Tack grazing rates

[patrickr321]

Hi all

Can anyone advise on tack grazing rates? We’ve around 30-40 acres of land which we will regularly offer to a local farmer who will put 10-12 cows on it to graze between August and March each year. So far we haven’t got a formal arrangement or agreement on what to charge him. I'd like to understand the true value of what we are offering so we can come to a proper deal. Perhaps it's dependant on area in the UK (we are in West Wales) and quality of grazing?

Thank you!

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Very unusual to have cattle in over the winter on land so not easy to value it ,it's your land and I'm sure your happy with that but I would not be have cattle out on my land over the winter
Using sheep tack as a comparison, approx £1000

 

[Ffermer Bach]

As Derrick says, more usual to have tack sheep over the winter and then maybe cattle or cutting over the summer.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Unless it's those water buffalo at Cardigan Nature Reserve ?

 

[d-wales]

Hi all

Can anyone advise on tack grazing rates? We’ve around 30-40 acres of land which we will regularly offer to a local farmer who will put 10-12 cows on it to graze between August and March each year. So far we haven’t got a formal arrangement or agreement on what to charge him. I'd like to understand the true value of what we are offering so we can come to a proper deal. Perhaps it's dependant on area in the UK (we are in West Wales) and quality of grazing?

Thank you!

£5 per animal per week if just grazing.

£50 a week, £200 a month

Maybe if your having to feed them or put hay out you need to work out the cost of that and add on.

 

[Skintagain]

Worth good money. You couldn’t winter a cow for £5 per week indoors

 

[patrickr321]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, we are running things a bit upside down here, as we are in a scheme to rest our hay meadows during the summer. The cows come on for conservation grazing during the winter and are rotated around with strip grazing - regulated to avoid excessive poaching. They move off to the farmer's land during the summer and we restrict the land here to a few fields which are outside the scheme.

 

[Skintagain]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, we are running things a bit upside down here, as we are in a scheme to rest our hay meadows during the summer. The cows come on for conservation grazing during the winter and are rotated around with strip grazing - regulated to avoid excessive poaching. They move off to the farmer's land during the summer and we restrict the land here to a few fields which are outside the scheme.

Does it keep them without him having to feed all winter?

 

[7610 super q]

Get some form of tenancy agreement in place.

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, we are running things a bit upside down here, as we are in a scheme to rest our hay meadows during the summer. The cows come on for conservation grazing during the winter and are rotated around with strip grazing - regulated to avoid excessive poaching. They move off to the farmer's land during the summer and we restrict the land here to a few fields which are outside the scheme.

I sometimes shake my head in disbelief over some of these conservation plans!

 

[Danllan]

Hi all

Can anyone advise on tack grazing rates? We’ve around 30-40 acres of land which we will regularly offer to a local farmer who will put 10-12 cows on it to graze between August and March each year. So far we haven’t got a formal arrangement or agreement on what to charge him. I'd like to understand the true value of what we are offering so we can come to a proper deal. Perhaps it's dependant on area in the UK (we are in West Wales) and quality of grazing?

Thank you!

Don't they trash the place? Typically for me, one large bale will feed ten adults for three days. Obviously that can vary, with temperature etc., but it's a working figure; find out what the cost is around you and go from there.

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

I would NOT have cattle on winter grazing,
Nothing wrong with sheep if not over stocked,

 

[hendrebc]

I sometimes shake my head in disbelief over some of these conservation plans!

Nothing wrong with that. Outwintering cattle on grass that's had all summer to grow is a lot different to wintering them on grass that's weeks old. That many on that many acres isn't going to make much mess at all the grass they don't eat will keep them off the ground a lot and if they are moved regularly and back fenced they won't poach much if at all. And it has all summer to recover.
Wintering 10 cows would be worth quite a bit but if its to fit in with the conservation over summer you probably won't get as much for it as you would wintering them another way. It's a lot of work to do the fencing and 10-12 cows isnt much of a bunch to be driving to and moving them all the time. If you've found a farmer that's happy to do what you want find a price your both happy with and don't be greedy would be my advice but that's worth what your paying for it of course.

 

[Agri Spec Solicitor]

Rates are very specific to local supply and demand.
Our land will not stand cattle over winter without causing significant damage.
Our system developed over 50 years is:
Proper licence agreement not a tenancy
Sheep April to October inclusive
Cattle May to September inclusive
Sheep from hills November to mid February
Short rest
Repeat.

 

[D14]

Hi all

Can anyone advise on tack grazing rates? We’ve around 30-40 acres of land which we will regularly offer to a local farmer who will put 10-12 cows on it to graze between August and March each year. So far we haven’t got a formal arrangement or agreement on what to charge him. I'd like to understand the true value of what we are offering so we can come to a proper deal. Perhaps it's dependant on area in the UK (we are in West Wales) and quality of grazing?

Thank you!

Do this for sheep and they also make hay/hayledge off it to suit them and we charge £180/acre and they do all the fert and fencing etc but we provide the water via the mains. Its worked well for 10 yrs now and suits everybody. Only 15 acres though in 2 paddocks.

 

[patrickr321]

Nothing wrong with that. Outwintering cattle on grass that's had all summer to grow is a lot different to wintering them on grass that's weeks old. That many on that many acres isn't going to make much mess at all the grass they don't eat will keep them off the ground a lot and if they are moved regularly and back fenced they won't poach much if at all. And it has all summer to recover.
Wintering 10 cows would be worth quite a bit but if its to fit in with the conservation over summer you probably won't get as much for it as you would wintering them another way. It's a lot of work to do the fencing and 10-12 cows isnt much of a bunch to be driving to and moving them all the time. If you've found a farmer that's happy to do what you want find a price your both happy with and don't be greedy would be my advice but that's worth what your paying for it of course.

That's exactly what we're experiencing. It works for us and for the land with minimal poaching - only around gateways and water troughs as the foggage protects the ground. I get what you are saying about the grazier's effort. He seems happy with the travel / work and we are happy that he's grazing. There's a lot of goodwill + sharing of machinery and expertise so I think you are right - we definitely shouldn't be greedy. But it's good to know a rough market value and helps us to settle on a price we are both happy with. Thank you,