Damaged crops

[Zoofarmer]

A group of twenty 15 mth old heifers, approx 425 kilos, broke into a neighbours barley crop last sat night. Upon hearing of it on sunday morning I immediately removed them and fenced the hole in the ditch. The field of barley is over 25 Ha and as I can see they travelled around the headlands and were at the dividing gate bawling to get home when I arrived over on Sunday morn. This is the first time they broke in, although there were a group of bullocks from a neighbouring farm in there about 6 weeks ago.
The farmer who rents the field has rung me demanding compensation for his losses saying the damage is considerable. As I can see the crop is about fit to harvest and I would imagine the combine will pick up anything that is down.
Any advice on how to put a value on the damage? What is the best course of action? Am I covered by public liability?
I'm thinking that if prices were not so poor this year I wouldn't b getting these phone calls, but I do understand the neighbours frustration. We both rent the land from the same farmer.
Opinions would b appreciated!

 

[Daniel]

If your fences were in good order and it was just one of those things the farmer should just take it on the chin. Maybe send him some cattle muck for next years crop.

The countryside would be much poorer for it if there were no animals about and animals will escape!

 

[Clive Tee]

Do you have straying cover? If so, give your insurer a call straight away and get their loss adjuster in asap. Do not commit to anything beforehand, it's their money.

_

 

[Badshot]

If my neighbours cattle got in my crop of wheat I'm buggered if I'd take it on the chin, damn sure if I had spray drift and killed their grass they wouldn't. I pay insurance for this and have had to use it in the past when the sheep were let out into my neighbours wheat, they got payed for a hectare of lost crop. I'm sure the cattle will have eaten some of it while out.

Oh and I do get on with my neighbours very well, we share some machinery between us, I put this down to not taking the pee when things got tits up.

 

[Sussex Martin]

If you arn't insured or don't want to involve the insurance company offer him half a ton of barley, ie £60.

 

[RJW]

I'm sure you are, but keep an eye on your heifers. Barely field-greedy girls- not always a good combination!

 

[Zoofarmer]

Have contacted insurance company, public liability covers it, agronomist has had a look and going to get an estimate of damages!
Heifers are fine, they are on a huge cover of grass so I'd say they ate bugger all, just a bit of trampling!

 

[Clive]

I have an ongoing issue with a neighbour whose cows keep getting out

first few times I was nice about it and demanded nothing, despite clear damage to oats, however he refused to sort his very poor fences and they continued to get out in the following wheat crop so I put in a claim with the NFU to make the point

Local NFU sec had a chat with him and I said I would drop the claim if he did something to stop it happening again...................they were out again last week !! some people never learn !

 

[Daniel]

If my neighbours cattle got in my crop of wheat I'm buggered if I'd take it on the chin, damn sure if I had spray drift and killed their grass they wouldn't. I pay insurance for this and have had to use it in the past when the sheep were let out into my neighbours wheat, they got payed for a hectare of lost crop. I'm sure the cattle will have eaten some of it while out.

Oh and I do get on with my neighbours very well, we share some machinery between us, I put this down to not taking the pee when things got tits up.

If the spraymans spraying in a gale or the stockmans fences are poor then it's negligence and some compensation should be paid.

If a mad heifer jumped the fence and pulled it over or got a gate open etc then sometimes these things happen. A friendly chat, offer of some muck or a couple of joints of beef etc, move on. Neighbours have to be worked with wherever possible, not litigated against!

 

[multi power]

I have an ongoing issue with a neighbour whose cows keep getting out

first few times I was nice about it and demanded nothing, despite clear damage to oats, however he refused to sort his very poor fences and they continued to get out in the following wheat crop so I put in a claim with the NFU to make the point

Local NFU sec had a chat with him and I said I would drop the claim if he did something to stop it happening again...................they were out again last week !! some people never learn !

anybodys cattle can escape, but when its the same ones every time it takes the pee

 

[Zoofarmer]

It was just the once in my case. The land is a 40 ha development area in one field beside a village, locals walk dogs on it the whole time and cut fences to gain access. I keep it fenced v well but this time the cattle got to the cut fence before I did!!

 

[Chae1]

Have contacted insurance company, public liability covers it, agronomist has had a look and going to get an estimate of damages!
Heifers are fine, they are on a huge cover of grass so I'd say they ate bugger all, just a bit of trampling!

I would advise you get someone independent agreed by both parties to assess damage. He won't accept loss if calculated by your agronomist and vice versa.

 

[willie waver]

I have an ongoing issue with a neighbour whose cows keep getting out

first few times I was nice about it and demanded nothing, despite clear damage to oats, however he refused to sort his very poor fences and they continued to get out in the following wheat crop so I put in a claim with the NFU to make the point

Local NFU sec had a chat with him and I said I would drop the claim if he did something to stop it happening again...................they were out again last week !! some people never learn !

problem is that cows do learn. once they've decided the feeding in a neighbouring field is tastier, they'll find every way possible of getting into it. the only remedy is usually to move them to a different part of the farm. obviously I don't know your neighbours circumstances, but if he doesn't have anywhere else to move them, he might be in a difficult situation.

 

[james ds]

Would it not be fair to wait until he harvests it and then see how much less the field yields compared to other fields , and compensate for the differance.

 

[lazy farmer]

we had our herd get into neighbours maize last year. a few walked the headland the rest milled about in the entrance and went back into the grass field next door. flattened about 1/3 to 1/2 an acre in total. with the help of another neighbour/friend we got them back(field we had just taken on had a gate at the far end I hadn't realised was there and it had been opened by whom I know not)I then drove to neighbours home about 15 mins away and informed him of my incompetence asked him to check the crop himself and we would agree a figure. He decided the damage was an acre. So I paid him for an acre. life's too short. very stressful day.

chris

 

[Zoofarmer]

He just rang me looking for €1700, price of barley must b a lot higher per ton then the reports I'm hearing!!

 

[An Gof]

What goes around comes around. If its a neighbour you get on well with you should both be able to work it out ...... without too much expense.
My new neighbour grazed 200 of his ewes overnight in an 8 acre field of my oats during the wet winter. I wouldn't have minded so much if he had had the decency to say sorry. But he's an "up country" type .... I think they must learn a different set of manners.

 

[james ds]

What goes around comes around. If its a neighbour you get on well with you should both be able to work it out ...... without too much expense.
My new neighbour grazed 200 of his ewes overnight in an 8 acre field of my oats during the wet winter. I wouldn't have minded so much if he had had the decency to say sorry. But he's an "up country" type .... I think they must learn a different set of manners.

Id say they did it more good than harm , thickened it up.