Buckraking charge

[v8willy]

Depends upon how big the buckrake is and how fast the grass is coming in. Big buckrake is hard on the tractor fast grass is hard on the operator. £25 to £50 if all of the above and you are getting verbals for not being fast enough!

Do the job at your own speed (not pissing about obvs) & do it right, everybody seems to think the chopper driver is some kind of god that must be kept moving at all times.

 

[Werzle]

Most skilled job at silage by far should be rewarded accordingly

It is an art and everybody not doing it is an expert

 

[Lofty1984]

Do the job at your own speed (not pissing about obvs) & do it right, everybody seems to think the chopper driver is some kind of god that must be kept moving at all times.

Luckily in our outfit there is none of that as three of us drive the chopper although I do most of the buckraking there is no attitude at all between us, but I know exactly what your saying

 

[puppet]

What is chopping the grass?

If it is your pictured machine then £50/hour to pay for the extra man with the graip.

 

[BDBed]

If it is your pictured machine then £50/hour to pay for the extra man with the graip.

Let's not turn this thread into something it shouldn't be. I asked that question regarding speed of the grass coming in re fuel use and strain on the tractor. Also to consider if per acre charge would be of benefit.

My customers are very please with how we produce and clamp silage (1 tractor and buck rake) and that all that matters to me

 

[Shep]

£100 per hour, 20 acres an hour is only £5 per acre.

 

[ridger]

£5 an acre over here last time i done it. My tractor his buckrake

 

[Mouser]

I would say £5 /acre plus fuel would be fair. Assume you pay your man a good wage!

 

[kill]

I would say £5 /acre plus fuel would be fair. Assume you pay your man a good wage!

£5 an acre for someone that keeps the tractor rolling between loads and everything filled even across the pit with no soft shoulders or corners and no one's kept waiting and everything is tidy would very cheap compared to some Muppet that couldn't give a feck and done the buckraking for free.

 

[Serup]

Can do near 2 full days on a tank of fuel buckraking from a 970 jag with a 7718 mf 9ft buckrake rare to have trailers waiting on me to tip unless they all come at once

How wet is this grass and what chop length?
My contractor has a claas 960 and we use a Volvo l70 for buckraking. That is not always enough to let the chopper run full speed if we want it done properly. It’s a problem if it’s too dry, so having a 7.210 following a bigger chopper, sounds like i could learn something?

 

[kiwi pom]

I never found buckraking to be particularly hard on fuel. If you're using their fork then its just a straight tractor and man hourly rate I suppose.
In my opinion it should be charged by the ton as should foraging with trailers being on a ton per mile. I think its the fairest way.

 

[jack6480]

£5 an acre

 

[kiwi pom]

£5 an acre

Why on earth would you charge Buckraking by the acre?

 

[Chae1]

Why on earth would you charge Buckraking by the acre?

To get enough money off farmer/customer. Chopper doing 10acre/hour £50/hour. £5/acre sounds better than £50/hr.

 

[puppet]

Let's not turn this thread into something it shouldn't be. I asked that question regarding speed of the grass coming in re fuel use and strain on the tractor. Also to consider if per acre charge would be of benefit.

My customers are very please with how we produce and clamp silage (1 tractor and buck rake) and that all that matters to me

We have used a wagon contractor for 4 years now and would not go back to self-propelled for the above reason. .

I would charge per hour and ask for diesel on top which is most people this way now. If the chopper is too fast then no time for proper rolling but that is not my fault if the operation is not matched. Chopper too slow then left waiting too long but still paid by the hour.
Some contractors will do a full job per acre but most are hourly except rowing/tedding.

 

[Lofty1984]

How wet is this grass and what chop length?
My contractor has a claas 960 and we use a Volvo l70 for buckraking. That is not always enough to let the chopper run full speed if we want it done properly. It’s a problem if it’s too dry, so having a 7.210 following a bigger chopper, sounds like i could learn something?

Couple of thousand acres all pushed in with tractors all sorts of grass types and chop length and I stand by the trailers rarely waiting to tip and the chopper doesn’t hold back either never had any complaints over quality of clamps when opened and had clamps that have won quality awards for customers too

 

[Beowulf]

Couple of thousand acres all pushed in with tractors all sorts of grass types and chop length and I stand by the trailers rarely waiting to tip and the chopper doesn’t hold back either never had any complaints over quality of clamps when opened and had clamps that have won quality awards for customers too

Sorry if I'm being a pain, but are there really quality awards for silage clamps? I've always found the competition ploughing thing a bit wearisome, and I don't really get the whole judging marrows, carrots, cows or sheep thing. But surely judging a pit of silage is only for the hardcore farming enthusiast? :-/

 

[KB6930]

Buckraking is the most skilled job in a silage squad so take the right money if you're supplying fuel you'll need £35 an hour.

Anyone who knows about making silage will be happy to pay to have it clamped properly so don't worry about charging.

I'm sure the local contractor's take £4 an acre without supplying the fuel so work out a charge from what acres can be chopped in a day

 

[multi power]

Sorry if I'm being a pain, but are there really quality awards for silage clamps? I've always found the competition ploughing thing a bit wearisome, and I don't really get the whole judging marrows, carrots, cows or sheep thing. But surely judging a pit of silage is only for the hardcore farming enthusiast? :-/

That really sums up your farming knowledge

 

[Beowulf]

That really sums up your farming knowledge

If that was supposed to be an insult then I'm glad we mix in very different social circles.