Buying sheep at the Frankton Saleyards

This morning we had two cows homekilled, that means shot on site (by a licenced homekill butcher) and taken away to be processed, they will come back in just over a weeks time in boxes. There will be more than enough meat to feed us for a year at the very least, we still have meat left from the previous animals, so we ain't gonna starve. Michael will be kept well supplied too. 

I had the music turned up really loud this morning so I couldn't hear the gunshots, but I still did! It always makes me feel a bit sad knowing that we're responsible for ending a life, but we have been responsible for their lives beforehand. They had a good life, were well fed and well treated. Their end was quick and they knew nothing, to me that is far better than herding them onto a truck and being taken to an abbatoir.  That way we know exactly what we're eating. Being from the UK where it's track record of BSE and Foot and mouth proved devastating for animals and farmers alike, we choose to make an informed choice of what we eat. Not for us not knowing or caring.

With all the rain we had during the summer the grass kept growing, it will slow down but right now we have more grass than we've ever had. With two large animals now gone it meant we could get some sheep. We've kept them before and so we know what we're letting ourselves in for.

The Frankton saleyards hold livestock sales on Tuesdays and Thursdays, today it was sheep, larger beef and pigs. It was a pretty hot day and by the time they got around to the sheep auctions we were starting to flag, I dare say they sheep were too.

They started auctioning pens of pigs first, mainly they were recently weaned piglets, there were some older animals, most likely for breeding. 

I don't think these wee ones were too overly bothered about the sun or the proceedings!

First lot of the day were these 4 ewes,  this seasons lambs and they were in very good condition and we won the bidding. We may keep a couple for breeding, we'll see as we also bought 3 older and hopefully in-lamb ewes.

After paying for our purchases we loaded the girls onto the trailer and brought them home

 Here they all are getting acquainted, the 3 larger girls are the older, in-lamb (hopefully) ewes

The four smaller girls are the ones in the earlier photo

The 3 older ewes will need shearing, Joe works with a fella who does that so we'll arrange to get them done soon. I've absolutely no idea what breed they are, a bit of Suffolk in the dark ewes, but we're not fussed about the breed, they all taste bluddy luvverly wiv a bit o' mint sauce!

Sorry! I know I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad!