Farm Stock Scotland
Lamb Supply Chain Conference
Strength through co-operation
A farmer’s view by Marcus Maxwell
A Farmers View by Marcus Maxwell
Viewfield Romney’s
Director of Galloway Lamb
 What are the problems?
 What have I done to improve our sheep performance,
profitability and lamb carcasses?
 Why do we sell dead weight?
 The Strength of Lamb Group Co-operation
 Farmers’ moans
What are the Problems?
 Miss match between market
 Fewer sheep farmers
requirement and farmers vision
 Glut of lambs
 Pay top £ per kg for the lamb
 Long way behind chicken and
carcass you want
pork production
 Clarity and clear message for
the specification of lamb you  The processors have never
want from abattoir, supermarket been assertive enough in what
they want
and chefs
 E.U.R.O.P out dated
 Too many breeds
 Divide and conquer
How I think I have improved our sheep
performance, profitability and lamb carcasses?

Blinkered with E and U confirmation

Big lean lambs expensive to finish

Lean high index rams

High cost – low profit
“Concentrate on what I could change and control”




Create low input and low maintenance 
sheep
High welfare

Recording and creating relevant EBU’s

Aim for prime lamb 20kg R3L

To make profit from sheep farming in a
natural and environmentally way
Control cost structure
Create a maternal ewe
Maximize grass growth
Why sell dead weight?
My main reason for selling dead weight is to learn the
accurate knowledge of the quality of my lamb carcass
which should then achieve its maximum price
The Strength of Lamb Group
Co-Operation
 Strong selling power
 Strong united voice
 Large numbers of top quality lambs  Best market found for all
 Predict the flow of lambs
 Up to date of best guaranteed
prices
 Quick payment
 Bad debit cover (credit insurance )
 Traceability
 Strength together to stop the divide
and “ripoff”
specification of lamb
 Lambs away weekly
 Fast feed back of grades and
average daily growth rates
 Ruthless negotiating for top price
Farmers Moans!!
(Not mine)
 Rounding down kg weights
 Quality never pays
 Payments too slow
 Fat heavy lambs make more
 Hot and cold weight
 Transport
 Splitting carcasses
 Clipping lambs
 Time lag in booking in lambs
money in live market
 Collection centre
 Too slow in grade sheets
getting back
Conclusion
 Offer forward prices to control the glut of lambs
 Pay top £ for what you want
 Heavily penalise what you don’t want, too fat, too lean,
too heavy
Pay for the quality you want
Pay for the quality you want
Pay for the quality you want
Pay for the quality you want
Pay for the quality you want