The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Me on June 15, 2015, 03:34:24 pm
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Hello, anyone who has paid for shearing this year or has other insight could you tell me what you were charged in total and what for eg. rams/ewes/longwools etc PM Me if you wish. TIA Me
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I had 7 Ryelands done. The shearer hated them as they have wool on their teeth :roflanim:
There were 4 shearlings, 2 ewes and one tup.
He charges £1.75 per head. I gave him £30 and a 4-pack of cold beer. He's been good to us with our sheep.
I think a minimum charge is reasonable to account for your travelling, setting up etc.
Last year he alos did a stripe around the lambs bottoms and checked everyone's feet too.
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My team charged £25 set up and £1 per sheep which I thought was reasonable. (Llanwenogs also have wool everywhere!)
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We had 25 (I think it was 25) shetland ewes sheared last year -- the shearer tried to charge us £20 but we made him take £40. I don't think he took it seriously as a job compared to the big stuff, just a friendly way to spend an afternoon and handle some unusual (to him) sheep. Plus he only lives about 3 miles from us.
If I didn't have the entertaining neighbour discount available, I think I'd be willing to pay up to £3/sheep, for someone I thought was good and who would come to me, plus I agree a minimum charge would be reasonable.
Also, to be honest, I would pay more for a shearer who I knew also just happened to be a veterinarian, because I'd figure that if he saw anything concerning while handling each and every one of my sheep, he'd let me know ;)
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£60 for 21 BWMs, incl. two rams. Very professional job.
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£65 for 20 Ryelands.
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The going rate in this part of Wales is £1.00 to £1.30 a head. There may be a small set up/travel costs for very small flocks as well (one guy has £50 minimum charge).
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A neighbour, who is also a contract shearer does mine. I only have 6. He asked for £10 last year but it seemed too low to me for his time and effort so I gave him £15. I suspect it will be the same this year. currently waiting for him to do them.
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We paid 80 pounds for 43 Shetlands, some of which were distinctively wriggley... not a single nick on any of them and good banter thrown in too. Our shearer comes with his own holding pen ( a nifty trailer where the wheels come off) and helps with the ONE sheep that will not come into the enclosure, as he brings his own dog...
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£50 for 13 Zwartbles (1 shearling tup, 9 ewes and 3 gimmers - £40 would have probably been acceptable (My shearer won't ever say how much he wants it's 'up to you'. Think it does him well as the type of client he has are more likely to worry about overpaying than underpaying and are grateful to have someone who is willing to do a small flock).
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:thinking:
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:thinking: ???
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We're in Hampshire, were charged £80 for 15 sheep. She's got one of those nifty trailer things too. She's fairly local, very calm and professional so I was happy to pay it (only four were mine).
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Ok, it seems I'm not too scandalously expensive then :relief:, thanks for all the replies!
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The biggest problem is not the prices but just finding someone who will do small flocks! (and who is not ridiculously hard to get scheduled in cos they are so busy) :)
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We are charged £1.00 per sheep and £2.00 for rams, for about 70 med to large sheep. Always give an extra £10 or so towards some beers.
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Last year I was charged the commercial sheep fleeces for his wool sack and I kept the coloured ones, :innocent: , I think he did 12.
This year he only had 4 to do that I couldn't manage.
I made the mistake of telling him how much a bowmont fleece was worth so he thinks he should get paid extra for a posh ram and a shetland and castlemilk that he has to kneel down to reach. :roflanim:
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Me I think you should go "on tour" ! Fancy doing 100 ish ewes in the Yorkshire Dales?
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Yes! You cover the fuel and I will be there! Yorkshire here we come! Can I bring Taff?
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Gosh, I'm too shy to admit what we pay....more than you lot! But he has to bring a generator, and he fits our small flock into his schedule to suit us, and not a nick in sight (which is worth many pounds to me!)....
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Brendon, Your shearer was worth every penny - the sheep looked fabulous and not a trace of purple to be seen :thumbsup:
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Well in the interests of fairness I will admit what I have been charging. £30 travel (big truck, trailer, heavy hurdles shearing gate etc) £1.50 for the first ten then £1 there after (unless they are thin/sticky, hairy, horned, long tailed, daggy and wild when it stays at £1.50!).... But if it comes to less than £40 I've charged £40 min.
There - outrageous. Yet strangely I am not a rich man... :thinking: How people charge less I don't know! They must just be a lot quicker than I am (entirely possible!)
So Old Shep yours would work out at approx £1.35 a head..... those of you with two approx. £20 a head!
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I paid £40 for my 4 sheep to be sheared. This included his travel, setting up, time to do them etc. He was very kind and gentle with them and no need for blue spray at all. I know that doing small numbers of sheep is a bit of a pain for some shearers but he does this specifically and I was very grateful to have someone who was nice to my sheep! Worth every penny for me.
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I'm in North Dorset, paid £50 to get him here ( same for the last 6yrs) then for 7 , 1 ram 1 ram's friend !! And 5 wooly ewes total was £76 , so I assume £2 per ewe and £3 per male !! It's difficult getting someone who is willing to do small numbers.
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My shearer hand shears my cotswolds for the practice!! he enters competitions for hand shearing and says if he can make a good job of my cotswolds then he makes a superb job of an average fleeced ewe. Most of the ewes go to sleep during the process.it seems to have a calming effect. (we had to wake one up to get her to shift). Didn't want any money but I gave him £30 for a new pair of shears. Only a few nicks but super glued back together!!!
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I only have a small flock of mainly Gotlands, and the old Shetland boy. He is going to charge me £40......and has now informed me he will either need electric or bring a generator.
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"ME on tour"!!!!
My god, Bruce Springsteen, eat your heart out! :eyelashes:
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My shearer hand shears my cotswolds for the practice!!
A dangerous man!
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£1 per ewe and free worm drench for the lambs.
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A bit more information would be helpful for comparison purposes Castle Farm if possible; ref. £1 a sheep plus a free drench - I have four teaser rams on a field somewhere I haven't done yet, will he come and do them for me and throw in a free drench for £4?
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Hi everyone
I have 22 Ryelands and the shearers hate them best price at the mo is £150 and then you agree and they then don't turn up..... Any recommendations
I live on Isle of Anglesey
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Hi James, I can't justify driving up just for yours, if there was enough interest from other TASers along the Welsh coast from Me to you I would happily do a little road trip. Otherwise sadly most of the £150 would go through the truck. Its a double shame as I'm picking up a new shearing pen today and want to try it out :thumbsup:
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For our big day (in the region of 1100 ewes, we pay 90p/sheep, plus £10/hr for an assistant to roll wool, stitch and label bags etc. They charge double for tups. That will be next week.
I wanted my Kerry Hills done sooner for showing, and the shetlands were done at the same time as they live together, the gang we get for the big day won't come for that number (about 40) so I got someone more local, he charged £2/sheep.