Cost of cattle transport

Silverdream

I've been shifting cattle for a neighbour on a regular basis, money isn't an issue with him but I don't know what i should be charging. I don't want to be undercutting the lorry men either just charge the going rate. So last move I did was 4 cows to the mart over a distance of 10 miles. Another move was 20 Weanlens ( thats 2 X 10 at a time) over a distance of 4 miles.

So what rate would folks charge? I'm using a jeep and trailer.

older by the day

Local man here is 50 euro cash for jeep and box for 8 miles to the mart. If there was only a couple of cattle maybe 40.

Sher time putting on the box, helping loading, diesel, wear and tear, queing at a busy mart, eventually replacing the 4*4.

A 50 euro note every trip. No less and no check

Silverdream

To be honest I don't feel 50 euro to move 4 cows to the mart is enough. There was a nice bit of weight and the jeep surly drank 20 of it on diesel. but if thats the going rate then so be it, I was thinking more in the line of 15 per cow, 7 per Weanlen and thats full loads

visatorro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122181802#Comment_122181802

120 eur here for similar distance. Deducted from the cheque. Tenner a calf in springtime. Whether its 2 or 20 calves. H

grass10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122182895#Comment_122182895

Most lads will not pay a tenner a calf to go to a local mart if you have a good lot of calves to go as the calves might not be even worth it they would not ask a second time

Silverdream

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122182895#Comment_122182895

What do you mean deducted from the cheque? who's cheque?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122182970#Comment_122182970

I think the economic value of the calf should not dictate what you'd need to charge. Texaco will still charge the same for the diesel

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122183278#Comment_122183278

The mart or factory will deduct haulage from the farmer selling the stock and it will be paid to the haulier.

I used to charge €20/hd for a short run like you are talking about with cows and calves were €7/hd. We really don't do any mart work only for neighbours/friends.

The thing that you need to consider is livestock in transit insurance. Are you prepared to fork out money for the cost of a animal if for example a cow goes down in your trailer and smothers, injures herself etc. At the end of the day you are hauling for hire and reward and your own trailer insurance if with FBD will not cover someone else's livestock.

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122182038#Comment_122182038

I was only telling you what the local man charges, I think its very cheap too. But he would have 200 cash in the back pocket every mart morning before 11.30. Charge what you want and let them change transport if he likes. I

Base price is right, I didn't think of insurance. Feck that reminds me, I must book the trailer test before my second provisional is out.

Anto_Meath

Lad I use to bring cattle to the factor is €25 a head & that's from North Meath to Kepak in Clonee, €400 for a full load and its stopped out of the cheque. He tells me if he is doing other types of runs he is €150 an hour for him and the lorry.

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122183867#Comment_122183867

It really depends on the journey time and he'd be cheap at that price for short runs. With the price of diesel, maintenance, proper livestock insurance etc I wouldn't put the key in the ignition for less than €30/hd.

whelan2

People think they should just be paying to get the cattle to their destination but the haulier has to drive home too. If tolls, they're both ways. You'll be paying for the round trip.

Silverdream

Brought 2 bullocks home from the mart for a lad the other side of the parish, 8-mile journey plus it was out of my way. Charged 50 euro and was told it should only be 25 euro. You just can't win with some folks, never again.

Albert Johnson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123402347#Comment_123402347

Hopefully you'll not have that problem with the same person again in the future. I had a similar experience one day with a lad like that with 2 cattle and another fella had promised to carry them and couldn't fit them then. I got lamped with them and knew myself that they were to tight when I was setting off. I rang the man that bought them to find out where to go and he was about 10 mile out of the way plus I doubted there'd be something down and I'd have to let the rest off somewhere else along the way and go back for them. It's seldom I'm in bad humour but he just caught me at a bad time.

I rang him when I was leaving the mart for directions and he asked what he owed me on the phone, €50 I said thanks very much. I'd often have settled for €30 but I wasn't best pleased about it all and I was doing him a turn seeing as the other lad wasn't known for being reliable. He mentioned that it was a bit dear and would less do. I said I could let them off along the side of the road free of charge and maybe they'd find there own way up. That soon changed the tune and keeping coming whatever about the money. Funnily enough he rang me to do more haulage after and there was never a problem about money.

_Brian

I paid €50 to bring 4 cattle 12 miles to the mart last week. Considered it great value.

Anto_Meath

In fairness there it wouldn't be worth doing any of them last 3 runs for anything less than €50.

I hear the tooth fairy is leaving €20 now.....

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403286#Comment_123403286

indeed the tooth fairy has a short memory. Those €20’s weren’t as plentiful 10 years ago and could become less plentiful again.

I do always think haulage a bit dear when I’m paying it but then think I wouldn’t do it for the same money either. It’s always expensive when you pay in cash alright

Anto_Meath

@Cavanjack if it's your own cattle you are transporting then you tend to put no value on your time of your vehicle. But when it's someone else's then it's a different story.

_Brian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123403286#Comment_123403286

There’s also the time element.
I can have stock lifted at 8:30, throw the chap €50 and head to work so I’m not loosing days leave bringing cattle to the mart. I get a text with the lot numbers and can watch them sold online.

Anto_Meath

@_Brian that is it exactly for part time farmers time saved is crucial. From what i see many full time farmers don't seem to put any value on their time. Quite happy to spend time chatting at the mart or to a neighbour on the road & then be out until sun set checking stock.

Aly Daly

Autumn 2024,119km trip to factory €15per head,based on full artic load.

epfff

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123405340#Comment_123405340

Key there is full artic.

I always count haulage dear when I have to pay. But the cost of keeping jeep/tractor/truck before diesal is much more than people think.

Silverdream

At the mart today, I got talking to a lad with a handy cattle truck, he told me a few right horror stories like the lads that ring 50 times to bring cattle but won't answer the phone themselves when it comes to trying to collect. It happens a lot too, but says he's doing brilliant now as he's only doing mart runs one day a week as he got a full-time job driving a tipper truck.