Lambs for Factory

Surfn

what live weight does lambs going to the factory need to be.
also how do you book them in, from monaghan here

IH784man

Factory's paying to 21kg deadweight,lambs roughly kill at 50% so that's 42kg liveweight,unless they are really solid well made lambs I usually send mine at around 45kg to be on the safe side.
Chat to local farmers in your area to find agents that haul lambs to the factory's

Surfn

IH784man wrote: »

Factory's paying to 21kg deadweight,lambs roughly kill at 50% so that's 42kg liveweight,unless they are really solid well made lambs I usually send mine at around 45kg to be on the safe side.
Chat to local farmers in your area to find agents that haul lambs to the factory's

do all factory's pay to 21kg deadweight

IH784man

Surfn wrote: »

do all factory's pay to 21kg deadweight

It can change around it can go to 22kg sometimes

razor8

Been a bit optimistic to expect every lamb to kill out 50%

This time of year can be anything between 45 to 50 and can be back further as year progresses

adam14

It's better to send them at lower weights at this time of year. Given the good prices it will not pay you to keep them. Draft at 40-42 kg. Well conformed lambs even less.

Lambman

You'd want ram lambs 44kg and ewe lambs 43kg till be sure a getting paid till 21kg dead... only 15% off lambs away here at 14 weeks on grass only. Bulk not far away everything over 37kg.

IH784man

razor8 wrote: »

Been a bit optimistic to expect every lamb to kill out 50%

This time of year can be anything between 45 to 50 and can be back further as year progresses

Not really at this time of year with lambs straight of the ewe,different around the backend with stores

razor8

You get some 50% but you won't get all unless your weighing your lambs in the morning and very empty

stantheman1979

Always get around 50% this time of year especially the Charolais!! They're light boned so kill out well

Farmer_3650

stantheman1979 wrote: »

Always get around 50% this time of year especially the Charolais!! They're light boned so kill out well

+1 Charolais are seriously lean lambs and are far better than texel imo.

Surfn

do you have to be bord bia approved to send lambs to the factory

orm0nd

Surfn wrote: »

do you have to be bord bia approved to send lambs to the factory

no

but you get a bonus if you are approved usually 5-10 c/kg

Farmer_3650

orm0nd wrote: »

no

but you get a bonus if you are approved usually 5-10 c/kg

What's involved in getting quality assured? It's something I've often meant to look in to.

ganmo

Mostly paper work

Lambman

Not worth the hassle unless it sending big numbers.. tis a joke anyway coz I can buy lambs from a farm not quality assured and factory them the next day as quality assured.

razor8

Lambman wrote: »

Not worth the hassle unless it sending big numbers.. tis a joke anyway coz I can buy lambs from a farm not quality assured and factory them the next day as quality assured.

If you are you shouldn't be

Lambman

Any1 can after 30 days tho in ur herd just checked

ganmo

Lambman wrote: »

Any1 can after 30 days tho in ur herd just checked

I thought it was 42 days

razor8

Lambman wrote: »

Any1 can after 30 days tho in ur herd just checked

You said next day

sea12

Surfn wrote: »

do you have to be bord bia approved to send lambs to the factory

No but you will normally only get the quote price.

Bleating Lamb

Will be selling best of ram lambs in Mart in next week or so,good long Suffolk x stores off Cheviot and mountain x ewes mainly.They would be well started but not fed enough to kill,maybe an odd one fit.....as matter of interest given current factory quotes what would 45 kg Suffolk x Lamb killout at in euros roughly?....not sure if I should 'separate ' best few lambs from the rest.

Thanks for any replies. .

adam14

Bleating Lamb wrote:

Will be selling best of ram lambs in Mart in next week or so,good long Suffolk x stores off Cheviot and mountain x ewes mainly.They would be well started but not fed enough to kill,maybe an odd one fit.....as matter of interest given current factory quotes what would 45 kg Suffolk x Lamb killout at in euros roughly?....not sure if I should 'separate ' best few lambs from the rest.

They would kill out at about 21kg and say the price is about 5.40 so if they are well fleshed that's about €113.

