Cost of Marketing Utah Lambs at Alternative Markets

• Main Author: Wright, Norman E.
• Format: Others
• Published: DigitalCommons@USU 1958
• Subjects: cost; marketing; utah; lambs; alternative; markets; Agricultural Economics
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/3761; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4767&context=etd

Importance of lamb marketings The production and marketing of lambs is important in Utah's economy. In 1956, Utah ranked fifth in the United States in lambs produced and saved, with 1,038,000 head produced and 840,000 marketed for consumption, table 1. Cash receipts from the lamb marketings during the year amounted to over 10 million dollars, and in addition, the state's economy benefited through revenues, employment, and raw materials which were provided by the lamb industry. Marketing decisions Lamb producers and handlers are faced with many decisions in marketing their lambs. They not only must decide when and where to sell, but the question of what method of transportation to use must be answered. In essence, the producer or handler can make direct ranch sale to slaughterers, lamb feeders, or speculators and can thereby pass on some of the decision making to the buyer; or he can sell through commission firms and competitive bidding at public livestock markets and retain the decision making himself. In the case of direct sale at the ranch, the buyer usually assumes the cost of marketing from that point until he relinquishes title. Generally, the buyer charges for this service by giving a lower price to the seller than would be received if the seller were to ship to the public livestock market.