After Death

[canesisters]

both are mine

 

[baymule]

Bay, last Dec. I purchased 2 Soay ( primitive small sheep ) 11 month old , very plump lambs from a wanna be farmer who got overwelmed with sheep numbers. I paid $90 for both of them. I butchered the lambs that dressed out a total of 57 lbs of cut and wraped meat. Works out to $1.58 per pound. In today's economy the best type of sheep with the best hope to make a profit are the hair sheep Dorper and/ or the wool breed ( if one sheers their sheep themselves ) Suffolk, followed by the standard size Southdown. The other sheep breed owners are operating on a wish and a prayer.

I have a Dorper ram over Dorper/Katahdin ewes. Working on improving the soil for better grass for them. They throw some nice lambs.

You have to assign the costs of breeding the cow, her feed and maintenance costs ( including a portion of land/ building costs that the cow is occupying) , and associated Vet. Bills, your labor, power and all other costs during pregnancy. Then add in all other costs involved to the calf to reach freezer camp to reach the true cost of the edible meat. Bookeeping 101 because I have to prove to the IRS true operating costs and deduct that from sales to show profit or loss in an event of an audit.

Just went yesterday to CPA with all my folders with every receipt for everything we have. In each folder, I had a cover sheet with all expenses, broken down into feed, vet, etc, and sales. I listed equipment, tools, barn building expense and typed it all out neatly for him. He only had to keep the cover sheets. He really likes me for not bringing him a shoebox of wadded up receipts. LOL

Pet or otherwise, everyone should know what their " free " or almost free animal products actually cost to raise them so that they know what their personal bank balance is at the end of the year.

I know what we have spent, what the costs are and how much we have taken in for sales. We are selling eggs, slaughter finished pigs and slaughter finished lambs. For 2017, we might even have a good enough garden to sell some produce too.

When all I had was some chickens in the backyard, I knew what it cost to produce my eggs. They cost more than I could go to the store and buy, but I enjoyed my chickens and the eggs tasted better than store bought.

@canesisters is enjoying her cow and calf. if she decides to have him butchered, you can bet she will do it because she raised him, she fed him, and she certainly earned the right to be the one to eat him. Will it cost more than store bought beef? Especially when it's on sale? You bet'cha it will, but I don't think it will matter to her.

 

[baymule]

Wife's dog is male... nope, won't be visiting.

I can't believe such sexist behavior and prejudice is allowed on this site. I'm appalled. Yes, truly appalled!

You can just get appalled all you want to......not only do we send the boy lambs to slaughter, but we castrate them too!!

 

[canesisters]

 

[ninnymary]

Why do we always have to put a price on our animals or produce from the garden? I really don't care what it costs me as long as they bring me enjoyment and are better than store bought. You can't put a price on that.

Mary

 

[bobm]

Why do we always have to put a price on our animals or produce from the garden? I really don't care what it costs me as long as they bring me enjoyment and are better than store bought. You can't put a price on that.

Mary

Mary, everything in life has a price to it . As they say time is money. Volunteeriong has the cost of your time. Every Saturday from Feb.1 to April 15, my wife volunteers to prepare taxes for those that can't aford to pay to have it done. The cost is loss of family time . Enjoyment of raising an animal or tending a garden has a price. Some people will pay the price of a aching back. Death of a farm aimimal has a price in greef and the loss of food/ fiber/ hide that the animal would have provided . Death or illness of one's pet has the price of worry and heartache and the cost of a Vet. bill. Invasion of pests on your prize garden plants tests one's anger and frustration and the cost of saving or replacing the crop / plant.

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm really a lousy accountant. I don't have the gift for keeping a mental ledger book full of the dollars gained or lost from my personal hobbies, much less an actual one. And I have no desire to either.

Some things I just consider as ups and downs of daily life. Sometimes I have less, sometimes I have more.

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

[Nyboy]

To me hobbies cost money. Enjoyment from hobby worth money spent.

 

[seedcorn]

You people are sick. Sick I tell you. Castrating males, eating your pets, who knows what else? And @Nyboy , he enjoys it......appalled.

Ok, I'm done...

@canesisters , nice rooster & calf.

 

[Nyboy]

Sorry meat eater here.