One Pound

[jodywy]

One Pound, Years ago this time of year I got a call from a cattle trader. His dad had died earlier that summer, but had made a deal for 3 semi loads of lambs. He asked if he could buy my lambs. I asked the price, I told him I could get 15 cents more going to Riverton. He offered me a dime more , and not to tell anyone. Well shipping day came I loaded up the truck drove over to his yards, truck and semis along the road on both sides. I got in line for the loading chutes, and the buyer sticks his head in the window and says," I can't give you that dime if they weigh over 100lbs. I said "well I here might as well unload" . Walked back to the scale house as my lambs filled it full. The weight came up the calculator buttons push, again and again....My lambs averaged 99lbs. That pound less made me little over $10/head. I offered to pay brand inspection, He said he would get it. He didn't know brand inspection and increased and Predatory fee had doubled(to a $1/head). Brand inspector said he was glad he was in his pickup when he handed him the bill,

 

[Puzzled]

One Pound, Years ago this time of year I got a call from a cattle trader. His dad had died earlier that summer, but had made a deal for 3 semi loads of lambs. He asked if he could buy my lambs. I asked the price, I told him I could get 15 cents more going to Riverton. He offered me a dime more , and not to tell anyone. Well shipping day came I loaded up the truck drove over to his yards, truck and semis along the road on both sides. I got in line for the loading chutes, and the buyer sticks his head in the window and says," I can't give you that dime if they weigh over 100lbs. I said "well I here might as well unload" . Walked back to the scale house as my lambs filled it full. The weight came up the calculator buttons push, again and again....My lambs averaged 99lbs. That pound less made me little over $10/head. I offered to pay brand inspection, He said he would get it. He didn't know brand inspection and increased and Predatory fee had doubled(to a $1/head). Brand inspector said he was glad he was in his pickup when he handed him the bill,

Your timing could not have been anymore perfect. Have heard of an operation that was leaving their lambs tails about four to six inches longer than normal when they docked to get some additional weight. Not sure how much weight that would be on the lamb. But they ran 3-4 thousand head so I suppose it could add up.
My guess is the seller might have pulled it off once before the buyer "docked" him.

 

[jodywy]

Your timing could not have been anymore perfect. Have heard of an operation that was leaving their lambs tails about four to six inches longer than normal when they docked to get some additional weight. Not sure how much weight that would be on the lamb. But they ran 3-4 thousand head so I suppose it could add up.
My guess is the seller might have pulled it off once before the buyer "docked" him.

seems most big range flocks the weathers tails are a couple inches longer dock then the ewes, from what i seen, but still not long.... yeah this cattle buyer only thing I ever sold to him was killer horses back in the day, but then he was the closest horse buyer around. Got lambs sorted this morning just waiting for the Brand inspector , called her said we were done way early. Going to Newell SD, 5000-6000 lambs tomorrow. Oh they will even prorate them for you pulling the few Heaveys and lights and matching them with pens of like lambs, They bring in pens of one owner to 5-6 owners. Buyers are not cutting one off here or there. Good sale lot of buyers.

 

[Puzzled]

That is a good amount of lambs to sell. I had not thought about sheep requiring Brand Inspection.

My Grandfather was a Livestock Inspector in Wyoming, maybe around the Rawlins area. Not sure
what all his job entailed. That was like a hundred year ago :unsure:

 

[Puzzled]

seems most big range flocks the weathers tails are a couple inches longer dock then the ewes, from what i seen, but still not long.... yeah this cattle buyer only thing I ever sold to him was killer horses back in the day, but then he was the closest horse buyer around. Got lambs sorted this morning just waiting for the Brand inspector , called her said we were done way early. Going to Newell SD, 5000-6000 lambs tomorrow. Oh they will even prorate them for you pulling the few Heaveys and lights and matching them with pens of like lambs, They bring in pens of one owner to 5-6 owners. Buyers are not cutting one off here or there. Good sale lot of buyers.