Agri123

I recently sent 6 lambs to the factory on Monday on Thursday I received my check in the post only to find that they hadn't paid me at all for on of the lambs his tag number was on the page with a weight of less than 2kg after it . I rang my agent who said he'd find out what had happened he assured me once the lamb walked off the trailer and was fit to be killed I should be paid for it he then contacted the factory and rang me back he said that the factory had killed the lamb but said the carcass was unfit as there was evidence that the lamb had joint ill at some stage ( which I was never aware of and am a bit sceptical about) I asked why I hadn't been issued with any certificate or letter to state this and he said I should have been and if not the factory should pay me for my lamb I tried to contact the factory twice since but the personnel who deal with this I was told were busy and would ring me back which they never did either time. I rang my agent again and he has changed his tune in that he doesn't think I will be entitled to anything and I should have been sent the cert straight away this has been going on now for the past few weeks and others that I have spoken to have said that one the lamb made the factory line I should be paid but they have never had a lamb skipped by the factory I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this before

tomwaterford

Have heard of very thin old ewes being condemned before and no payment

rangler1

Agri123 wrote: »

I recently sent 6 lambs to the factory on Monday on Thursday I received my check in the post only to find that they hadn't paid me at all for on of the lambs his tag number was on the page with a weight of less than 2kg after it . I rang my agent who said he'd find out what had happened he assured me once the lamb walked off the trailer and was fit to be killed I should be paid for it he then contacted the factory and rang me back he said that the factory had killed the lamb but said the carcass was unfit as there was evidence that the lamb had joint ill at some stage ( which I was never aware of and am a bit sceptical about) I asked why I hadn't been issued with any certificate or letter to state this and he said I should have been and if not the factory should pay me for my lamb I tried to contact the factory twice since but the personnel who deal with this I was told were busy and would ring me back which they never did either time. I rang my agent again and he has changed his tune in that he doesn't think I will be entitled to anything and I should have been sent the cert straight away this has been going on now for the past few weeks and others that I have spoken to have said that one the lamb made the factory line I should be paid but they have never had a lamb skipped by the factory I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this before

Walking off the trailer is no guarantee of payment, but you should get a vets cert as to what was wrong

Agri123

rangler1 wrote: »

Walking off the trailer is no guarantee of payment, but you should get a vets cert as to what was wrong

This is the second time that this has happened last time I never queried it as it was a hogget who wasn't thriving but this was a February lamb who I had weighed at 46 kg live weight and other farmers have said that the factories have insurance to cover this I was outraged that they won't talk with me directly when I ring and that I haven't got a cert despite them saying one would be sent out over two -three weeks ago I just wanted to know what can I do as I haven't met anyone who has had the same issue and what steps can I take I feel like I'm being fobbed off because I am a small time farmer and only keep a few sheep

Agri123

tomwaterford wrote: »

Have heard of very thin old ewes being condemned before and no payment

Have those farmers got a cert or letter to say why they didn't get paid as I never got any information just a tag number with a few kg after it and € 0:00 I had to get my agent to ring them to ask why I hadn't got paid and he found out that they "skipped" the lamb but if I ring the factory they say the man who deals with it is busy and he will ring me back but he doesn't and when I ring back the next day they tell me he is busy and he will call me back again!

tomwaterford

Agri123 wrote: »

Have those farmers got a cert or letter to say why they didn't get paid as I never got any information just a tag number with a few kg after it and € 0:00 I had to get my agent to ring them to ask why I hadn't got paid and he found out that they "skipped" the lamb but if I ring the factory they say the man who deals with it is busy and he will ring me back but he doesn't and when I ring back the next day they tell me he is busy and he will call me back again!

Honestly I dunno if those farmers got paid,was a lad I known worked in factory told me of it happening

Though I did know others who got docked a certain amount for bruised meat etc from rough ould dogs biting lambs too harshly etc



A 46 kilo lamb is not to sniffed at and it smacks of unprofessionalism it's not sorted yet

What factory was this at? (If it's ok to name,idk)

rangler1

Agri123 wrote: »

Have those farmers got a cert or letter to say why they didn't get paid as I never got any information just a tag number with a few kg after it and € 0:00 I had to get my agent to ring them to ask why I hadn't got paid and he found out that they "skipped" the lamb but if I ring the factory they say the man who deals with it is busy and he will ring me back but he doesn't and when I ring back the next day they tell me he is busy and he will call me back again!

I got a cert lately claiming a smell and she didn't bleed, at least when you get a cert you're as sure as you can be that she's not in someones deep freeze

Willfarman

Joint ill should condemn a entire lamb unless it was a chronic thin yoke. Just the affected joint.

Agri123

was in Kildare chilling like I said i haven't a clue what to do or where to go from here and I've a feeling that if I send any more lambs there something similar may happen as they're getting away with it

Willfarman

Greysides might be able to advise this man! Huuu hummmmm

tomwaterford

Agri123 wrote: »

was in Kildare chilling like I said i haven't a clue what to do or where to go from here and I've a feeling that if I send any more lambs there something similar may happen as they're getting away with it

I have sent lambs before to Kildare chilling,but never had such an issue your having if I'm honest

But I did find you'd always have a lamb would kill a good bit under the rest,despite being relatively matched,...all would kill out at the 21-22kg weight....but there's always one despite being roughly same would be like 16kg or something

I just assumed they got hurt etc,on way to factory and had a bit condemned (do they need to provide vet note for partial condemned??)

