Wool What Will You Do With It?

[Nithsdale]

Where exactly is the price for 2017 wool??
I know it's a very confusing pricing system, but I'm pretty sure them prices are for 2016 wool as there won't have been any 2017 wool sold yet. I see the price includes a forward payment for 2017 wool. So does the forward payment received last year have to come off that price?

Anyways, going by the price on the BWMB poster at the sheep event, it said the price for 2016 texel wool was 75p. So going by that, it's 10p worse off than the 'Irish' and you've had to wait a year for your money.
So which company is the 'twunts'?
Which farmers are mugs?
Which farmers are producing rubbish?

Well, that's what I'm getting paid this year. Ref338 - 111ppkg. It's all written there and pretty straight forward.

But Ok, What were the Irish paying last year?
Whats their set up - do they collect?

 

[jackstor]

Well, that's what I'm getting paid this year. Ref338 - 111ppkg. It's all written there and pretty straight forward.

But Ok, What were the Irish paying last year?
Whats their set up - do they collect?

Drop wool off a collection centre, its weighed and then full payment is paid within a few days.
Last year white wool was 85p

 

[Nithsdale]

Drop wool off a collection centre, its weighed and then full payment is paid within a few days.
Last year white wool was 85p

Where? I'm not hauling wool. Lorry comes and iv no issue!

85p? Is that all!!

 

[yellowbelly]

As I've posted before, once you're in the BWMB 'system' does it really matter if the payment is deferred a year as, assuming your flock size is similar from year to year, you get paid for a year's worth of wool every year anyway.

Also bear in mind the promotion work the BWMB does which helps everyone - even those that sell to the Irish. We've just done an Open Farm Sunday and I rang the Wool Board to see if they had any posters that would be suitable. They were all over it - the lass in the office said she would send us one of the special Open Farm Sunday Packs that they had already got prepared. It contained all sorts of useful stuff, posters leaflets and various samples (scoured wool, wool tops, yarns, carpets, insulation, etc).......

Thanks BWMB

 

[wr.]

I took nearly 2 tons in to Brecon depot on Thursday and will have another load for end of July. They were chocabloc but with a few wet days, they may be short until it warms up again. My son has sold his 7 BFL fleeces to a local girl who spins and knits for £4/kg.

 

[tit puller]

Where? I'm not hauling wool. Lorry comes and iv no issue!

85p? Is that all!!

every day sitting on the farm its losing weight,we shear ours in the field soon as were finished load it up in the trailor and take it to collection centre 2 miles away weighed in cheque here with in the week job done brilliant service,

 

[Nithsdale]

every day sitting on the farm its losing weight,we shear ours in the field soon as were finished load it up in the trailor and take it to collection centre 2 miles away weighed in cheque here with in the week job done brilliant service,

I asked someone at the weekend. I think for the Irish to get my wool, I need to take it up to Lanark. F##k that! That's an hour's drive, 2hr round trip.

My haulier for BWMB lives 5mins away. He lifts my wool within days of the job being finished and I'm paid 10days later. Minimal work/hassle for me. And I'm getting paid more than the Irish are offering... it's a no brainer

 

[llamedos]

I asked someone at the weekend. I think for the Irish to get my wool, I need to take it up to Lanark. F##k that! That's an hour's drive, 2hr round trip.

My haulier for BWMB lives 5mins away. He lifts my wool within days of the job being finished and I'm paid 10days later. Minimal work/hassle for me. And I'm getting paid more than the Irish are offering... it's a no brainer

Then you are lucky.
Also what are you charged per sheet for this collection?

 

[Nithsdale]

Then you are lucky.
Also what are you charged per sheet for this collection?

Not disputing that, I'm very grateful to have him so close. Just like others should be grateful of a depot/collection centre 2 mins away!

@Frank-the-Wool will know those costs? I would need to go digging to find it...

 

[Grassman]

Got my wool cheque last week. It covered the cost of shearing but not much else!

 

[Hilly]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154887660211645&set=a.387305311644.167781.698396644&type=3

Knicked of face book but quite topical id say.

 

[shearerlad]

All this moaning about the price of wool and yet it's still one of the highest price per tonne of "crop" that leaves the farm.

