Explaining our  “Double Cap” on commission

One of the things farmers are increasingly looking closely at is the true cost of selling livestock. Not just headline commission rates — but how those costs scale as animal values and total sale values increase.

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At OpenLivestock, the commission structure has been designed to stay simple, transparent and fair through what we call the “double cap”. Our standard commission rate is 1%.

 

However, unlike many traditional systems, that commission does not continue rising indefinitely.

 

The first cap applies at animal level. Once an individual animal reaches a value of £1,600, commission is capped at £16 per head. So whether an animal sells for £1,700, £2,000 or more, the commission remains the same.

 

The second cap applies to the overall transaction. Total commission is capped at £600, meaning larger sales are protected from continuously escalating fees.

 

To put that into context, many traditional auction routes can sit closer to 3% commission. On a £20,000 sale:

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• A 3% commission structure could mean £600 in commission

• OpenLivestock at 1% would mean £200

 

That’s a difference of £400 on a single transaction. Scale that across multiple sales over the course of a year and the savings become significant.

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The same principle applies on larger consignments. If 20 cattle were sold averaging £1,700 per head, a traditional percentage model would continue climbing as values increase. Under OpenLivestock’s capped structure, commission per head stops at £16.

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The intention behind the model is straightforward: create a fairer, more cost-efficient way for farmers to trade livestock farm-to-farm, without unnecessary complexity or uncontrolled commission growth.

 

Simple pricing. Clear limits. Greater cost control for farmers.