The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Lucyyoung on March 26, 2018, 04:44:26 pm

Title: Grazing prices
Post by: Lucyyoung on March 26, 2018, 04:44:26 pm
Sorry this had probably come up a number of times before! I’m after some guidance on what I should be paying for grazing on the Kent north downs?? It’s not great grazing and some of it I can only graze Oct-mar as it’s in natural England wild flower scheme. Any ideas would be a massive help as I’m paying rather a lot at the mo. Many thanks
Title: Re: Grazing prices
Post by: bj_cardiff on March 27, 2018, 06:39:00 am
Is it not grazed or cut from Oct-march? Won't the grass that's there in October be stalky and full of thatch? I imagine it would get knocked down as soon as an animal walked over it?

Personally if its as above I wouldn't pay anything for it, if I put livestock on it I'd be doing it as a favour to the land owner.
Title: Re: Grazing prices
Post by: Tim W on March 27, 2018, 07:10:56 am
Supply & demand----so depends who else wants it
I pay £50/acre for good dairy land but just get some free

Anything from nothing to £50/acre is my guess
Title: Re: Grazing prices
Post by: indieruss on March 27, 2018, 09:48:32 am
Hi Lucy

Just to give you an idea, we're down in South Devon and pay £95.00 per acre per year for 60 acres of good grazing ground that's well fenced and has water to all fields. This is from 1st April - 31st Dec.

Hope this helps

Russ
Title: Re: Grazing prices
Post by: Lucyyoung on March 27, 2018, 11:50:53 am
The sheep are on it from Oct-mar and it’s on a chalky hill. I’m just about to take on another 12 acres (which I can graze April - sept) there so 20 acres in all. It will make it nearly a thousand pound a year which is stupid money for to be honest crap grass. The only thing is grazing is few and far between here as horses are everywhere! They claim farm payments on the land too so I can’t do that. I just was wanted a bit of an idea to go to them with and say there a bit pricy. Sorry for the long winded post!! 
Title: Re: Grazing prices
Post by: juliem on March 28, 2018, 10:45:20 pm
If single farm payment is phased out then you will find your rent doubling.Maintaining land does not come cheap. ...fencing/ditching/hedging/automatic water/forestry/spraying/insurance farm buildings/drainage./vermin control....esp moles.And that's before you try to improve the pasture.

Title: Re: Grazing prices
Post by: juliem on March 28, 2018, 10:50:45 pm
If you can offer any of the above skills then you maybe able to negotiate with the rent.Goodluck
Title: Re: Grazing prices
Post by: Tim W on March 29, 2018, 07:28:18 am
If single farm payment is phased out then you will find your rent doubling.Maintaining land does not come cheap. ...fencing/ditching/hedging/automatic water/forestry/spraying/insurance farm buildings/drainage./vermin control....esp moles.And that's before you try to improve the pasture.

Rent is set by supply and demand ----i will only pay what i have to whilst still maintaining a profit and on that basis the removal of basic payments (an immoral rewarding of land ownership) will have very little effect on the price i pay
If the market price for lamb increases then landlords may be able to squeeze more rent, conversely if the lamb price reduces the rental value could fall