When they sell groups of mixed ownership, how do they track all of that?

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

When they sell groups of mixed ownership, how do they track all of that?

They weigh them into the pen so they know how much weight each producers get paid for.
My Dad was one of the first tp presort multi owner groups of calves at auctions in the area.

 

[Faster horses]

One Pound, Years ago this time of year I got a call from a cattle trader. His dad had died earlier that summer, but had made a deal for 3 semi loads of lambs. He asked if he could buy my lambs. I asked the price, I told him I could get 15 cents more going to Riverton. He offered me a dime more , and not to tell anyone. Well shipping day came I loaded up the truck drove over to his yards, truck and semis along the road on both sides. I got in line for the loading chutes, and the buyer sticks his head in the window and says," I can't give you that dime if they weigh over 100lbs. I said "well I here might as well unload" . Walked back to the scale house as my lambs filled it full. The weight came up the calculator buttons push, again and again....My lambs averaged 99lbs. That pound less made me little over $10/head. I offered to pay brand inspection, He said he would get it. He didn't know brand inspection and increased and Predatory fee had doubled(to a $1/head). Brand inspector said he was glad he was in his pickup when he handed him the bill,

Now I'm curious. Was the son's first name Tom?

 

[jodywy]

Now I'm curious. Was the son's first name Tom?

nope , Scott

 

[jodywy]

When they sell groups of mixed ownership, how do they track all of that?

weight and number of head.

 

[jodywy]

That is a good amount of lambs to sell. I had not thought about sheep requiring Brand Inspection.

My Grandfather was a Livestock Inspector in Wyoming, maybe around the Rawlins area. Not sure
what all his job entailed. That was like a hundred year ago :unsure:

Think only Wyoming and NM have brand inspection for sheep, They even hot brand noses in NM

 

[webfoot]

Only thing lower than a cattle rustler is a sheep rustler.

 

[jodywy]

As for numbers ranch south of me run 4000 ewes. When I was in western Wyoming, lot of Big migratory sheep outfits9some ran 300-400 cows to eat grass the sheep didn't eat. 6000 to 18,000 ewes ran in summer bands 1200 or more and winter bands of 2000. They winter on Rock Springs grazing Lot of BLM but also checkerboard land that ranchers own or grazing associations. Lot trail lamb in the spring on the Cumberland (BLM), some shed lamb on home ranches, then trucked to Forest service... Most on Bridger Teton. Most keep lambs, graze orchards in California for some, other straight to feedlots and finished.

 

[Puzzled]

The most I ever dealt with was 1200 ewes. they were rotated through pastures, so dogs got to work every few days. Perfect for starting a pup. You know what they say, find a job you like, and you will never work a day of your life.
Or something like that. The only thing my Border Collies couldn't do was open and close gates and give shots.

 

[Faster horses]

It was said many years ago, "ranchers run sheep for profit and cows for pride."
The rest of the story, "a lot of those Basque sheepherders wound up owning ranches."

 

[jodywy]

As for numbers ranch south of me run 4000 ewes. When I was in western Wyoming, lot of Big migratory sheep outfits9some ran 300-400 cows to eat grass the sheep didn't eat. 6000 to 18,000 ewes ran in summer bands 1200 or more and winter bands of 2000. They winter on Rock Springs grazing Lot of BLM but also checkerboard land that ranchers own or grazing associations. Lot trail lamb in the spring on the Cumberland (BLM), some shed lamb on home ranches, then trucked to Forest service... Most on Bridger Teton. Most keep lambs, graze orchards in California for some, other straight to feedlots and finished.

Only thing lower than a cattle rustler is a sheep rustler.

I had a hard time selling anything to the Younger livestock buyer other then Killer Horses, he had good connections on those and did pay a bit better then the sale barns did.

 

[jodywy]

oh , Sale Thursday, was doing ok, then the internet buyers showed up , No bids on my 102 lb lambs, ther went down then boom , they went up good with the auctioneer saying you out internets in.