Hmm.
always a useful exercise...so...taking the 2 groups of blackies - numbering 150
( some figures at this years actual costs, some at a rolling average, and some blind guesses!) (and I'm sure I've forgotten some)
10% of rent (less farmhouse) £1000 (they don't see much inbye)
15% of annual fencing budget £750 (but need greater share of fencing due to their nature)
Interest on flock ownership £675
Fodder contingency £25 (usually nothing)
Cake 50 days at £5 £250 (often nothing)
Grass keep away for tup lambs £50
Dip chemical share £35
Blocks £50 (often less)
Meds (fluke/bolus/some lambs wormed) £350
Shortfall on wool/shearing £75
Yard/dip maintenance £200
Dog food share £200 (other dog costs nil, I might breed the odd litter, seldom buy a pup)
Workwear share £50 (being honest, tending them demands the best waterproofs!)
Use of 4x4/trailer for sales etc. £250
-------------------------------------------------
sub total £3960
Labour inputs
3 main gathers, and some misc checks 42 hours,
Lambing labour 30 hours
Dip labour (share) 14 hours
Bolusing fluking MOT labour 16 hours
Shearing support labour 24 hours
Tup prepping/tending 9 hours
Loading- attending sales 24 hours 159 hours @£15 labour total £2385
cost of inputs circa £6345
----------------------------------------------------------------
Outputs
circa 60 wether lambs sold @£30 £1800
6 surplus ewe hoggs, @£50 £300
30 ewes drafted out @£45 £1350 (some sold, some moved into own draft flock)
5 culls @20 £100
Surplus from tups sold against bought £700 (doesn't always go that way!)
------------------------------
Cash output £4250
Conclusions....
if we weaned more lambs, we'd be nearer the mark
When lamb/draft ewe prices are better, we're in the black.
(When lambs hit £50, and draft ewes £64, we had a rather better year.)
If you count the hidden costs, we're making a loss these last 2-3 years
If I count my own time at what I earn elsewhere........don't go there.
If I were to 'big up' the numbers, and pretend the black losses don't occur, I'm in clover!
hmm...it's not how many ewes I should keep, it's how few can I get away with!
always a useful exercise...so...taking the 2 groups of blackies - numbering 150
( some figures at this years actual costs, some at a rolling average, and some blind guesses!) (and I'm sure I've forgotten some)
10% of rent (less farmhouse) £1000 (they don't see much inbye)
15% of annual fencing budget £750 (but need greater share of fencing due to their nature)
Interest on flock ownership £675
Fodder contingency £25 (usually nothing)
Cake 50 days at £5 £250 (often nothing)
Grass keep away for tup lambs £50
Dip chemical share £35
Blocks £50 (often less)
Meds (fluke/bolus/some lambs wormed) £350
Shortfall on wool/shearing £75
Yard/dip maintenance £200
Dog food share £200 (other dog costs nil, I might breed the odd litter, seldom buy a pup)
Workwear share £50 (being honest, tending them demands the best waterproofs!)
Use of 4x4/trailer for sales etc. £250
-------------------------------------------------
sub total £3960
Labour inputs
3 main gathers, and some misc checks 42 hours,
Lambing labour 30 hours
Dip labour (share) 14 hours
Bolusing fluking MOT labour 16 hours
Shearing support labour 24 hours
Tup prepping/tending 9 hours
Loading- attending sales 24 hours 159 hours @£15 labour total £2385
cost of inputs circa £6345
----------------------------------------------------------------
Outputs
circa 60 wether lambs sold @£30 £1800
6 surplus ewe hoggs, @£50 £300
30 ewes drafted out @£45 £1350 (some sold, some moved into own draft flock)
5 culls @20 £100
Surplus from tups sold against bought £700 (doesn't always go that way!)
------------------------------
Cash output £4250
Conclusions....
if we weaned more lambs, we'd be nearer the mark
When lamb/draft ewe prices are better, we're in the black.
(When lambs hit £50, and draft ewes £64, we had a rather better year.)
If you count the hidden costs, we're making a loss these last 2-3 years
If I count my own time at what I earn elsewhere........don't go there.
If I were to 'big up' the numbers, and pretend the black losses don't occur, I'm in clover!
hmm...it's not how many ewes I should keep, it's how few can I get away with!