Wages for a Farm Assistant

ellinguistico

Folks,

Trying to give someone a steer. What would you pay someone wanted to calf down a herd of 90 cows and milk for 9-12 months starting in the beginning of January. 40 Yearlings, 23 Bullocks in addition?

4 bedroom house available for them to live if they required.

kevthegaff

25-30k id imagine

rangler1

It would depend on terms and conditions, who's milking at weekends and what hours are expected during the calving season....he'd need to be very specific or he'd be strangled

3 the square

50 k i would say 7 day week job with night calving etc big hour's to work every week person like that are almost unavailable and would get it lots of other places with that hours worked.

_Brian

3 the square wrote: »

50 k i would say 7 day week job with night calving etc big hour's to work every week person like that are almost unavailable and would get it lots of other places with that hours worked.

Would the business support that and still give the owner a return ??

3 the square

Good question a pal of mine had to go for major heart surgery in mater hospital did his sums on farm manger for best part of a year ended up selling the cows and incalf heifers and will restock when he recovers bit drastic people might say but sums didnt add up plus surgeon said the last thing he needs with major surgery is agro.

davidk1394

Is it a farm assistant you want or a manager ?? big difference between the two. An assistant helps with the work load but your still there managing the farm day by day. €10/hour is what i get into my hand when I'm working with one lad i do work for during the spring. If it's a manager you want you'd probably be looking at 40k or so for a good lad.

rangler1

_Brian wrote: »

Would the business support that and still give the owner a return ??

Owners obviously testing the market, he can decide when he sees what's available.
Up to everyone to do their own best deal, sounds like a job there won't be a queue for if it's 7day 80 hr weeks

dar31

35k for a averaged 5 day week over the year. For a good assistant manager/ young manager. 20 days paid holidays.

_Brian

rangler1 wrote: »

Owners obviously testing the market, he can decide when he sees what's available.
Up to everyone to do their own best deal, sounds like a job there won't be a queue for if it's 7day 80 hr weeks

I'm not doubting the work is there to deserve the pay and it would take a fair bit of skill which has to be paid for.
Still, I didn't think that enterprise would support paying €50k wages and areturn for the employer.

Mooooo

3 the square wrote: »

Good question a pal of mine had to go for major heart surgery in mater hospital did his sums on farm manger for best part of a year ended up selling the cows and incalf heifers and will restock when he recovers bit drastic people might say but sums didnt add up plus surgeon said the last thing he needs with major surgery is agro.

Insurance? You can get insurance to cover a certain period but then again it may not be long enough to cover most of a year

liam7831

kevthegaff wrote: »

25-30k id imagine

I think he means for the year 2017, not 1917.

J.O. Farmer

Mooooo wrote: »

Insurance? You can get insurance to cover a certain period but then again it may not be long enough to cover most of a year

I think you would need to have it before whatever condition caused you to need the surgery though.

Keepgrowing

3 the square wrote: »

50 k i would say 7 day week job with night calving etc big hour's to work every week person like that are almost unavailable and would get it lots of other places with that hours worked.

50k with a house to milk 80-90 cows?

Muckit

The worker could be earning more than the farmer!!

rangler1

Muckit wrote: »

The worker could be earning more than the farmer!!

Not really the workers problem, he's looking to tie the worker a lot if he wants him to take responsibility 24/7,
Heard today on the radio that a young guard gets about 30,000/yr starting so I suppose you could start there for 40 hr/wks and on a clock after hrs.

Mooooo

OP hasn't specified if it's a manager or worker he/she requires

3 the square

See an add recentaily for a person to calve cows and feed calves etc from 9 at nite till 6 in morning 6 nites a week for few months what kind of money would person want for that ?put fair hole in the 50 k i would think.

Bass Reeves

rangler1 wrote: »

Not really the workers problem, he's looking to tie the worker a lot if he wants him to take responsibility 24/7,
Heard today on the radio that a young guard gets about 30,000/yr starting so I suppose you could start there for 40 hr/wks and on a clock after hrs.

