Careful lamb selection can improve returns by £1.4m

Selecting English lambs within the correct specification could achieve an extra 5p/kg deadweight or £110 for a single draw of 100 animals and boost English farmer returns by £1.4 million per year. However skilled handling will be critical if producers are to successfully maximise their returns.

The sale of the eight million English lamb crop this year is expected to be split 50/50 between liveweight and deadweight. Only 60% of those finished lambs are likely to meet buyer specification. The typical sort of penalties that could be expected for those not meeting the market criteria, when considered against the EUROP grid, are detailed on the chart below. The base price is paid per kg cold carcase weight for lambs grading R3L, with animals grading better than R3L receiving a premium while the remainder will suffer a price penalty. Preferred weight range is 18-22 kg carcase weight.

Various reasons account for why up to 40% of lambs grade outside the abattoir's specification ranging from a mismatch of breed and system to poor selection for slaughter. Better lamb handling and selection is paramount to success and is a key management skill that all producers can adopt and hone. Handling determines the amount of fat cover at slaughter on the carcase and along with conformation and carcase weight is the basis for payment. Handling should be carried out frequently to improve accuracy of drawing, and be accompanied by weighing.

Lambs should be treated as individuals. They have varying rates of performance though greater uniformity simplifies selection and marketing of the crop. Producers need to improve their understanding of the payment grid and that cost benefits can be achieved within the grid by selecting 22 kg lambs grading R3L rather than a 24 kg lambs at R4H.

To help all sheep producers improve the skills required to select lambs that better meet their customer requirements, EBLEX together with MLC Authentications Services will be staging a series of practical workshops commencing late summer and staged from Penrith to Penzance. The initiative is one of three contained in EBLEX's 'Better Returns Programme'.