I just called around our local feed suppliers to compare prices for Heptavac P+. For a 50ml bottle, prices ranged from £20+VAT to £25+VAT. I need three bottles, so it was definitely worth making the calls. Interestingly, Mole Valley also sell it for £20+VAT, with refrigerated delivery costing £15.
Whilst I was at it, I also got prices for 18% premium ewe nuts, and was quite surprised at the variation in prices. The first price below is for an individual 25kg sack, and the second price is the equivalent 'per sack' price if collected from the store as a pallet load of 40 bags:
- Supplier 1, £9.18, £6.93
- Supplier 2, £7.45, £7.45
- Supplier 3, £7.93, £6.72
So for individual sacks, that's a 25% difference between cheapest and dearest. However, the difference is only 10% if buying as a pallet, and it's a different supplier that works out cheapest. For comparison, a local feed mill is charging £6.53 per bag equivalent for one tonne of feed delivered a sacks on a pallet.
The key learning for me here is that if we *can* use a tonne (and I think we could have done if we'd ordered it earlier in the winter), we stand to save between 15% and 40% compared with just driving down and collecting a car load whenever we need it.
So, what other tactics have you used to reduce your feed prices? I'd be interested to know!