Christmas_Kate
Well-Known Member
I didnt notice you had queried me feeding haylege to sheep......... personally I don't, as I don't have any sheep....
Over priced hay
- Thread starter nuffield
- Start date
D
Donkeymad
Guest
I apologise on that score, I misinterpreted this
[ QUOTE ]
Ours is partially dried and fed to sheep too.
[/ QUOTE ] I didn't think you had sheep.
[ QUOTE ]
Ours is partially dried and fed to sheep too.
[/ QUOTE ] I didn't think you had sheep.
kerilli
Well-Known Member
umm, got a christmas card from a farmer friend of mine from Gloucester today, which said "we lost all our hay in the floods"... no wonder it's expensive this year.
since i have 5 very obvious horses and no sheep, i don't think my local farmer would believe i wanted his hay for sheep! he'd just tag me as a liar and charge me even more!
i agree with the comment about how much effort it is to make small bales, + if you add in the risk of it not being good (and therefore will usually be replaced/refunded), plus handled at least twice (from field to barn, from barn to me) i think i'm doing well to get good stuff for £3 a bale, and don't begrudge a penny of it!
since i have 5 very obvious horses and no sheep, i don't think my local farmer would believe i wanted his hay for sheep! he'd just tag me as a liar and charge me even more!
i agree with the comment about how much effort it is to make small bales, + if you add in the risk of it not being good (and therefore will usually be replaced/refunded), plus handled at least twice (from field to barn, from barn to me) i think i'm doing well to get good stuff for £3 a bale, and don't begrudge a penny of it!
Christmas_Kate
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I apologise on that score, I misinterpreted this
[ QUOTE ]
Ours is partially dried and fed to sheep too.
[/ QUOTE ] I didn't think you had sheep.
[/ QUOTE ]
If they'd been my sheep it would have read " and we feed it to our sheep".
I apologise on that score, I misinterpreted this
[ QUOTE ]
Ours is partially dried and fed to sheep too.
[/ QUOTE ] I didn't think you had sheep.
[/ QUOTE ]
If they'd been my sheep it would have read " and we feed it to our sheep".
GreedyGuts
Well-Known Member
Farm workers do have a higher minimum wage that is set by the agricultural wages board which predates the national minimum wage. Basically this is to ensure that farm workers are treated fairly and paid in line with their skills. It even specifies how much a shepherd should be paid for their dog.
However, there are plenty of farm owners who are not earning the wage that they pay their workers because of the low value of farm produce.
Baled haylage and silage are the same thing, although generally silage/haylage for sheep and horses is made a bit drier than that made for cattle. Clamp silage is a bit different and you wouldn't want to feed that to horses.
However, there are plenty of farm owners who are not earning the wage that they pay their workers because of the low value of farm produce.
Baled haylage and silage are the same thing, although generally silage/haylage for sheep and horses is made a bit drier than that made for cattle. Clamp silage is a bit different and you wouldn't want to feed that to horses.
Flame_
Well-Known Member
Basic rules of competition apply to the price of hay. As long as plenty of farmers are producing it, which there are because whatever they say it is profitable or they wouldn't do it, us consumers will buy from reliable suppliers, the best quality hay at the most competitive price. Some farmers like to cry its not fair all the time, and its not, but its life and none of us horse owners have the spare cash to start giving out to you as charity. Be efficient, competitive and your a winner, if you can't, stop moaning and do a different job.
Shilasdair
Patting her thylacine
[ QUOTE ]
Basic rules of competition apply to the price of hay. As long as plenty of farmers are producing it, which there are because whatever they say it is profitable or they wouldn't do it, us consumers will buy from reliable suppliers, the best quality hay at the most competitive price. Some farmers like to cry its not fair all the time, and its not, but its life and none of us horse owners have the spare cash to start giving out to you as charity. Be efficient, competitive and your a winner, if you can't, stop moaning and do a different job.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well said. Farmers never complained about unfairness when they were getting subsidies for set aside etc.... I don't know why they should be exempt from market forces.
S
Basic rules of competition apply to the price of hay. As long as plenty of farmers are producing it, which there are because whatever they say it is profitable or they wouldn't do it, us consumers will buy from reliable suppliers, the best quality hay at the most competitive price. Some farmers like to cry its not fair all the time, and its not, but its life and none of us horse owners have the spare cash to start giving out to you as charity. Be efficient, competitive and your a winner, if you can't, stop moaning and do a different job.
[/ QUOTE ]
Well said. Farmers never complained about unfairness when they were getting subsidies for set aside etc.... I don't know why they should be exempt from market forces.
S
Rachel_M
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Basic rules of competition apply to the price of hay. As long as plenty of farmers are producing it, which there are because whatever they say it is profitable or they wouldn't do it, us consumers will buy from reliable suppliers, the best quality hay at the most competitive price. Some farmers like to cry its not fair all the time, and its not, but its life and none of us horse owners have the spare cash to start giving out to you as charity. Be efficient, competitive and your a winner, if you can't, stop moaning and do a different job.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes. I completely agree.
Basic rules of competition apply to the price of hay. As long as plenty of farmers are producing it, which there are because whatever they say it is profitable or they wouldn't do it, us consumers will buy from reliable suppliers, the best quality hay at the most competitive price. Some farmers like to cry its not fair all the time, and its not, but its life and none of us horse owners have the spare cash to start giving out to you as charity. Be efficient, competitive and your a winner, if you can't, stop moaning and do a different job.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes. I completely agree.
mememe
Well-Known Member
our farmer was very good this year. last year we payed £150 for 100 bales this year we payed £400 for 100 bales (
), however the farmer said we could have credit in bales if prices came down after expecting a poor crop!
cloppy
Well-Known Member
as a small example if you had a 3 acre field and got 100 bales an acre = 300 bales then sold them for £4 a bale that gives you £1200. You then have to deduct your costs for making the hay. If you rented your 3 acres out to 3 horse owners for £15 per week this gives you £2340 with virtually no work for the land owner.