I am from a dairy farm background where livestock was basically moved on and off farm via livestock dealer. On my sheep farm I do the same, but as I make the transition to full-time sheep farming (as opposed to logging/sheep farming which is what I do now), I have been wondering if I could not bring my own lambs to market.
Now I am not stupid, I know when you eliminate the middleman you make more money, but you must also do his work; work that is underappreciated. But lambs are small, and broken down over a 4 month sell period, it would not take much of a trailer to make the weekly trip to Flames in MA where my livestock dealer takes my sheep now. I would have the time and it might increase profitability even taken out the cost of traveling.
But I have never been to a livestock auction. Excuse my ignorance on this, but is it something I could conceivable do? That is bring a trailer load of lambs down and sell them myself? Flames is a direct-to-slaughter facility. I am not thinking I will get rich by any means, I just mean make a wee bit more per sheep. Right now when the livestock dealer sells me sheep they are always worth top dollar because the market is robust, but when I sell them...no matter when it is, there is always an excuse as to why they are not paying anything for them. He also claims he loses money with every sheep I sell, but he always shows up at the farm an hour after I call. Funny how he is always eager to lose money.
I have NOTHING against people making money, we all need to eat, but whether it is lamb, logs or gravel, it seems I am always on the low end of the deal.
Being the Middle Man
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