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demand for "dog broke" sheep?


coyotecreek
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I had a buyer for my wethers from my early year lambing..but they are starting to act flakey..so I am investigating some other options. being there are only three, its not worth my time to drive to the sale 4 hours away. I am considering putting them back with the flock after their "wean time" is done..

 

my question is, since I work my flock with the dogs..what is the marketability of some dogbroke wethers that can evetually be eaten? Everyone I know wants ewes..as they want to breed..but Im wondering if Im just not tapping the wether market?

 

Regardless, I have no issue keeping them til they are of proper weight and eating them myself..but wondering if starting them being worked by the dogs may open up another potential set of buyers?

 

Thoughts please.

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I work my wethers till it's time to butcher or sell them.

I know lots of people that start out with sheep saying they aren't going to breed so they buy wethers. I don't know any of them that keep to that way of thinking. Keeping an unproductive sheep seems well, unproductive. If a new person with dogs asks me about what gender to buy, I recommend ewe lambs, without a ram. that way they can decide to change their minds and will have the right sheep.

 

Personally I work all my lambs till it's time to sell, butcher or decide to keep replacement ewes. Then off they go. That way nothing gets to dog sour or broke.

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Well, then I may keep the little buggers til they are old enough to butcher..I have folks who want to buy halves..but not live animals..the buyer still may come thru..but who knows.

 

I know when I was looking for sheep, I wanted EWES..so I could breed later on..while wethers are unproductive to an extent, these would have afew months and then they'd be eaten..

 

thanks for the thoughts

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BTW, I work my lambs from about 3 days old and have worked them younger just to move them from here to there. So they always end up dog broke at a young age. But if you're going to really train on them I do add an older sheep so they aren't as squirrelly

Just thought I'd throw that in in case you were going to just work your youngsters. Good for an older dog or one with training, but hard on a green youngster or hard on your lambs.

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they've been lightly worked..our of nesscity more then anything..but if I do put them back in with the general flock, they will get worked when I work the dogs..but good to know..I wouldnt work three young sheep by themselves..get one of my older ewes who has been worked to work with them

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I keep at least 2 wethers so I can work young dogs. My current ones are 9 years old and have seen everything (good and bad). I"m not sure of the market for wethers but certainly you can keep them to work andthan sell them for lamb or for ground meat or for beginners to start with. I've had no luck selling dog broke sheep...renting sheep is easier

 

cynthia

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