# Farming  - Stock Valuation /Cost



## Lincoln (17 May 2011)

Farming query please re. the (notional) cost of stock bred on farm.

According to farm stock valuation guidelines which I read in an accounts / taxation section in a farming handbook a farmer must value his/ her farming stock, for tax purposes, at the lower of cost and market value (net realisable value). 

I understand that Revenue accept the following percentages as approximating cost in the case of immature stock:
(a) Cattle: 60% of open market value.
(b) Sheep, pigs, harvested crops: 75% of open market value.

I understand that this means that if, lets say, a farmer has 10 cows, which cows have 10 calves in 2010, none of which are sold in 2010, those calves are valued at 60% of their market value at 31/12/10 (assuming that 31/12/10 is year end).  Lets further assume that the market value of the cows is €1000 per head and the market value of the calves is €500 per head at 31/12/10.  The Sales / Cost of sales calculation should read as follows?
Cattle Sales   0
Opening Stock (10 cows @ €1000 X 60%) = €6000
Purchases / Births  (10 calves, valued at €500 x 60%) = 3000
Closing Stock = €9000
Cost of sales  = 0

My question (apologies for the delay in getting there), how would the Cost of sales be calculated if all of the calves were sold in 2010?  Assume the 10 calves were sold in November 2010 at €500 per head:

Cattle (Calf Sales)  €5,000

Opening Stock (10 cows @ €1000 X 60%) = €6000
Purchases / Births  (10 calves valued at 500 x 60%) = 3000
Closing Stock = €6000 (i.e. the 10 cows)
Cost of sales  = 3000?

Is this correct - *can a farmer apportion a cost, (60% of market value?) based on the above, to farm bred calves?*  Obviously there is a real cost in rearing the calves - feed, vetinary etc, but those real costs will be accounted for in the expenses / overheads part of the accounts.

I hope that my query is clear

Any advise would be greatly appreciated


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## T McGibney (18 May 2011)

sorry, duplicated post


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## T McGibney (18 May 2011)

Lincoln said:


> can a farmer apportion a cost, (60% of market value?) based on the above, to farm bred calves?


No, unless the calves are still in stock at the accounts year end date.

As you say, the cost of rearing the animals is already included elsewhere as deductions in the farm accounts.


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## Lincoln (18 May 2011)

Thanks for your response T Mc Gibney.

Is there an anomoly here, depending on when the calves are sold?  

If the calves are sold in 2010 (as in the example above) the following is the calculation (please correct me if I'm wrong):
Assume the 10 calves were sold in November 2010 at €500 per head:

Cattle (Calf Sales) €5,000

Opening Stock (10 cows @ €1000 X 60%) = €6000
Purchases / Births  = 0( no cost / value being attributed)
Closing Stock = €6000 (i.e. the 10 cows)
Cost of sales = 0
Gross Profit = €5000.

Lets now assume that the calves were in stock at 31.12.10 and subsequently sold in January 2011 (and, for simplicity, that no other calves were born in 2011):

Closing Stock 31/12/10
Cows (10 cows @ €1000 X 60%) = €6000
Calves (10 calves @ €500 X 60%) = €3000 (cost value now being atttibuted)
Total Closing Stock  = €9000 which then becomes opening stock in 2011.

Calves sold in Jan 2011 for €500 each:

Cattle Sales (10 Calves at €500 each) €5,000

Opening Stock (10 cows + 10 calves) = €9,000
Purchases / Births  = 0
Closing Stock = €6,000 (i.e. the 10 cows)
Cost of sales (Opening Stock less Closing Stock) = 3,000
Gross Profit = €2000 (Sales less Cost of sales)

Thus if the calves are sold in 2010 the Gross profit is €5,000 but if sold in January 2011 the Gross profit is €2,000.  

Is this correct?

Thanks again


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## Joe_90 (19 May 2011)

Well,

If all the calves are sold in 2010 then the sales and the associated costs both wash out in the same year.

If the calves are still in stock at the year end then the Gross Profit in 2010 will be higher by the value of the stock ie €3,000 with the balance of €2,000 washing out in 2011 when they are sold. So the overall GP is the same only spread over 2 years.


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## T McGibney (19 May 2011)

Apologies, I'm too tired at this time of night to go through 's figures in detail, but the basic premise is that profits are recognised when realised, ie when stock is sold. 's point is well made.


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## Lincoln (20 May 2011)

Thanks Joe90 and T Mc Gibney for your help / advice


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