Willfarman

tomwaterford wrote: »

I have sent lambs before to Kildare chilling,but never had such an issue your having if I'm honest

But I did find you'd always have a lamb would kill a good bit under the rest,despite being relatively matched,...all would kill out at the 21-22kg weight....but there's always one despite being roughly same would be like 16kg or something

I just assumed they got hurt etc,on way to factory and had a bit condemned (do they need to provide vet note for partial condemned??)

Yes they do.

ganmo

The only time I remember getting a leg condemned we kinda knew it was gonna happen. Never got a cert mainly because we ate her but was told it kinda looked like arthritis

tomwaterford

Willfarman wrote: »

Yes they do.

Something il keep an eye for next time at Kildare chilling

farawaygrass

If you are a member of the IFA then contact your local office. They should be a good help

Willfarman

farawaygrass wrote: »

If you are a member of the IFA then contact your local office. They should be a good help

You can ring the samaritans for free!

Agri123

I'm just wondering in terms of making a complaint about a factory who can farmers turn to. Does the Ombudsman deal with this or is there another organisation. Ie. not a big complaint about conduct but when you dont get paid for a lamb and the factory wont give a cert, speak on the phone etc..

rangler1

Agri123 wrote: »

I'm just wondering in terms of making a complaint about a factory who can farmers turn to. Does the Ombudsman deal with this or is there another organisation. Ie. not a big complaint about conduct but when you dont get paid for a lamb and the factory wont give a cert, speak on the phone etc..

Despite Wills sad comment, IFA do deal with problems in factories, I've been involved in sorting a few myself and I tell you very few farmers even bother to lift a phone after in thanks so all the sh.. isn't on IFAs side.
TBF what we'd be dealing with would be more serious than a missing lamb but you should get a vets report.

ganmo

small claims might be the way to go

kk.man

farawaygrass wrote: »

If you are a member of the IFA then contact your local office. They should be a good help

I got no soot from the IF A last spring over 'dirty' hoggetts. I even rang a member of the committee. Thus my relationship with them is terminated.

rangler1

kk.man wrote: »

I got no soot from the IF A last spring over 'dirty' hoggetts. I even rang a member of the committee. Thus my relationship with them is terminated.

Where were you for the last fortnight or even six mths, my lambs were held back for being dirty last week, apparently if they're dirty they can't be killed, I thought that Greysides explained it fairly well.
Mine got dirty after leaving the yard so I'll leave it at that, I even cancelled my order for three of them to be cut up for freezer, so I wouldn't even take them myself.
I can't see what you expected anyone to do, if they're dirty, they're dirty and the implications are going to get worse with the new rules, apparently New zealand lamb has a longer shelf life because it's slaughtered cleaner so our's have to be the same.
You would've had the clean lamb rules last spring but for IFA slowing it up so you probably got off lighter than you will next spring

farawaygrass

How can you avoid some lambs going dirty though? Especially the last while with the weather and soft grass. Would crutching them do, and if so at what age?

kk.man

rangler1 wrote: »

Where were you for the last fortnight or even six mths, my lambs were held back for being dirty last week, apparently if they're dirty they can't be killed, I thought that Greysides explained it fairly well.
Mine got dirty after leaving the yard so I'll leave it at that, I even cancelled my order for three of them to be cut up for freezer, so I wouldn't even take them myself.
I can't see what you expected anyone to do, if they're dirty, they're dirty and the implications are going to get worse with the new rules, apparently New zealand lamb has a longer shelf life because it's slaughtered cleaner so our's have to be the same.
You would've had the clean lamb rules last spring but for IFA slowing it up so you probably got off lighter than you will next spring

I had the agent and the hauliier load them with me...what more proof does anyone need that it wasn't me who got them 'dirty'.

Anyway I'm just not going to mention it again...im just playing tennis in the smallest court in the world...my head!

rangler1

farawaygrass wrote: »

How can you avoid some lambs going dirty though? Especially the last while with the weather and soft grass. Would crutching them do, and if so at what age?

,

I crutched about 100 yesterday and I'd say I'll have to do the same again on monday in another bunch. I've never seen sheep as dirty, even the breeding ewes that were shorn in july are dirty.
I'm fortunate to have a shears from my contract shearing days. I tried a few factory lambs with the dagging shears before this bad weather came and I was glad to resurrect the electric shears.
I'd say the best ttme to do them is in the last few weeks before they are slaughtered,