Producers can now supply data in three formats: paper, online or through farm software. Members who supply data electronically will see a reduction in fees to reflect the ease with which information can be processed and the amount of time spent by staff inputting data.
Typical savings for flocks of over 50 ewes range from £50 to £120, depending on flock size. The typical performance recording cost for a flock of 100 ewes is now less than £2 per lamb.
Fees for the Signet Sheepbreeder recording service for 2017 are listed below:
| Paper | Online | Electronic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flock Fee | £120.00 | £95.00 | £95.00 |
| Additional £/ewe | |||
| First 50 ewes | £3.00 | £2.50 | £2.50 |
| 51-150 ewes | £3.00 | £2.00 | £2.00 |
| 151-400 ewes | £3.00 | £1.00 | £1.00 |
| 401+ ewes | £3.00 | £0.25 | £0.25 |
In addition to the fee changes, there will no longer be a cap on fees for processing large flocks. Previously, the fees paid by members recording multiple flocks on a single holding were treated as one flock, but all flocks will now be charged separately.
Samuel Boon, Signet breeding manager, said: “Many of our breeders have already embraced submitting data electronically. The differentiation in fees, between paper and electronic format, reflects the opportunity for producers to record large populations of sheep in a cost-effective way. This ensures data processing is a much faster and more efficient process.”
Full instructions on how to submit data, both electronically and by paper, can be found by visiting signetfbc.co.uk or by phoning 0247 647 8829.
