Bqp loading times for finished pigs

[Elj]

Having been contract rearing pigs for over 12 years now, for 3 different companies, and may I add very happy with the arrangement we have with bqp.
Recently we been asked to load pigs late evening 11pm and 12 pm for delivery to the abattoir for killing when the abattoir starts,
Apparently this is a directive from the supermarkets, who do not want pigs in lairage.
We generally load pigs from 4am which I don’t generally mind if it helps, but I think this latest loading times is a bit much,
I’m told that other farmers are doing it and don’t mind.
My concerns are that extras requested, then become the norm?
The subject of a extra charge for loading out of normal working hours(7.30/5) was met with resistance,
Just curious to other farmers views/ thoughts on this?
Should we form a bqp farmers group for these issues to be discussed
Or do we all just carry on and again get dictated to by the supermarkets ( but don’t get me on that one!!!!!!!)

 

[serf]

Have they been managing to get them away on target weights without delays

 

[Cowmansam]

If it was me I’d prefer the 11 to the 4 but if you don’t like it refuse or charge

 

[Batty]

Ask the fieldsman to assist in loading!

 

[l'ordinary bonville]

Another company pay extra for very early delivery.

I would say do it for £150 a load

 

[Hjwise]

I did some in January. I wouldn’t want to do it in the summer or autumn when busy on arable. Burning the candle at both ends will end up with accidents happening. I think you should only be asked to do it if you are emptying out rather than selecting.

 

[Daniel]

Having been contract rearing pigs for over 12 years now, for 3 different companies, and may I add very happy with the arrangement we have with bqp.
Recently we been asked to load pigs late evening 11pm and 12 pm for delivery to the abattoir for killing when the abattoir starts,
Apparently this is a directive from the supermarkets, who do not want pigs in lairage.
We generally load pigs from 4am which I don’t generally mind if it helps, but I think this latest loading times is a bit much,
I’m told that other farmers are doing it and don’t mind.
My concerns are that extras requested, then become the norm?
The subject of a extra charge for loading out of normal working hours(7.30/5) was met with resistance,
Just curious to other farmers views/ thoughts on this?
Should we form a bqp farmers group for these issues to be discussed
Or do we all just carry on and again get dictated to by the supermarkets ( but don’t get me on that one!!!!!!!)

Relatively simple these days to set up a whatsapp group for BQP rearing farms to discuss these things?

Will your staff come in and do a late load for free? There's no reason why BQP shouldn't make a payment so that they get a bonus for it?

I did read that BQP have increased the rates paid recently, maybe that helps cover it?

 

[Hilly]

What happens in other industries with out of hrs loading unloading ?

 

[Pinnfield]

We are happy to load late or or early, much preferred to mid morning, the wife and I with the driver can pull out marked and load in a hour, I would have thought that Bqp pay a good enough rate b&b to cover this small inconvenience, if you have to ask staff to travel to help then it might be more of a pain for them, but if staff on site then don’t see it as much of an issue, if you were lambing/ calving you would be checking round late/early it’s all stockwork at the end of the day. Got to be better for the pigs to travel in those hours through summer months,

 

[Hjwise]

We are happy to load late or or early, much preferred to mid morning, the wife and I with the driver can pull out marked and load in a hour, I would have thought that Bqp pay a good enough rate b&b to cover this small inconvenience, if you have to ask staff to travel to help then it might be more of a pain for them, but if staff on site then don’t see it as much of an issue, if you were lambing/ calving you would be checking round late/early it’s all stockwork at the end of the day. Got to be better for the pigs to travel in those hours through summer months,

I take it you don’t have young children then? Many people that have moved in to b&b pigs have done so to supplement a small farm, so don’t have an abundance of labour. I’m happy to do it, but it needs to organised in fair and sensible way. Ideally when people are clearing out.

 

[Pinnfield]

I take it you don’t have young children then? Many people that have moved in to b&b pigs have done so to supplement a small farm, so don’t have an abundance of labour. I’m happy to do it, but it needs to organised in fair and sensible way. Ideally when people are clearing out.

Didn’t think of kids but yes ours are now in young teens, we are a small business and don’t employ any staff apart from vaccinating, wife does pigs on a daily while I go of and do other things, my point was that if you don’t have labour on site or very local that it might be more of an issue for someone that has to travel 30min each way to earn a few quid to load pigs,

 

[yin ewe]

What happens in other industries with out of hrs loading unloading ?

If a lorry comes into my workplace after 4.30pm he'll either be sent home or he can lie in the cab until the next morning. Send them away a couple of times and they soon learn. Us farmers get taken for granted too often.

 

[Hilly]

If a lorry comes into my workplace after 4.30pm he'll either be sent home or he can lie in the cab until the next morning. Send them away a couple of times and they soon learn. Us farmers get taken for granted too often.

You could say that but then it’s nice to be helpfull but you wouldn’t want that carry on everyday .

 

[Stevethemeat]

Milk tanker used to come in yard at 8 I said don’t come before 8.30 bit of standing time soon focussed them to pick up next Doors first I would charge as an out of normal hours working at time and a half unless you contract stipulated other wise if not paid on first colection then refuse till either they agree or alter times letter writing helps them see your point of veiw more clearly with financial charges identified

 

[yin ewe]

You could say that but then it’s nice to be helpfull but you wouldn’t want that carry on everyday .

True but it then becomes quarter to 5 and so on, you have to draw the line somewhere and it always seems to be the same drivers/companies trying it on.

 

[robbie]

I don't mind when I load. A early load is better for all summer time and earlies means the pigs go straight in.

What I don't like is when the pigs are on route and the abbottoir sh!ts itself and the pigs have to be unloaded at a holding farm to them be re loaded again the next day.

 

[Matt]

Ask the fieldsman to assist in loading!

the pigs would fly there before that.

 

[Matt]

you must be a decent distance from their destination?

i would say midnight is taking the pee a bit, 9 pm would be better instead of midnight.

you have to be careful otherwise you end up a puppet to them with no or little say in what goes on on your farm!