Selling or Keeping your lambs?
Deciding whether to keep or sell your lambs is a significant decision in sheep farming, with both options having advantages and considerations based on your farming goals, resources, and market conditions.
The main consideration is the breed, looking at if the animal is of the breed or crossbreed that is desired on the farm.
Selling
Selling lambs is the better idea when they are not of a breed or a crossbreed that the farmer would be able to breed from.
Advantages of selling these lambs are:
- Immediate Cash Flow: Selling lambs generates immediate income, which can be reinvested in the farm or used to cover operating costs.
- Reduced Resource Strain: Selling reduces the demand on pasture, feed, and labour, allowing you to maintain a more sustainable flock size.
- Market Timing: Selling lambs when they reach market weight and prices are favourable can maximise profit without the need for long-term management.
Keeping
Keeping lambs is a great option to use as replacements for when the non-productive ewes are culled from the flock. These lambs are already owned by the farmers, and the farmer will know the full history of these lambs.
Advantages of keeping these lambs are:
- Flock Improvement: Keeping lambs allows you to select the best animals to improve flock genetics, productivity, and overall quality.
- Future Breeding: Retaining lambs ensures a steady supply of replacements for ageing ewes or those culled from the flock.
- Higher Future Value: If market conditions improve, lambs kept for a longer period can be sold later at a higher price, especially if they’ve grown and fattened and therefore it may be a benefit to keep lambs for longer and sell at the correct time.