recip ewe feed total confinement                              $200
6.   Lamb feed to 90 days                                                      $50
7.   Utility and facility repair                                                 $10
TOTAL                                                                                  $735
Now I put him in an online  sale with $20 entry and 10% commission and a $10 picture and he sold for $500
I HAVENT CHARGED ANYTHING FOR MY TIME  TOTALLY   FREE LABOR
$395 cost for a $500 lamb and you want me to sell you one for HOW MUCH?

[Honey Tree]

Great post Rex!!  Thanks for putting raising lambs in real numbers!

[Bigiron59]

Living in an area , where a hr or 2 travel, will get you a look at hundreds if not thousands of competitive  lambs . Here , only the lamb that has the potential to win what ever County,  has any value over sale barn. I hauled some Cull ewes in yesterday.
And some lambs for a friend.  Good lambs that would compete, but likley not win. They brought 175 dollars at the sale yard for 75 pound lambs.Yet we have people still thinking 150 should by a winner.
I have been fortunate this year. Only have a hand full of ewe lambs left that may be for sale at right price.
 Rex is right, but customers don't care what it costs me to produce a lamb.
 We are hopeful our feeders have another good year.
We have new feeders again, and it likely means some miles  for me to "untrain" all the bad habits and " Internet expert" advice they seem to aquire. But a good result the first year, will likley result in repeat customers.
Even our " non competive" border County,  has had new families move in. They swept that county last year and kids are state fair eligible this year. Others will have to step up thier game, so a little work there , should open another market .
We all aspire to greatness.It's what drives us.
I did have that conversation with one customer this year.
 Good sheep are not cheap.
Cheap sheep are not good.
 I have to sell sheep for a premium,  if you expect me to get that next stud .

Lots of people are finding out raising a " good one" is a lot harder than buying "trendy ram" for lots of coin, and second tier ewes at best ( do you really think people are selling "keepers"?).
A lot of average ewes cross the sale blocks every year. Yes ,they are likley better that that buyer has at home. And Should help them improve . But  many of those lambs ,produced by those sheep, are going to be just as average as thier mom's.
 
Its always a fun game. Be taking in  few live sales over the weekend.
 And the market has definitely  gotten weaker , as the weather has warmed.
I have seen some very good sheep offered,  some I wished I would have went to look at, some I talked to people who had seen, a few I have bid on, and none I have  owned at the end of the sale.
They all brought way more that I was willing to invest in.
And a whole bunch that have no value to me.
But we all see sheep differently,  and why so many are trying to raise a few.
Sale season is always fun

[showmomma123]

I see both sides.  I have to be able to afford what we show.  It's hard to know that if we win Grand at a county show we won't even make back the cost of the lamb in premium.  However, we aren't in it make money, we are in it to make good kids.  Kids who are successful and are ready for life.  Win, lose, or draw.  I set a budget.  If a breeder is not in my budget, then he doesn't hear a negative comment.  I just start looking for a diamond in the rough.  We are good feeders and have a good showman.  We have been blessed to have a few breeders decide to invest in us and it has been a win/win for our family.  However, I have learned if the lambs are too pricey, then they most likely won't feed to the level it takes to be successful.  If I invest my money, then my family better invest some time.  I am not working for nothing and neither are they.

I know the breeders have to make a living if not a profit.  I don't be grudge anyone that.  It's okay to know I can't afford the top of the line.  As long as my family has a successful year, it's a good time.  We set small goals, and find success in those.

I also hate to see a family trying to feed 4 bad ones, instead of investing in one good one.  Sometimes you have to think this out.