Shepherds pay?

Bojangles

Member
Location
Scotland
Don't include the house in your calculations:

a. You are only offering it because you want your employee at your beck and call

b. Anyone who lives in tied accommodation needs to be able to put money aside for somewhere to live when they retire.
This is one of the comments I agree with the most that I have ever read on the forum.
if someone is on even 37k who has a family there is very little left at end of month even with a house
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Don't include the house in your calculations:

a. You are only offering it because you want your employee at your beck and call

b. Anyone who lives in tied accommodation needs to be able to put money aside for somewhere to live when they retire.
That’s made me question my life. I shepherd 500 ewes for my house, a lean-too to keep my kit in and 4 tanks of fuel!
 

Bojangles

Member
Location
Scotland
£15 an hour seems around the top end for what you can get shepherding. Depending on location house is a big factor as well.

If you end up offering 50k plus and a house please let me know !
It is sad that our industry can’t pay what’s fair.
imagine a job advert in London saying

Hours - Between 55-100 per week depending on time of year
Days - 6-7 depending on time of year
On call 24 hours also on days off.
Minimum 10 years experience
Must bring own equipment (dogs)
Package- 30k plus 6k house allowance
Applications - 0
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
It is sad that our industry can’t pay what’s fair.
imagine a job advert in London saying

Hours - Between 55-100 per week depending on time of year
Days - 6-7 depending on time of year
On call 24 hours also on days off.
Minimum 10 years experience
Must bring own equipment (dogs)
Package- 30k plus 6k house allowance
Applications - 0
I think the on call when you are off is unacceptable. 6 days a week is enough for employees. That’s thing I hate about my own sheep is that I might have to sort problems any minute. The only reason I would give in and get a job is so that I can have every other weekend off and holidays.
 

Bojangles

Member
Location
Scotland
I think the on call when you are off is unacceptable. 6 days a week is enough for employees. That’s thing I hate about my own sheep is that I might have to sort problems any minute. The only reason I would give in and get a job is so that I can have every other weekend off and holidays.
I totally agree and I don’t for a second think that they should be on call but sadly it’s how a lot of employers do see it. As @betweenthelines says once they are in a house they are expected to be there whenever needed. I have certainly been in that position before
 
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I have never worked for an actual farmer only absentee owners so often through an agent , total flock management all purchases and sales with an agreed budget , including machinery and contractors , with often a small suckler herd as well . When i retired in early 2019 £31000 plus food and vet bills for 3 dogs , a 3 bed house let for £700 per month after i left , rates paid @ £1100 per year full time use of a quad new every 3 yrs a pickup when needed a tractor when needed , nearly forgot a pension non contributary . Last job 1200 ewes hill & cross closed flock plus 36 cattle , help at lambing / shearing /dipping or moving cattle or sheep on or over roads , time off when ever wanted so long as i organised relief which they paid for . In the past i have helped out at harvest which was paid at an hourly rate on top
 

Bojangles

Member
Location
Scotland
I have never worked for an actual farmer only absentee owners so often through an agent , total flock management all purchases and sales with an agreed budget , including machinery and contractors , with often a small suckler herd as well . When i retired in early 2019 £31000 plus food and vet bills for 3 dogs , a 3 bed house let for £700 per month after i left , rates paid @ £1100 per year full time use of a quad new every 3 yrs a pickup when needed a tractor when needed , nearly forgot a pension non contributary . Last job 1200 ewes hill & cross closed flock plus 36 cattle , help at lambing / shearing /dipping or moving cattle or sheep on or over roads , time off when ever wanted so long as i organised relief which they paid for . In the past i have helped out at harvest which was paid at an hourly rate on top
Thank you for your detailed response
 
Let’s put this in perspective a little bit. Granted there are some absolute hero’s on here but is a shepherd really worth 40k a year ? See plenty of lads and lasses - 20s-30s, little bit of experience, but not much, and they are wanting that kind of money plus a house and a truck 😂 pull the other one 😂

My Mrs is a copper - anti social hours, stressful, at times dangerous.... 25k a year starting salary, no house. And matey wants 40k a year for looking at some sheep, bit of electric fencing and some yard work on occasion. My heart, it bleeds ......
 

Longlowdog

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Aberdeenshire
And there was me thinking that the working week was 38 hrs and folk are saying 6 days a week....Overtime bill will be a bugger. Only an idiot would be salaried and a self indentured slave. It doesn't matter how many hours the boss/owner works an employee is protected and a true eejit if he/she signs those protections away unless he/she is certain the remuneration is really worth it.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Let’s put this in perspective a little bit. Granted there are some absolute hero’s on here but is a shepherd really worth 40k a year ? See plenty of lads and lasses - 20s-30s, little bit of experience, but not much, and they are wanting that kind of money plus a house and a truck 😂 pull the other one 😂

My Mrs is a copper - anti social hours, stressful, at times dangerous.... 25k a year starting salary, no house. And matey wants 40k a year for looking at some sheep, bit of electric fencing and some yard work on occasion. My heart, it bleeds ......

The key words the are *starting salary*. Her career progression and potential future earnings are very much better than those of a shepherd on 99% of UK farms.
 

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