Next Winter

[It was already broken.]

My only advice is don't do it @unlacedgecko. For loads of reasons:

Can you afford to lose the money?
You are on rented land so where are you going to lose the dead ones and hide the lame ones?
Who are you going to get to buy stock without getting your shirt lifted?
Your time limit on having to sell the stock means no flexibility.

If you want to keep your own stock then you need to find some summer grass somewhere. Otherwise be happy with £5 a head.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Instead of buying the trailer @unlacedgecko, why don't you buy a Lorry and contract with it? Then you could use it for dealing sheep, and I expect you'd pick up some deals from the haulage work.

Would the 1000 your wanting to buy take away the availability of tack, or have you got more ground?

I'm actually seriously considering putting a lorry on the road. However, to prevent me becoming a full time driver, I'd need another employee to drive it. Then, in order to justify the expense, I'd need it to work 52 weeks a year.

I'm looking for operating centres and touching up local hauliers to investigate sub contract arrangements.

The 1000 owned stock would be run on new ground, so I could maintain my current tack sheep levels.

 

[unlacedgecko]

My only advice is don't do it @unlacedgecko. For loads of reasons:

Can you afford to lose the money?
You are on rented land so where are you going to lose the dead ones and hide the lame ones?
Who are you going to get to buy stock without getting your shirt lifted?
Your time limit on having to sell the stock means no flexibility.

If you want to keep your own stock then you need to find some summer grass somewhere. Otherwise be happy with £5 a head.

Thanks for the words of wisdom. (I'm not being sarcastic).

I'd make sure than any money invested in the venture could be written off completely if necessary. I'm reasonably confident it would at least break even though.

Dead stock would be disposed of through the same legal channels as I do currently, in this case the local hunt. Lame ones would be treated, as I do currently. Stock which don't respond to treatment would be culled. There should be no need to hide them.

I've got at least 2 buyers whom I trust.

Lack of flexibility on selling is a concern, but finishing store lambs can be done at any time (I'd be selling them dead weight). And from the graphs, cull ewe price peaks at end of March/beginning of April.

 

[multi power]

The difference between me and the gas man is he is PAYE in permanent employment.

I'm a jobbing contractor living day to day. I'm hoping the farming will bring a more constant and stable income.

But you can earn far more self employed, and be YOUR OWM BOSS

 

[unlacedgecko]

But you can earn far more self employed, and be YOUR OWM BOSS

I'm also self aware enough to know I'm not suited for PAYE employment.

 

[Clive]

I'm thinking of things to do to increase my margin for next winter.

I'm thinking of trading some stock, and wondering what would be most profitable . Options are store lambs, cull ewe fattening or draft ewe lambing.

I'd have to destock by 31 Mar mainly, although I have some land I could have stock on till 30 Apr.

What's the collective wisdom?

I looked at this with none sheep farmer eyes last year

Cull eees seem the best bet if you study historic graph for the Nov - April period over the last 5 or 6 years

 

[S J H]

I looked at this with none sheep farmer eyes last year

Cull eees seem the best bet if you study historic graph for the Nov - April period over the last 5 or 6 years

But you've got tack sheep this year @Clive ?

 

[Clive]

But you've got tack sheep this year @Clive ?

Only because the B&B rate was better plus no capital required or risk

If I was buying though it would be cull's and not store lambs

 

[unlacedgecko]

Only because the B&B rate was better plus no capital required or risk

If I was buying though it would be cull's and not store lambs

What rate you getting?

 

[scottish-lleyn]

I've got 3 weeks lambing in Dundee from mid April. I've negotiated food and accommodation plus £1000 (+VAT) per week for me the dogs and the quad.

It's a good rate, but that's all I can do during that time. And I'll be away from my family. If I was running my own stock I'd be at home and have the opportunity to do other paid work if required.

stop in on your way home i will sell you some sheep.

 

[Clive]

What rate you getting?

That's between me and a very nice Welshman !

He's happy and I'm happy

 

[Renaultman]

How about driving a lorry at £2/300 a day? I'd be happy with two or three days a week. With greatest respect you aren't going to get better than that.

Where do you get that rate? Most around here struggle for £12.00 you can get more but you have to know your stuff and be a specialist, at everything
Would still say it is a good form of winter income, and wouldn't try to put anyone off. Would also look at B&B sheep or cattle, all guaranteed income.

 

[unlacedgecko]

stop in on your way home i will sell you some sheep.

I'll not be in a position to buy, but I'll certainly drop in for a wee dram and a chat. I'll bring some Talisker.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Where do you get that rate? Most around here struggle for £12.00 you can get more but you have to know your stuff and be a specialist, at everything
Would still say it is a good form of winter income, and wouldn't try to put anyone off. Would also look at B&B sheep or cattle, all guaranteed income.

There's a national shortage of class 1 drivers, and it's particularly acute in the SW. I market myself quite well. I turn up on time, don't cancel bookings and don't get infringements. I've held a Class 1 licence for 11 years, and I've also got a manager's CPC and all ADR tickets. I've also got a PTS qual for working trackside with the railways.

I'm registered with most agencies in the area and when they get desperate they pay my premium. I also have several clients I work for directly. I sat down with Yellow Pages one day and called every haulier listed. One of the most productive days I've had. I've got the Indeed app on my phone and check HGV listings daily.

 

[Renaultman]

Nice work if you can get it, I would be tempted to spend another day with yellow pages.

 

[multi power]

I'm also self aware enough to know I'm not suited for PAYE employment.

In that case you will go far in life

 

[neilo]

I looked at this with none sheep farmer eyes last year

Cull eees seem the best bet if you study historic graph for the Nov - April period over the last 5 or 6 years

Probably true over the last 30+ years.

 

[GTB]

I looked at this with none sheep farmer eyes last year

Cull eees seem the best bet if you study historic graph for the Nov - April period over the last 5 or 6 years

Only because the B&B rate was better plus no capital required or risk

If I was buying though it would be cull's and not store lambs

Probably true over the last 30+ years.

I'd also buy cull ewes before store lambs. There's more money in scrap than gold.

 

[unlacedgecko]

In that case you will go far in life

Hopefully all the way to Australia

 

[GTB]

Hopefully all the way to Australia

You cant go much further than that!