Shepherding cost?

[The law of sod]

Anybody on here look after other peoples small flocks?
80 ewes ,20 ewe lambs
outdoor lambing ewes only, no hard feed,
Ring fenced,
Labour only ,kit on site iae race and few hurdles,
Checking once everyday bar Sundayexcluding lambing,
how much you roughly charge for the year?


And
again any body look after
Dry ewe lamb/ewes/pets! for any small holders
Around 50 head
Just labour as all kit on site?
Only be looking at them 1-2 times a week and gather them in throughout the year-for usual stuff
Fly treatment, worming etc.

just wondering what to charge, and then if its worth doing it ,
Got to way up it taking me away from the day job.(not farming)
I know how much i would have to charge to be on par with day job,

both flocks within 5-10 min drive away.

if anybody prefer to pm figures about it I appreciate it
Cheers!

 

[unlacedgecko]

What you need to charge will make it uneconomic for the flock owner.

Labour needs to be at least £15/hr. £18/hr is more realistic. A minimum charge of 2 or 3 hours would be sensible.

Then add any travel at 45p per mile.

Guesstimate how many hours you'll spend on it and go from there. I think they'll be shocked for the cost.

There may be other fringe benefits that might make it viable to charge less, but that's where I'd start.

 

[Estate fencing.]

I do a far bit of small flocks (6) 100- 150 ewes or dry sheep. I charge no where near enough for my time (£15/head dry sheep and £30/head breeding ewes), but because we do the flock work now get the fencing and machinery contracting as well as buying and selling all the sheep.

 

[The law of sod]

Cheers ,

i think they both just want sheep looked after right

There not over worried about the money
I think there is abit of benefit to them being classed as “farmers” and also they need something keep the grass down,

 

[The law of sod]

Fag packet workings on hours
I reckon minimum hours wise id be somewhere in 110 hours per year on pet flock
And 350 hrs on lambing flock


This includes from the minute i leave home until i get back ,

Does hours sound about right?

 

[Humble Village Farmer]

£20 an hour to include the use of your truck, dogs, equipment and expertise. Plus travel.

 

[The law of sod]

£20 an hour to include the use of your truck, dogs, equipment and expertise. Plus travel.

Never charged myself out on ag rates
Seems so cheap when compare to other industries,

Construction ,
i dont know any self employed under £25 hour and good tradesman who got more kit and had to train up for 3-4 years are on £36 ex vat,

 

[Woolless]

I do a far bit of small flocks (6) 100- 150 ewes or dry sheep. I charge no where near enough for my time (£15/head dry sheep and £30/head breeding ewes), but because we do the flock work now get the fencing and machinery contracting as well as buying and selling all the sheep.

Just to clarify, the £15 and £30 are the current rates that you charge? Does that include lambing? I remember a couple of years ago £25/head was suggested as a rate for contract shepherding ewes but obviously things have only gone one way since.

 

[Al R]

£20 an hour to include the use of your truck, dogs, equipment and expertise. Plus travel.

I charge out at £25/hr if pickup etc as usually very small menial jobs like shearing a maggot infected pet lamb with someone.

I don’t get asked often as not many of those sorts around thankfully.

 

[Al R]

I do a far bit of small flocks (6) 100- 150 ewes or dry sheep. I charge no where near enough for my time (£15/head dry sheep and £30/head breeding ewes), but because we do the flock work now get the fencing and machinery contracting as well as buying and selling all the sheep.

Does that include the grass their eating in that price

 

[d-wales]

Make it simple.
Choose an hourly that you like , and charge from the point you leave the house, until you arrive back.

And cash is king remember

 

[Estate fencing.]

Just to clarify, the £15 and £30 are the current rates that you charge? Does that include lambing? I remember a couple of years ago £25/head was suggested as a rate for contract shepherding ewes but obviously things have only gone one way since.

Yeah that what I charge, It includes lambing that's why its double for ewes.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Does that include the grass their eating in that price

??
Do you think its a lot then, I don't when I have to go and look at 100 sheep for £4.50 and even less so when I have to handle them with my kit for the same money.

 

[Al R]

??
Do you think its a lot then, I don't when I have to go and look at 100 sheep for £4.50 and even less so when I have to handle them with my kit for the same money.

I thought you’d see the wink… I get what your on about but I would say the £4.50 needs to be a lot higher. I have a farm 1 mile away which has circa 100 ewes on, it takes 20 minutes to check them if there is nothing wrong or being moved. If I was paying someone it would be over £4 for them to go there and back on the quad plus their labour.

Personally I think I would do it on an hourly charge if looking after someone else’s sheep

 

[Estate fencing.]

One flock of 200 dry sheep they do the checking, I just do the work and hourly rate and check when they are away. This is my least favourite to do because they just ring when ever there is a problem and expect me to instantly sort it (usually 6 on a Sunday evening). If I know I’m going to check sheep at least I know that there might be something needing doing.

 

[The law of sod]

One flock of 200 dry sheep they do the checking, I just do the work and hourly rate and check when they are away. This is my least favourite to do because they just ring when ever there is a problem and expect me to instantly sort it (usually 6 on a Sunday evening). If I know I’m going to check sheep at least I know that there might be something needing doing.

This what was suggested to me ,
But im thinking of checking at least 1-2 times a week to pick up on issues before they get out of control,
And so i don't get a call on a sunday

 

[Uggman]

One flock of 200 dry sheep they do the checking, I just do the work and hourly rate and check when they are away. This is my least favourite to do because they just ring when ever there is a problem and expect me to instantly sort it (usually 6 on a Sunday evening). If I know I’m going to check sheep at least I know that there might be something needing doing.

Ball ache

 

[toquark]

As others have said, I'd go with an hourly rate from the minute you leave to the minute you get home that way everyone knows where they stand. Set pricing or anything like that and you're rolling the dice. Plus you said they've got the money so won't mind paying a fair rate.

Rates in ag are so unbelievably poor, its almost embarrassing. In my day job I charge myself out at £65/hour+VAT, yet in ag people start squealing if its over £15 for a skilled job using their own kit and trained dogs etc, then they wonder why people don't want to do it.

 

[Mc115reed]

Does that include the grass their eating in that price

£52 a year a head if they want grass putting front of them + extra £10 per lamb born at lambing and still alive at weaning I think I’d probably charge +meds and treatments ect as they’re needed

 

[The law of sod]

As others have said, I'd go with an hourly rate from the minute you leave to the minute you get home that way everyone knows where they stand. Set pricing or anything like that and you're rolling the dice. Plus you said they've got the money so won't mind paying a fair rate.

Rates in ag are so unbelievably poor, its almost embarrassing. In my day job I charge myself out at £65/hour+VAT, yet in ag people start squealing if its over £15 for a skilled job using their own kit and trained dogs etc, then they wonder why people don't want to do it.

Couldnt agree more !

I cant see how any self employed person,

can charge any less then £25 per hour,
time you take insurances ,tax ,no holiday pay ,
The hassle of self employment etc,

I think a reasonable earning is £36 per hour ex vat at least it pays for everything and you end up with some profit at the end of the year, to save or invest.