Quick help needed, sheep sale value

[hintonlady]

I have a boy who lives down the road that wants some sheep. I am excited to find a potential new alliance in a cattle only area and to introduce a kid to the industry.

I want to charge him a price that is both fair to my expenses and one that encourages him to get started and isn't unfair. I don't know what my break even is but losing a couple bucks is okay, getting a kid started makes me happy.

He wants two ewes for breeding for meat. I will tell him all I can but as a newbie I am sure he has no clue what to really look for or ask about. Honesty and integrity and #1 for me and if these sheep do not perform I will trade them out. I am also going to offer him free breeding this season and first chance at our unrelated ram lambs next season.

I have two ewe lambs.

One is a Dorset from "registered" parents. (argh! show people) She was a fall lamb, a bit small/slow to grow but is developing a nice conformation and getting bigger by the day. Only other flaw is a slightly narrow rear end. Commercially she is fine I am just kind of picky, she is nice, just not show type. She is from a twin set, dam had triplets right after. Ewe churned out 5 lambs in one year. Good genetics.

The other is a single birth, I think it was our fault from poor flushing. Sire is Dorset, dam is a dorset, Il de France commercial mix. This ewe aside from being a single birth (dams second lambing) is the best conformed ewe lamb of the season. She is a fast grower and has tons of eye appeal. The dam is from a big producer of prolific ewes.

These ewes are half sisters, both the best we have this year. I'm particular so I imagine I described "flaws" worse than they are.

I know replacement ewes at auction are not pricey right now but these ewes come with health records, histories and ......some mentoring because i know young ewes are hard for a newbie, but I think that is what he wants.

I honestly have no clue what the value is. I am only parting with them because the kids want them. Otherwise I was looking forward to keeping them for myself.

So how much do you think is fair?

[billooo2]

The times I have sold to 4-H kids (I sold goats, not sheep), I charge low end prices. I would like for them to be encouraged, and hopefully realize that I did them a favor. (Of course I smile and instruct them to tell everyone that they paid $500.)

[Goatguy]

I dont' know about lambs, but If they were goats in the same position. I would go with something along the lines of $140-$200 for the 2 of them depending on a few factors

[Bearfootfarm]

Around here, meat lambs will bring $140-150 each.

[sewtlm]

Last year when we lived in IL we paid $120 for commercial cross-bred breeding ewe lambs and $85 for market lambs for showing in 4-H.

This year in MT we are paying slightly more for registered Targhee ewe lambs but the market lambs are only $75.