Contract shepherd

[Sledge87]

Hi all,
Looking for some serious opinions and views on setting up as a contract shepherd. Pros cons etc,
I have plenty experience and a team of my own dogs which I work and trial, my own 4x4 but that is it! I’ve always worked for other people so never needed to build up my own kit. This would have to all be purchased, (prattley system, quad bike etc etc etc )
Has anyone set up on their own and if so is it worth it if you can get enough work in? What do you charge per hour or per ewe etc
Hope this makes sense?
All opinions appreciated!
thanks steven

 

[Woolless]

Your location is an important factor?

 

[Tomo23]

@unlacedgecko

 

[Sledge87]

Hi all,
Looking for some serious opinions and views on setting up as a contract shepherd. Pros cons etc,
I have plenty experience and a team of my own dogs which I work and trial, my own 4x4 but that is it! I’ve always worked for other people so never needed to build up my own kit. This would have to all be purchased, (prattley system, quad bike etc etc etc )
Has anyone set up on their own and if so is it worth it if you can get enough work in? What do you charge per hour or per ewe etc
Hope this makes sense?
All opinions appreciated!
thanks steven

Sorry should of added I’m located Nidderdale North Yorkshire

 

[Six Dogs]

Hi
I went from being an employed shepherd to a contract shepherd when I had the opportunity to start my own flock.
So it helped spread the cost of the above mentioned kit,I had a regular contact management of our landlords 600 ewes,from there I did a couple of lambing per year as well as a regular couple of days for another flock.
The problems I encountered were sometimes everyone wanted you at once,it helped that in our area of Wiltshire there were quite a few arable farmers running dry sheep so they were more than happy for someone to take over the management of those.
We are now fortunately in the position of running 1000 ewes of our own and just contract the landlord flock
If I can be of any other help PM me!

 

[Agrivator]

You would also need to be reasonably skilled in dry-stone walling, moudy catching, a bit of fencing, and any other jobs alongside sheep work.

Otherwise, there would be a number of lean times in between sheep jobs.

 

[ImLost]

@unlacedgecko

 

[unlacedgecko]

Thanks for the tags.

charge what the market can stand. You’re in a livestock area, so there will be plenty work, but the rates maybe low.
if you’ve got your own kit you can charge more.

I worked on a day rate or a piece rate. Hourly rate was no good to me, as you’d get people want 4 hrs work, but it would take the day by the time you’d travelled etc.

I never found enough work to make a full time thing of it, I used HGV driving to fill the gaps, along with tack sheep.

 

[ImLost]

Thanks for the tags.

charge what the market can stand. You’re in a livestock area, so there will be plenty work, but the rates maybe low.
if you’ve got your own kit you can charge more.

I worked on a day rate or a piece rate. Hourly rate was no good to me, as you’d get people want 4 hrs work, but it would take the day by the time you’d travelled etc.

I never found enough work to make a full time thing of it, I used HGV driving to fill the gaps, along with tack sheep.

Sorry I didn't see you had been tagged already ?
I thought the pictures you shared of your setup were good.