October 2016 • Country Life in BC


Cultural holiday creates demand, good prices for sheep and goats


In the western world,


religion, culture and feasts can play a big part in family life, prayers, habits and food. So, too, it is with Muslims. Word was out that high demand slaughter sheep, lambs and goats in the first two weeks of September was


the ring, six to 15 head a time. Each pen was sold within minutes with the next group ready to enter the sales ring immediately after the sold lot had left.


I was told at the sale on September 3, Meadow Valley Meats, just one abattoir in the valley, would be


Wool Gatherings JO SLEIGH


going to result in good market prices. Indeed, it did. Fraser Valley Auction’s Saturday market report for the last three weeks of August recorded no entries at all for sheep, lambs or goats but numbers going through the yard (and their prices) rocketed on the first two Saturdays of September as Muslims prepared to celebrate Eid al-Adha on September 13. Total numbers going


through the sale ring were not published but guesstimates had about 800 head of sheep and goats going through the ring on September 3 with many more again on


September 10. A full liner load of some 400 head came down from Dawson Creek. The impression was of hundreds of both species going through


slaughtering sheep and goats all day, every day until the festival. Rams sold between $200.00 and $290.00 per head on September 3. Ewes garnered $100.00 to $180.00 while lambs reached $90.00 to $330.00. Prices the following weekend were similar.


The goat sale was much the same with mature billies getting the lion’s share at $120.00 to $450.00 per head. Nannies sold for $90.00 to $270.00, and kids from $40.00 to $110.00. Larger and stronger-looking animals took the higher prices. Llamas and alpacas were selling for a premium, too.


My husband, David,


brought four ewes whose time had come to Meadow Valley at 6:30 am on September 12. He confirmed the impression of unusually large numbers. He was told by a worker they would be slaughtering from early morning to midnight.


Well, fancy that!


35


Shea-Lynn Seaman’s 2016 grand champion market lamb project caught the fancy of the Pacific National Exhibition, represented by agriculture manager Christie Kerr and Kalyn Van Horne , who paid $7.75 per pound (or $1038.50) during the annual 4-H livestock auction, August 22. Shea-Lynn hails from the Langley Lamb and Woolcraft 4-H Club. It’s been a good time to market lambs. Prices were up across the board, driven in part by the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Adha in mid-September. (Photo courtesy of the PNE)


The visible pens were full. There is another fair-sized barn nearby and he noticed about eight to 10 white, large marquees in two rows outside, again all filled.


Dan Sandys, from Salmon Arm, said the area was spotlessly clean in accordance with Muslim teachings. The animals were clean and kept on clean, dry bedding with good hay and clean water, and he added there was a lot of “high tech stuff around.”


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