Author Topic: Transporting sheep long distances (Read 2165 times)

Shnoowie · « **on:** February 17, 2020, 07:26:06 pm »

Hello everyone

We're in the process of buying some sheep in Aberdeen and they will need moving to Cornwall - not quite John O'Groats to Lands End, but not far off!

So far we've been quoted £600+ to get them to where they need to be...this is more than we've spent on the sheep!

Does anyone have any suggestions of how we may be able to transport our 5 new woolly friends in a more financially economical way? We're not adverse to driving ourselves but due to the distance need to work out number of stops, duration of the journey and the feasibility of it. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions?

harmony · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2020, 07:42:26 pm »

It used to be a £ per mile so that sounds about right. Collecting yourself you would be over the 8 hour travel time so would need to factor in water/feed stops. Being realistic you are going to need to stop yourself.

What are you buying that you couldn't source closer to home?

Shnoowie · « **Reply #2 on:** February 17, 2020, 07:46:11 pm »

We've got some Bowmonts coming from a breeder in Scotland. We have bought stock more locally to us (still a long way away!) but there are very few flocks, and even fewer that are selling. We also wanted to make sure that we had bloodlines that were as distant as possible from any flocks that might be local to make things a little easier when it comes to buying stock later down the line.

harmony · « **Reply #3 on:** February 17, 2020, 08:00:31 pm »

Ah. All I can suggest is you put out as many messages as possible asking if anyone is travelling south from Aberdeen with livestock who might be able to bring them down for you. Even part way. And then you could share the cost.

shep53 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 17, 2020, 08:36:45 pm »

Phone Aberdeen & northern marts to get a contact for hauliers maybe moving killing sheep down to welsh abattoirs who may be willing to move them if the supplier can get them to the mart

Buttermilk · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2020, 08:37:20 am »

Give yourselves a weekend or mid week break and drive up one day and home the next.

shep53 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2020, 09:04:52 am »

IF driving yourself just make sure you have the correct breakdown cover for a trailer full of sheep

henchard · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2020, 09:47:54 am »

Aberdeen to Cornwall is around 650 miles so a 1300 mile round trip. A reasonable sized vehicle pulling a trailer would cost in the region of 50 to 80p per mile I would estimate from online sources. That doesn't include breaks, refreshments and stopovers etc.

Thus £600 or so looks quite reasonable from where I'm sitting.

twizzel · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2020, 12:00:51 pm »

It would be worth noting that technically in order to transport livestock over 60km you need to do a certificate of competence and have type 1 or 2 authorisation (1 for under 8hrs, 2 for over). A lot of smallholders wiggle out of it saying they are not a business but with this distance I’m not sure you’d be able to. We got pulled up when we returned a ram we borrowed back to his owner 4 hours away. I’d either let a transporter bring them down or look for some sheep closer to home!

Shnoowie · « **Reply #9 on:** February 25, 2020, 08:33:52 am »

Thank you everyone, you've been really helpful - you're all part of this wondering mine of information!

I had forgotten about the licence side of things; we certainly don't have one and technically we are trying to make a business of this, so hauliers at least part way are probably the way forward.

Fingers crossed!