It would depend on where in the country it is located. If it is located in an area where local work is scace then such labour will be cheaper than if adjacent to Cork city or Kilkenny. House not much of a benefit unless you get a worker that has a family that are in rented accommodation. From original post OP may be planning on traveling and trying to keep business intact for his return so a profit after hiring manager may not be an issue.

What it will cost is anyone's guess but even for a younger farm manager looking for experience on his CV will cost up to 50k to manage such an operation. Real issue is what is the backup plan in case something happens such as an accident to manager or if he up and leaves after 3-4 month's. The other big issue is to source the right applicant. If it is only short-term for 12 months then cost is immaterial as long as business is returned in as good or better shape to owner. He is looking for some one to run a business with a turnover of maybe 250k

Water John

Might work best to strip out the extras. Sell the bullocks and yearlings.
Just make it a cow and calf operation for the year. Ease pressure on stocking and the hired labour.

trixi2011

3 the square wrote: »

See an add recentaily for a person to calve cows and feed calves etc from 9 at nite till 6 in morning 6 nites a week for few months what kind of money would person want for that ?put fair hole in the 50 k i would think.

id imagine that job would be very seasonal and maybe only available for the busiest weeks of calving

Waffletraktor

Keepgrowing wrote: »

50k with a house to milk 80-90 cows?

You'll pay that for fulltimers here who dont need their hands held and can tie their own shoelaces. As in can sort an issue, do the job and deviate from the plan without needing to be told if needs be.
Between council tax/wages/phones/insurances/pensions and overtime on top if exceed 'x' hours per year.

trixi2011

Waffletraktor wrote: »

Keepgrowing wrote: »

50k with a house to milk 80-90 cows?

You'll pay that for fulltimers here who dont need their hands held and can tie their own shoelaces. As in can sort an issue, do the job and deviate from the plan without needing to be told if needs be.
Between council tax/wages/phones/insurances/pensions and overtime on top if exceed 'x' hours per year.

Would you go away out of that not many lads working on 90 cow farm been offered that sort of money and a house.

Waffletraktor

trixi2011 wrote: »

Would you go away out of that not many lads working on 90 cow farm been offered that sort of money and a house.

And that's sterling, to keep experienced guys from leaving to jobs for less hours outside of agriculture/more family time.

trixi2011

Waffletraktor wrote: »

trixi2011 wrote: »

Would you go away out of that not many lads working on 90 cow farm been offered that sort of money and a house.

And that's sterling, to keep experienced guys from leaving to jobs for less hours outside of agriculture/more family time.

Wouldn't get that up here anyway location must have some bering on them wages

Water John

The Euro west of the Shannon might be a stronger currency.

Person is being asked to take over, lock, stock and barrel. Presidents of the IFA valued that at about €70K.

kevthegaff

liam7831 wrote:

I think he means for the year 2017, not 1917.

Farm helper I assumed! Pay 10 e an hr here during spring and 40-50 per milking. These are part - time rates

kevthegaff

liam7831 wrote:

I think he means for the year 2017, not 1917.

Some money back in the day!

Who2

50k on a ninty cow herd, I'm not that into dairy but but say there's 800 profit per cow on a well run show that's 73k minus the 50 it's leaving 23k for the farmer now take of the value of the house at maybe 7k if the worker has to pay his own esb water, etc that's leaving 16k for the farmer so he would want one he'll of a single farm payment, glas and disadvantage for it to be worth the farmers time hiring this lad.

Waffletraktor

trixi2011 wrote: »

Wouldn't get that up here anyway location must have some bering on them wages

45mins to london on train, 3 cities and 5 large towns within 30 mins via car. Around Cambridgeshire alone there is something like 40k new homes either started or planned in the next few years. Just off the A1. Jobs on sites for abit less money but much less/more regular hours.
The local John deere dealer lost their parts dept manager before harvest to a car dealership for same money but 40hr week rather than what evers required like before.
Are you in Cumbria or even further from civilisation again ?