 

[Hilly]

All this moaning about the price of wool and yet it's still one of the highest price per tonne of "crop" that leaves the farm.

Yes but not many tons leave compared with likes of grain, its all relative.

 

[shearerlad]

As a BWMB shearing instructor myself I will give you some of my observations over the years.
For anyone coming along to their first course with very limited experience there is a hell of a lot to take in and learn. If a trainee goes away at the end of the second day and has learned the basic shearing pattern and can shear a sheep unassisted then I believe that to be a success.However, if the trainees then go away and gets a chance to shear at home or work then coming back to a course the following year is invaluable.The improvement you can make to someone with a bit of experience but a lot of faults is huge.Also those who do come back are generally the ones who are keen to improve and learn and are therefore actually willing to pay another course fee.In the days of free courses we used to get farmer's sons and daughters sent on courses who had absolutely no desire to be there.
I know in Scotland at least that the BWMB has a deal with the YFC which gives them their first course at a heavily discounted rate.However, as I said even at £160 + vat a second or third course is dirt cheap in terms of the improvements that can be made in terms of making the job easier and quicker.
It should also be noted that many of the BWMB instructors are still contract shearing themselves and may well have given up a couple of 400 day tallies to be at the course for a lot less money. It is important to bring the next generation of shearers forward as we don't all want to have to look at shedding sheep!! Many a farm youngster in this area, with not enough income from the home farm, have gone on to do well for themselves from attending BWMB training courses.

Wholeheartedly agree with that @sheepwise
It is extremely good value to go on a course and learn from some of the top shearers on the WORLD.
It's impossible to take in everything especially at beginner level. I was on a course 3 weeks ago. I've cut a blow out of my pattern and eliminated 2 strokes worth of 2nd cuts.
Simple little things but could mean an extra 10 sheep over a working day or getting into a final at a competition.

 

[sheepwise]

Wholeheartedly agree with that @sheepwise
It is extremely good value to go on a course and learn from some of the top shearers on the WORLD.
It's impossible to take in everything especially at beginner level. I was on a course 3 weeks ago. I've cut a blow out of my pattern and eliminated 2 strokes worth of 2nd cuts.
Simple little things but could mean an extra 10 sheep over a working day or getting into a final at a competition.

Who was your instructor @shearerlad ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

All this moaning about the price of wool and yet it's still one of the highest price per tonne of "crop" that leaves the farm.

Price per ton is pretty meaningless. It's profit per unit of limiting factor that matters. E.g. Profit per labour unit or profit per ha/ac.

 

[shearerlad]

Who was your instructor @shearerlad ?

Kieran McCullough

 

[neilo]

every day sitting on the farm its losing weight,we shear ours in the field soon as were finished load it up in the trailor and take it to collection centre 2 miles away weighed in cheque here with in the week job done brilliant service,

Quite the opposite actually. Wool is hygroscopic, and gradually takes up water from it's surroundings, so gaining weight.

Some tight fisted/shrewd operators back in the Cotswolds (not me I hasten to add) would store the wool sacks over sheep feed troughs, which were kept topped up with water to keep the air humid around the sacks.

 

[sheepwise]

Quite the opposite actually. Wool is hygroscopic, and gradually takes up water from it's surroundings, so gaining weight.

Some tight fisted/shrewd operators back in the Cotswolds (not me I hasten to add) would store the wool sacks over sheep feed troughs, which were kept topped up with water to keep the air humid around the sacks.

Have heard stories from old shepherds of a cart load of sand being brought up from the river bank by the horse and cart. Every fleece would then have a handful of sand sprinkled into it before being rolled up with rumours of a ton of weight being added to the wool clip for the entire flock!

 

[Nithsdale]

Quite the opposite actually. Wool is hygroscopic, and gradually takes up water from it's surroundings, so gaining weight.

Some tight fisted/shrewd operators back in the Cotswolds (not me I hasten to add) would store the wool sacks over sheep feed troughs, which were kept topped up with water to keep the air humid around the sacks.

Aye... But the moisture content is measured, and the sheet weight adjusted accordingly.

You are only paid for the weight of wool, not water.