This morning we went to Holdsworthy Cattle market to sell some ewes and lambs. This meant getting them in the trailer, tagging the lambs ears – theoretically they should be tagged, one in each ear, shortly after birth but as sheep are notoriously bad for losing their ear tags most farmers only actually tag them if they are moving them off their land, and filling out the paperwork to move them. Since foot and mouth paperwork on transporting animals has been tightened up hugely, apparently the watch word is ‘bio security’ which means you should be able to trace meat back to birth and every step in between.
I’ve never been to a livestock auction so that was really interesting. We unloaded our sheep into two pens – one ewe and two lambs, two ewes and two lambs and then walked round to see what else was for sale. In the sheep area there were various lots; ewes and lambs sold for stock, ‘fat lambs’ which are sold for ‘spring lamb’ meat, born back in August time last year, fattened up to make early lamb which goes for a premium price but costs more to rear so is all relative and ‘killing ewes’ which are still sold as lamb up to about 2 years old although technically they are hoggit and then mutton.
We had a look at the cattle up for auction too; a variety from week old calves (you can’t sell them any earlier than that), which would have just come off their mother this morning and will need formula feeding for a few weeks to come to 18 month old cattle. I learnt from Pete about meat and dairy breeds, which he prefers for veal and how he decides which to go for in terms of cost to rear versus cost of eventual sale.
We then nipped between the cattle and sheep auctions keeping an eye on both; the cattle were selling for very high prices so Pete didn’t bid on anything and actually his sheep reached a few quid more than he was expecting too, so it was a good auction. The auctioneers talk so fast, all with their own little catch phrases and sing song styles of talking – a really exciting atmosphere. Most of the animals went to dealers or slaughterhouses. The big slaughterhouses will buy animals to kill and butcher then sell the meat on, the dealers will travel all around the country buying and selling to make even just a few pounds per head on animals, moving them around the place depending on where supply and demand are.
Davies and Scarlett were not quite so interested in the finer points of the whole auction process so after about 90 minutes I walked across the road with them to the supermarket to get a cake each and give them a pep talk about letting Ady and I listen to Pete when he was talking to us about stuff even if it was not something they were interested in listening to as they both have a habit of deciding to talk to either Ady or I which is frustrating if we are both trying to listen. We are getting a great amount of knowledge and training here but some of it does go over their heads or is just discussed at a level they can’t quite grasp all of and we are not able to explain it to them there and then. A restorative gingerbread man each and a bit of a chat had everything rebalanced nicely though :).
Back at the market it was time to move on back to the farm via Pete’s parents and then lunchtime.
This afternoon I was in the cutting room, initially by myself, then with Pete and then with Ady and Pete, packing cuts of meat, labelling and mixing up sausage and burger mix. We made a huge stack of sausages and burgers from the veal the butcher had come and cut up yesterday including some experimental veal and stilton sausages which were very nice but need extra stilton in next time, as we cooked some up straight away for a taste test. I learnt about escalopes, ossa bucco (veal shin) and some other cuts and how they make their burgers here. I am itching to have a go with the sausage machine and hoping I might get a chance before the time here is up.
It is Pete & Emma’s wedding anniversary today so they were off out for a meal tonight and we offered to feed the animals this evening, which after cleaning down the cutting room and getting sorted meant it was a late night of nearly 8pm before we had finished, but it had been a pretty easy morning. Dinner for us was turkey curry and jacket potatoes which was in the oven ready for us and we got to eat and relax in the house with no one around for an hour or so before bed.
Tomorrow Ady is selling at market and I am in the cutting room packing and labelling. Depending on what cars are going where there might be room for a child to go to market with Ady so Davies will go as he is missing friends and I think could do with some one to one time with Ady.
Still wondering if we might see one of you at the food festival here on Friday- perhaps you’ve answered below but I can’t remember where I asked now! If not never mind but it would be a bonus!
All sounding so interesting still. Hope your re-arrangements come off 🙂
Comment by Sarah — 28 April 2011 @ 6:21 am