_Brian

Waffletraktor wrote: »

45mins to london on train, 3 cities and 5 large towns within 30 mins via car. Around Cambridgeshire alone there is something like 40k new homes either started or planned in the next few years. Just off the A1. Jobs on sites for abit less money but much less/more regular hours.
The local John deere dealer lost their parts dept manager before harvest to a car dealership for same money but 40hr week rather than what evers required like before.
Are you in Cumbria or even further from civilisation again ?

I took a fair pay cut myself few years ago and it was all about working hours for me... With two kids I just wanted to be home more and available at social hours for proper family time..

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, and worse, a stranger to his kids !!

kevthegaff

80-90 cow herd with good facilities, apart from calving, a few hrs during the day could be withheld for a siesta or a few pints.. also lower cost of living in the countryside, and less commuting in general

conditioned games

Given it's an unskilled job with no education required I would say 25k a year

Water John

WTF, fully managing and working a farm operation is a very skilled job.
Both making the decisions and doing the work.

A general operative in a LA starts at €25K.

Panch18

Judging by some of the wages being bandied about here most would be better off getting rid of their own cows, go work for a dairy farmer and lease their home place tax free

J.O. Farmer

Water John wrote: »

The Euro west of the Shannon might be a stronger currency.

Person is being asked to take over, lock, stock and barrel. Presidents of the IFA valued that at about €70K.

Reading between the lines it sounds like a farm manager but the title is farm assistant. If you took it as described just calving the cows and milking it's very different to a farm manager.
A farm manager like the IFA are paying for is responsible for all decisions regarding every aspect of the business whereas calving cows and milking the assistant isn't responsible for say getting cows back in calf or grassland management or any of the documentation.

kevthegaff

Have a feeling the op was offered a job as a farm hand..

Water John

That's not how his opener reads.

barnaman

http://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/know-what-the-agricultural-wage-is-for-farm-workers/#

of some interest. knows lads with workmen and they pay them the min. wage; with employer PRSI, sick leave and paternity leave now on the cards not possible to pay anymore to them.
















prsi

_Brian

conditioned games wrote: »

Given it's an unskilled job with no education required I would say 25k a year

I'd find that a very odd perspective...
This isnt an ad for some guy to dung out sheds or a jock to draw silage from a harvester for the summer..

To do this well would take a fair bit of skill, knowledge and dedication.. While it may not specify an education base, it entails alot of hours of hard graft and there is no reason these hours aren't valued..

Having a bit of paper in your back pocket isn't the only value a man has, I've worked with plenty of degree holders who wouldn't have hands to wipe their assses..

conditioned games

_Brian wrote: »

I'd find that a very odd perspective...
This isnt an ad for some guy to dung out sheds or a jock to draw silage from a harvester for the summer..

To do this well would take a fair bit of skill, knowledge and dedication.. While it may not specify an education base, it entails alot of hours of hard graft and there is no reason these hours aren't valued..

Having a bit of paper in your back pocket isn't the only value a man has, I've worked with plenty of degree holders who wouldn't have hands to wipe their assses..

It takes dedication but that can be said for any job where an employee gives up their time in return for pay. The skills of the job can be picked up within a week, it's really not complicated.

It's easy to try and belittle a degree holder but what I'm getting at is there is very little barriers to entry into this type of job. Given anybody can do the job with the right mind set and commitment a 25k salary is reasonable especially when you consider the free movement of labour in the EU.

welton john

conditioned games wrote: »

It takes dedication but that can be said for any job where an employee gives up their time in return for pay. The skills of the job can be picked up within a week, it's really not complicated.

It's easy to try and belittle a degree holder but what I'm getting at is there is very little barriers to entry into this type of job. Given anybody can do the job with the right mind set and commitment a 25k salary is reasonable especially when you consider the free movement of labour in the EU.

A week to learn the does and donts of calving cows, rearing calves, spotting sick/mastitis cows, heats, grass management the list is endless . It takes years of experience to be fully capable in these not to mind all the regs and paperwork. Crawl back under that rock lad

Sam Kade

conditioned games wrote: »

Given it's an unskilled job with no education required I would say 25k a year

Sure, what skills would you need for calving and milking cows? Anyone can do it :rolleyes:

kevthegaff

So what do u pay for someone with no experience

whelan2

Sam Kade wrote: »

Sure, what skills would you need for calving and milking cows? Anyone can do it :rolleyes:

That reminds me of a lad who rang up about a job I had advertised he had no experience on a farm but said if you are able to do it it will be no problem to me !

