DAFF Labour Requirement Report

Isle of Man

Government

Reillys Ellan Vannin

0602199

Agricultural Services Division, Knockaloe Farm, Peel, Isle of Man, IM5 3AJ

Telephone: (01624) 842335 Fax: (01624) 844374 e-mail: [email protected]

Director of Agricultural Services: Richard Lole

Our ref: A. Macd/SAM 24 February 2006

Mr. D.S. Christian, Ballig Cottage, Handleys Corner, Kirk Michael. Isle of Man.

Dear Stewart,

Enclosed is your draft labour requirement report relating to your proposed dwelling house at Brough Jaig. Please check through it carefully to see that there are no errors or omissions.

If you have any queries on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Macdonald SAC Agricultural Adviser

Encl.

Labour Requirement Report

FOR

D.S. Christian, Brough Jaig Farm, Ballaugh. Isle of Man

AB Unit Reference: AB 1076

This report was prepared using information provided by D.S. Christian, and verified where possible by reference to DAFF livestock records and June returns.

21st February, 2006

Prepared by:

SAC c/o DAFF Knockaloe Farm, Patrick. Isle of Man. IM5 3AJ

Tel: 01624 842335 Fax: 01624 844374

Contact – Andrew Macdonald

DISCLAIMER: The report has been prepared exclusively for the use of D.S. Christian on the basis of information supplied, and no responsibility can be accepted for actions taken by any third party arising from their interpretation of the information contained in this document. No other party may rely on the report and if they do, they rely upon it at their own risk.

Brough Jaig Farm is an owner-occupied arable and grassland unit maintaining a beef suckler cow herd, a breeding ewe flock, and a substantial number of finishing cattle and sheep. The holding extends to approximately 71 acres of light, sandy soil. The relatively low rainfall and light soil type helps much of the land to be cropped with both a cereal or protein crop, and a fodder crop within the same growing season.

The light land is taken advantage of for rearing both cattle and sheep outside during the winter months. Finishing cattle have access to the agricultural sheds on the unit for feeding and lying area, as well as an outside paddock area. Finishing lambs, ewes and suckler cows are all maintained outside on the land surrounding the steading site; some on fodder crops, some on supplementary/stored fodder.

All of the suckler cows are calved at Brough Jaig (calving periods January to March and October to November). All of the breeding ewes with the exception of a number of Blackface ewes are lambed at Brough Jaig (Texels lambing January, main flock lambing in March). During the summer months, an additional 75 acres of short-term leased land is taken for grazing.

Summary of Cropping

	Acres
Spring barley/peas	21
Fodder rape/kale/beet	40
	(Some of area cropped twice in same season)
Grassland, grazed	30
(owned)
Grassland, grazed	75
(leased)
Total	146

Summary of Stocking

Beef cows	22*
Beef calves	22
Finishing cattle (purchased)	120*
Blackface ewes	30
Cross ewes	110
Texel ewes	12
Lambs	200
Finishing lambs (purchased)	600

Numbers

*N.B. Because of the volatility in the price of store cattle for finishing, Mr. Christian intends to gradually expand the suckler cow herd to 50 breeding cows and reduce the number of purchased stores proportionately.

Using “Standard Labour Requirement Data” produced for agricultural and horticultural activities as agreed by DEFRA, SEERAD and DANI under the UK Farm Classification Working Party, the total labour requirement for Brough Jaig Farm can be calculated – see Appendix 1.

Taking account of the cropping and livestock carried on the farm it is calculated the current labour required is 2.13 labour units.

THE SIZE OF THIS UNIT AND STOCK CARRIED THEREFORE JUSTIFIES TWO FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS (FTE) ENGAGED IN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES.

RECEIVED ON 15 DEC 2006

ANALYTICAL EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

The following points should also be noted:

1. Brough Jaig Farm carries a herd of 22 suckler cows, 140 other cattle, 150 breeding ewes, and 800 other sheep. It is essential for animal welfare and desirable for security considerations that those individuals involved in looking after the breeding animals are resident on the unit.

1. During the lambing and calving periods, livestock can require regular supervision throughout the day and night. It is therefore both practical and convenient when the persons involved are resident on the unit. Residence on this holding ensures that someone is available to deal with pre and post partum complications quickly and effectively. This is particularly so in the case of the breeding livestock at Brough Jaig, where there are two distinct lambing periods, and two distinct calving periods spread through the year.

1. There is currently no dwelling on the unit or the immediate vicinity available to the business.

1. The proposed site for the dwelling house is within the curtilage of the existing farm steading at Brough Jaig. As such it would share the existing access with the farm unit.

1. The site proposed does not involve the loss of any trees, walls or hedges, and therefore does not impact upon the natural heritage of the area.

Calculation Of Standard Hours Worked

Crops	Area (ac)	Hours/ac/annum	Total
Grassland	105	1.6	168
Cereals/Peas	20	8	160
Fodder Crops	40	2.4	96

Livestock	Number	Hours/head/annum	Total
Beef Suckler Cows	22	12	264
Beef Calves	22	9	198
Finishing Cattle (purchased)	120	9	1080
Blackface ewes	30	4.2	126
Texel and Cross Ewes	122	5.2	634
Lambs	200*	3.3 (x ½)*	330
Finishing lambs (purchased)	600*	3.3 (x ½)*	990

Sub Total 424

Sub Total 3,622 *Assumed on-farm for 6 months per year as weaned lambs Total Standard Hours 4,046 Based on UK Agricultural Wages Board 39 hour week, one Full time Equivalent (FTE) = 1900 hours per annum. Calculated Standard Labour Requirement for Brough Jaig Farm

= 4046/1900

= 2.13 Labour Units

RECEIVED ON 15 DEC 2006