Farm Services Business

ford4610

Hi All,

I was thinking of setting up a business a long the lines of farm call out service in what I dont know, something like hoof trimming, AI, scanning etc.

Can people give me their opinions on what there would be a demand for, I don`t want to do something that there is already a lot of people doing.

Thanks.

PMU

relief milking at weekends

White Clover

You would get plenty work cleaning out Calf pens this time of year! Very little training required. Ai would be next easiest to master, hoof care and scanning would me much harder to master and in general you would want to be at it everyday for 2 or 3 years before you would be any good at it. Plenty of poor/mediocre lads doing them jobs as it is.

Timmaay

Demand depends purely on your locality, if there is a void there, or say the existing service is not adequate or too expensive. In terms of what service to pick, the economics of it, and how much money you can potentially make should be down the list to what you actually want to do, enjoy doing, and are good at! If your crap at hoof pairing it doesn't matter how much of a gap in the local market there is, you'll lose interest and you won't last long at it.

Nothing beats getting practical experience also, even if it's unpaid work, you'll quickly find out what you like and more importantly dont like doing, without having invested any capital. You'll also build up contacts this way, and get a decent insight into your potential market.

barnaman

AI cheapest to set up in and probably most money and easiest work wise and if you get good straws it will have a good demand. You need Dept approval to operate.

Scanning is a 10k investment and hard to get a name most lads let vet do it and put it on the bill.

Hooves plenty demand and work for good guys but hard work. Try pairing a LM 5 year old bull's hooves

whelan2

What about grass measuring service. Cant be too many at it. I think alot of people use the same reliable people for hoofcare/scanning etc

barnaman

Most farmers would measure own grass Whelan I reckon; its very easy.

Agree most lads sloe to change to a new lad esp for scanning

barnaman

http://www.grasstecgroup.com/agri-services/product/filips-electronic-folding-plate-meter/

Something for this months milk cheque

whelan2

barnaman wrote: »

Most farmers would measure own grass Whelan I reckon; its very easy.

Agree most lads sloe to change to a new lad esp for scanning

I get a lad in to measure mine. He does a good few other farms too. At least its done, if I have time I will go around with him ,or do it myself

pedigree 6

Help in filling out paperwork for Bord Bia inspections.
Most farmers by the nature of the work are hands on but run a mile from paperwork.

dar31

Dehirning. Weighing. Body condition scoring. Low set up costs. Finding a continously flow of work through the year in what's needed

Keepgrowing

Hoof trmming and dehorning, massive demand for both.

whelan2

How about offering a service of bringing calves to the mart for farmers. I know I dont have time to go at this time of year

ford4610

Hi Guys, thanks for the replies. Anything I can make money on I will do! :D

blue5000

Fencing maintenance could be another one, leaky JFC troughs could keep you busy too. Even dosing/vaccinating cattle or sheep, there would be a demand where labour is short. Great to see a lad with a bit of initiative.

50HX

weighing scales - weigh cattle ahead of transfers to the mart- farmer then can say a set price & you can sell for him/her - esp for part time farmers

BPS applications - ( you'd want to be v confident & capable though on this one)

BDGP Paperwork, AI advice

if you could make up/source chemcial stores/ medicine cabinets& Bord bia signs at a reasonable price (i'd buy from you:D)

build a reputation at low cost things and then maybe work your way to scanning etc

best of luck with it - great to see a bit of get up & go

davidk1394

Having a good reputation is key. Like previously said before relief milking and A.I would be a safe bet. Also if you like paper work there's plenty of that type of work to do on farms. There's an endless list of possibilities. There's a lot of fencing contractors around but the likes of quad spraying and weed wiping isn't as common. But it depends on what your budget is.

ford4610

50HX wrote: »

weighing scales - weigh cattle ahead of transfers to the mart- farmer then can say a set price & you can sell for him/her - esp for part time farmers

BPS applications - ( you'd want to be v confident & capable though on this one)

BDGP Paperwork, AI advice

if you could make up/source chemcial stores/ medicine cabinets& Bord bia signs at a reasonable price (i'd buy from you:D)

build a reputation at low cost things and then maybe work your way to scanning etc

best of luck with it - great to see a bit of get up & go

Hi 50HX,

Thanks for your thoughts. What are average size chemical cabinets selling for? Also signage prices?

50HX

ford4610 wrote: »

Hi 50HX,

Thanks for your thoughts. What are average size chemical cabinets selling for? Also signage prices?

small chemical cabinets are starting at 200, there's a JFC/similar larger one from 300 up - sickening prices for a plastic container

small signs from 15 and larger 25-30

have a look at the dept of agri website re requirements for chemical cabinets

ford4610

whelan2 wrote: »

I get a lad in to measure mine. He does a good few other farms too. At least its done, if I have time I will go around with him ,or do it myself

whelan2, what kinda money are lads charging for this service?

White Clover

The thing about offering these services is farmers will usually go for an experienced person. Unless you are experienced in whatever service you're offering, it could be a slow road to be on.

whelan2

ford4610 wrote: »

whelan2, what kinda money are lads charging for this service?

Pm sent

whelan2

Freeze branding would be another one, not sure if it was mentioned before

pedigree 6

Bejaysus I thought of a good one and I bet you would get work.:D

This is the ad.

"Person available to clean out dung from houses with a sprong.
I have my own sprong but charge per the hour not the job but I am a self motivated and diligent worker.

If interested contact 087 ..........."

