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Author Topic: How much should shearing cost?  (Read 7903 times)

Donska

  • Joined Apr 2019
How much should shearing cost?
« on: May 03, 2019, 05:26:27 pm »
I've got a small flock (8) and live in Kent.  Last year a friend sheared them (rather badly, poor things looked a bit wonky by the end) and I'm trying to find someone to shear them this year.  I found the number of a guy online and he says it's £60 a sheep.  That seems really steep.  Or is that the going rate for a small flock?

Thanks

CarolineJ

  • Joined Dec 2015
  • North coast of Scotland
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2019, 06:43:21 pm »
That sounds like a set-up fee rather than per sheep - round here, some of the shearers charge a set-up fee of £50-60 and then £1 or so per sheep.   

nessjw

  • Joined Jun 2010
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2019, 07:33:44 pm »

Hi, I also live in Kent.  My small flock of Hampshire's cost me approx. £2.50 a sheep, I wasn't
charged a 'set up' fee....I was quite surprised how cheap it was especially woolly sheep, so I asked if
they wanted to do a foot trim, then bunged them a bit on top...The guy last year was advertised in the Wealden, he was brilliant.

Donska

  • Joined Apr 2019
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2019, 08:27:09 pm »
Oh now I feel like a fool - the guy said £60 and I thought that was per sheep as I couldn't work out what else it might mean!  So he'll charge a set up fee and then a fee per sheep?  Thank goodness for this website... ;D

macgro7

  • Joined Feb 2016
  • Leicester
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2019, 09:26:18 pm »
Oh now I feel like a fool - the guy said £60 and I thought that was per sheep as I couldn't work out what else it might mean!  So he'll charge a set up fee and then a fee per sheep?  Thank goodness for this website... ;D
Better make sure with him before he comes
Growing loads of fruits and vegetables! Raising dairy goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits on 1/2 acre in the middle of the city of Leicester, using permaculture methods.

Southern Northerner

  • Joined Jun 2017
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2019, 06:39:53 pm »
The numbers quoted feel about right to me.  We recently had to get our flock of 10 (mainly Ryelands) done quickly because of flystrike.  I agreed £60 with the shearer but was so pleased with his work I gave him £80.  Some hoof trimming was also done.

crobertson

  • Joined Sep 2015
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2019, 10:09:46 pm »
Last year we got charged about £40 for 14. We gave him £50 plus a few beers :)

PipKelpy

  • Joined Mar 2019
  • North Shropshire
  • Dreamer with Mary, (cow) and sheep.
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2019, 04:58:18 am »
Shearer i used to use, charged £40 for setup then £1 per ewe, £2 per tup. Which was fine, didnt have a problem with it. However, my brother in law started doing them for me as the shearer couldnt come when we had bad flystrike on some Greyfaced Dartmoors in 2006 and we were stuck. He said, "I can do it, i'll borrow a machine." Which he did, and then he said, "you buy the kit, i'll do the whole flock!" We bought the 12 volt full time shearing set up from Horner and have never looked back. He's used it to shear his flock that he got a few years later and to shear mine as and when the ewes have needed it (and lambs!) We've had maggots as early as April and as late as October so the machine has more than paid for itself.
Halter train the cattle to keep them quiet but watch your back when they come a'bulling! Give them all names even those you plan to eat. Always be calm. Most importantly, invest in wellies with steel toe caps and be prepared for the clever cow who knows where the toe caps end!!

Terry T

  • Joined Sep 2014
  • Norfolk
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #8 on: May 09, 2019, 10:09:29 pm »
We pay £40 for 3 wethers with feet and a Crovect treatment thrown in.

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2019, 09:48:45 am »
I pay £75 for 30 ewes and 2 rams, in west Wales

Twotwo

  • Joined Aug 2015
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2019, 04:23:38 pm »
I pay £45 + £1.50 per sheep including rams.
17 to shear, he travels 20 miles to me and helps with pushing them through race etc ... good value for his time.

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #11 on: May 10, 2019, 05:05:22 pm »
£50 for my lot being done on Monday. 17 ewes 2 rams

Donska

  • Joined Apr 2019
Re: How much should shearing cost?
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2019, 10:40:31 am »
He came last Friday £60 for 8. He was great and covers a big area in the South East. if anyone wants his number I have it.

 

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