Store lambs: To sell or not to sell?
It鈥檚听that time of year again when grass growth begins to tail off, day length shortens and there听is a debate on whether to sell lambs as stores, or to feed them听and finish them.听听
Whether to keep or retain lambs should be a flexible decision based on the resources available on the farm, such as cash flow, grass, forage, feed,听labour听and shed space. This will change from year to year.鈥�听
For some farms听this听may be an听obvious decision听whether to听retain听or sell store lambs, however it听should be a flexible decision based on available resources on farm e.g. feed and forage, cash flow,听labour听and shed space.听It does not have to be one decision; some can be sold听now;听some can be听retained听and finished or sold later.鈥�听
Whether you are buying lambs in or finishing homebred lambs, consideration must be given to the lamb type,听finishing system,听and听preferred听keep length. As a听guide,听lambs are classed as:听
- Long听keep (below 30kg, on farm 12 weeks+),听听
- Medium听keep (30-35kg, on farm 6-12 weeks),听听
- Short听keep (35kg+, on farm less than 6 weeks).听听
The decision whether to听keep or sell lambs will听likely change听from year to year depending on resources and听market demands.听Ensuring you have lambs most suited to your available resources is vital. This should be a听flexible decision, just because you did something last year, does not mean it will suit conditions this year.听For听example:听
- Short听keep lambs may be trading well, therefore selling these may make financial sense,听and will free up grass for听medium听keep lambs.听
- Grass availability on farm may be high at the end of summer, so听short听keep lambs are a favourable purchase to finish quickly on forage.听听
- You may have surplus homegrown concentrates, allowing for听additional听lambs to be finished, compared to听previous years.听听
- Long听keep lambs may be trading at low听pp/kg making them a favourable听option听to buy and finish.听
- You may not have grazing or shed availability to finish Long听keep lambs, therefore selling them allows resources to focus on听medium听keep lambs.听
Before听deciding,听you should听know听how many lambs you plan to keep, when you plan to finish them and what you plan to feed them.听听
A partial budget is one way to compare the margins between selling lambs as stores or finishing them.听
An example of finishing听long keep听lambs on swedes is included below:听
This simple budget does not include an allowance for deaths, or variability听of听concentrate听costs,听purchase听or sale prices.听These trading prices are based on market averages for terminal cross听at the time of writing听听
These variabilities should be considered seriously;听a 4% mortality rate would reduce gross margin to 拢20.79/lamb. If a mortality of 8% is听recorded, the margin reduces to 拢14.19/lamb.听
Tailoring听costs and budgeting your enterprise听based on what is usually achieved by your business will help you to consider the best and most realistic route forward. Potentially selling medium keep store lambs in early October will produce the same gross margin for your business as听retaining听them for finishing in 12 weeks鈥� time.听听
Where finishing of store lambs is possible and financially beneficial, biosecurity, health planning and slaughter selection should be听monitored听to maximise income from听these听lambs.听
Purchased lambs should be quarantined on arrival to the farm, this will prevent spread of disease such as, sheep scab, liver听fluke听and contagious ovine digital dermatitis (codd).听
For听medium and听long听keep lambs a vaccination for clostridial disease听is听a good idea. If possible, vaccination status should be obtained from the purchased farm, sheep that have never received a vaccination need two injections, four to six weeks apart.听Vaccinated animals听require听a booster every 12 months.听
Lameness should be treated听quickly;听lameness听can reduce lamb growth rates,听increasing听keep听length and听costs.听
Lambs should be weighed听routinely;听this is where grouping lambs听by size听is beneficial听to reduce unnecessary handling. Weighing lambs prior to sale听allows target weights and condition to be achieved at slaughter, carcasses are aiming to be 21kg, at听U and听R3L听grades.听If lambs are to be sold through the live ring, a target weight of 45kg is听optimal听with sufficient fat cover.听听
Top tips听
- Decide whether you have space and feed for finishing lambs on farm.听
- If buying听or keeping听lambs, make sure you听pick a lamb听depending on feed availability and听finishing听expectations.听
- Ensure your decision听works听financially.听听
- Reduce risk of losses through health planning and management to maximise profits from the enterprise.听
Kirsten Craig, Agricultural Consultant, Kirsten.Craig@sac.co.uk听
Posted by SAC Consulting on 18/08/2026