Guaranteed employment.:p

50HX

pedigree 6 wrote: »

Bejaysus I thought of a good one and I bet you would get work.:D

This is the ad.

"Person available to clean out dung from houses with a sprong.
I have my own sprong but charge per the hour not the job but I am a self motivated and diligent worker.

If interested contact 087 ..........."

Guaranteed employment.:p

i'd be no good at that.....only know how to use a grape.......:D

ford4610

Lads, I was talking to a farmer with a good business head about providing a weighing service he said that there would be no demand as people with a biggish operation has there own scales..

huwboy

pedigree 6 wrote: »

Bejaysus I thought of a good one and I bet you would get work.:D

This is the ad.

"Person available to clean out dung from houses with a sprong.
I have my own sprong but charge per the hour not the job but I am a self motivated and diligent worker.

If interested contact 087 ..........."

Guaranteed employment.:p

Spent many a school holidays at that job! Toughest job on the farm i would say. If only i'd got paid for it, would be a millionaire by now!

ford4610

Any other ideas greatly appreciated.:D

_Brian

Pulling ragweed 😱😱

rangler1

ford4610 wrote: »

Hi All,

I was thinking of setting up a business a long the lines of farm call out service in what I dont know, something like hoof trimming, AI, scanning etc.

Can people give me their opinions on what there would be a demand for, I don`t want to do something that there is already a lot of people doing.

Thanks.

Sheep shearing. there's not enough of them around.....my shearer does 10000 sheep at €2.25 in about 3mth

J.O. Farmer

rangler1 wrote: »

Sheep shearing. there's not enough of them around.....my shearer does 10000 sheep at €2.25 in about 3mth

Good money but he's earned it. If he's not fit now he will be in 3 months.

Username John

rangler1 wrote: »

Sheep shearing. there's not enough of them around.....my shearer does 10000 sheep at €2.25 in about 3mth

How long would it take you to learn how to shear?
I can't, and don't want to learn how to, just wondering...

Tis tough work tho, I would agree that shearers earn their money...

rangler1

Username John wrote: »

How long would it take you to learn how to shear?
I can't, and don't want to learn how to, just wondering...

Tis tough work tho, I would agree that shearers earn their money...

Most do a two day course and and practise after that,,,,plenty of small flocks around to do the first year, like that it takes a while to build a business.

My shearer had to diversify in 2008 as he was in the joinery, the good money in the buildings is beckoning him back again now so how long he shears I don't know, He's 37 so he won't stick the pace of shearing he's at much longer

davidk1394

rangler1 wrote: »

Most do a two day course and and practise after that,,,,plenty of small flocks around to do the first year, like that it takes a while to build a business.

My shearer had to diversify in 2008 as he was in the joinery, the good money in the buildings is beckoning him back again now so how long he shears I don't know, He's 37 so he won't stick the pace of shearing he's at much longer

Its a tough job. Our shearer does shears in Ireland, Oz and Norway every year

tanko

Do those sheep shearers end up crippled after years at it?

rangler1

tanko wrote: »

Do those sheep shearers end up crippled after years at it?

Or fitter than anyone else, they need to mind themselves and keep fit during the off season....like any athlete really.
The Godfrey bowen method of shearing is a good technique

whelan2

My cousin travels the world shearing. Is based in Australia now. Has done very well financially out of it. He has 2 kids now so doesnt travel as far. He's 30& is a very hard worker

Icelandicseige

rangler1 wrote: »

Or fitter than anyone else, they need to mind themselves and keep fit during the off season....like any athlete really.
The Godfrey bowen method of shearing is a good technique

Have seen sheep shearing competitions and everyone one of them are going to have back problems at some stage..

The part time boy

Someone to come in and spray under fences . I think I pay someone to do that !

Track9

Massive demand in our parts for Quad Bike Operator , specially operating in wettish ground . Fert spreading , spraying ,reseeding .One needs a word on when the job will be done.Again well done on initiative , i doubt you will have idle day.

pedigree 6

Hoof pairer.
With expanding dairy herd unlimited work and good wages.

visatorro

Fabricator, general handy man. Iv concrete to pour, welding, gutters. Will never be done waiting for me.

Icelandicseige

Track9 wrote: »

Massive demand in our parts for Quad Bike Operator , specially operating in wettish ground . Fert spreading , spraying ,reseeding .One needs a word on when the job will be done.Again well done on initiative , i doubt you will have idle day.

How much would someone with there own quad and fert spreader charge for spreading ?

Track9

Price to hire a Quad with driver . This seems to mirror cost on JCB ( 25-30 ) Per Hour.

ford4610

A quad operating service seems to be low cost, I am paying 30 euro a hour to do spraying if you consider that compared to a digger which is around the same rate a hour your costs for a quad would be much lower.

ford4610

Track9 wrote: »

Massive demand in our parts for Quad Bike Operator , specially operating in wettish ground . Fert spreading , spraying ,reseeding .One needs a word on when the job will be done.Again well done on initiative , i doubt you will have idle day.

What part of the country are you in?

Track9

Am in Co Cork , the wetter part of it where Quads are favoured over heavy tractors

ford4610

Thanks for the ideas guys, still deciding on what to go with as I will need a constant flow of work.

Please keep the ideas coming!:D:D

The part time boy

Would u consider a part time job ?

ford4610

The part time boy wrote: »

Would u consider a part time job ?

I have a full time job engineering, want to do something farming related/work for myself.

The part time boy

Fair play to ya. Would the plan be to depend full time on farming and some other serves and leave the engineering job