9935452

_Brian wrote: »

I'd find that a very odd perspective...
This isnt an ad for some guy to dung out sheds or a jock to draw silage from a harvester for the summer..

To do this well would take a fair bit of skill, knowledge and dedication.. While it may not specify an education base, it entails alot of hours of hard graft and there is no reason these hours aren't valued..

Having a bit of paper in your back pocket isn't the only value a man has, I've worked with plenty of degree holders who wouldn't have hands to wipe their assses..

It might sound strange but i would consider drawing silage to be a skilled job.
Machinery has gone so exoensive and big , it has to be . A local contractor took on a few new lads last year, all i can say is 2 trailers overturned , broken overhead wires, replacement floatation tyres when caught on heel irons and time spent pulling them out when stuck/burried.

But i do agree completely with you with the rest.
A mans time has to be valued.
I think part of the problem here is farming doesnt pay a farmer well enough for the amount of hours he puts in . Probably not even getting minimum wage. Then they want to hire some help and feel justified in paying even less then that.
Personally i believe you cant pay the worker enough if he is good at what he does. Lose a couple of cows at calving , milk with antibiotics ending up in the bulk tank etc and he becomes expensive for the wrong reasons,


Agree as well about having a degree not meaning much,
We recently had a multiple degree holder start with us. On paper better educated than the managers but is plain useless, Lacks the ability to use his hands to do practical work. we are constantly checking/redoing his work, it would be a lot less work if he wasnt there,

Bass Reeves

I have read OP's post again. It is hard to make out what he is looking for. While he says it is a farming assistant he is looking for, the way the post is worded it looks more like a farming manager or at least someone to run the place with minimum management input from someone else. It sounds more like a farm manager or an assistant farm manager.

If it is only a farm assistant then 11-12euro/hour may be the going rate if you can get some. However if you exceed 40 hours a week you are into OT rates that are governed by Agricultural labour laws. After 48 hours a week you are into other labour regulations. It may be easier to handle it as a farm manager contract

Calving 90 cows managing milkimgs, and calf rearing is a skill in its self. Add in a few drystock and maybe grassland management and you are looking at a lad that knows his way around a farm. It is worth noting that we now have virtually full employment and you really will want to be attracting a lad from another job. He will want a few bob more than he is earning already. Other than that you are looking at the scraping from the bottom of the barrel

Muckit

No better man than a farmer to put his hand in his pocket when he has money. Sad reality is that the returns aren't there sometimes to pay himself, let alone to take on a farm worker

I farm part time. On any given evening/weekend I am a manager, a herdsman, a dietician, a vet, a mechanic, an engineer, a builder, a plumber, an electrician, a machinery operator, a secretary, an accountant.

Yet I'd get it hard to pay myself the minimum wage!! To qualify as a farmer you also have to have 'the disease' and be a little bit mad it appears!

visatorro

I think 25k plus house is a very good starting point anyway. When prsi and bonus Is paid your hitting nearly 40k cost to employer. 500 disposal income after rent/mortgage is nothing to be sneered at. Obviously there's lads here paying guys fulltime here may have a better handle on costs but good help is not cheap but certainly value for money.

Water John

If the OP is taking a break, then he'll really have to pay top dollar to get someone in for 12 months. Simplifying the system, means it would be more realistic.
Not sure if it is the above why the worker should be subsidising the owner, which is what some are suggesting IMO.

davidk1394

visatorro wrote: »

I think 25k plus house is a very good starting point anyway. When prsi and bonus Is paid your hitting nearly 40k cost to employer. 500 disposal income after rent/mortgage is nothing to be sneered at. Obviously there's lads here paying guys fulltime here may have a better handle on costs but good help is not cheap but certainly value for money.

500 a week for a 7 days a week or around 60 hours isn't worth the hardship.