[Lizzy2]

Can someone give me an idea please about how much I should pay for the use of a tup?  I have six ewes ready and I was thinking five weeks for the tup to be with the ewes. 

Thank you
Lizzy

[sheeponthebrain]

If its from a neighbour then, a bottle of alcohol usually covers it. but if it's someone you don't know I'd have a guess at about £40.  but,  It really depends on whether  the tup was kept specifically to hire out or if the owner is also using him when he's returned

[Womble]

I'd work backwards - how much would it cost you to buy that quality of tup (divide by four say, to get a yearly cost), and then to keep him fed and watered for a year?


Then what percentage of his total year's workload are you giving him? Let's say it's a third.  So then divide the number you first thought of by three, and that's a fair price. Anything else is down to how well you negotiate!!

[Penninehillbilly]

If owner has finished with him he'll probably be glad of one less to feed. (If you know each other well enough)
I borrowed one for 6 weeks and she insisted she didn't want anything, he did eat a lot !
I Suppose it depends on quality of tup, think about price per ewe ?
£30-40 Sounds good :-).

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I would say it all depends on breed, how good the tup is etc, etc. The better the ram the more the services will cost. If the owner is a friend then price is negotiable. I would say £40 is both ample and reasonable seeing you will have to feed/shelter/water him yourself.

[harmony]

Also discuss if he is insured and what happens if he dies whilst at yours

[Penninehillbilly]

Also discuss if he is insured and what happens if he dies whilst at yours

Good point, I was told not to worry if 'our boy' died, i can imagine how my face dropped :-), she then explained he was fully insured. I had immediately thought he was about to drop down dead. He was a big hungry zwarble. Nearly ate us out of house and home :-).

[Foobar]

I have charged £5 per live lamb born.

[twizzel]

The ram we borrowed normal terms is £5 per lamb born, dead or alive. Be sure that he is wormed and free of external parasites before coming onto your holding- ours had cydectin before he came and combinex when he left.

[TheSmilingSheep]

Really interesting.  We used our own ram lamb this year but in the past I've been paying £10 per ewe covered - for a registered ram.  May need to start negotiating!

[DavidandCollette]

Paying for a tup with hay. Will also buy him a pint (farmer, not the tup)

[Dans]

We were going to buy a ram lamb but the owner said he is a smaller than he would like so loaned us daddy for free as long as we feed him until March-ish.

Dans

[daveh]

I pay £5 per ewe.

David

[pharnorth]

I think I paid about £40 last night year pedigree ram, unproven. Arrangement was I paid any vets bills while he was with me. Good arrangement and I was very happy with it.  This year I have a few more ewes and have bought my own.

[DartmoorLiz]

I was in a tight spot a couple of years ago having bought a ram who only liked his own kind.  Luckily a neighbour had finished with his ram for the year and lent him to me for £2 per ewe = £50 altogether.