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Feeders, pens and handling equipment are core operational assets for game businesses and sporting estates. They support effective stock management, animal welfare, biosecurity and day-to-day efficiency across shoots, rearing operations and estate-managed land.
Whether managing pheasant or partridge rearing, holding pens, release areas or associated handling processes, this equipment must be reliable, durable and suited to outdoor, often remote, environments. Investment in the right systems improves bird health, reduces losses and supports consistent shoot quality. However, the cost of installing or upgrading feeders, pens and handling infrastructure can be significant, particularly when aligned with seasonal cycles.
Gable Business Finance specialises in arranging finance for feeders, pens and handling equipment used by game businesses, ensuring funding reflects seasonal income, biological cycles and long-term operational requirements.
Game businesses rely on carefully managed systems to rear, feed, hold and release birds safely and efficiently. Equipment quality directly affects animal welfare, stock performance and overall shoot outcomes.
Feeders, pens and handling systems are used to:
Support controlled feeding programmes
Protect birds from predators and disease
Manage stocking density and welfare
Facilitate safe handling and movement
Improve efficiency during rearing and release
Maintain biosecurity and compliance standards
Because these systems operate intensively during key periods of the year, reliability is essential.
Game businesses and sporting estates typically invest in a combination of fixed and mobile equipment depending on scale and layout.
Feeding equipment includes hopper feeders, automated feeding systems and gravity-fed units designed for outdoor use. These systems ensure consistent feed availability while reducing waste and labour.
Pens are used for rearing, acclimatisation and holding prior to release. They often include netting, fencing, shelters and access controls to protect birds and manage movement.
Handling equipment supports the safe movement, grading and transfer of birds. This may include crates, ramps, loading systems and temporary enclosures designed to minimise stress and injury.
Each of these assets represents a specialist investment that contributes directly to stock quality and operational efficiency.
Feeders, pens and handling equipment are often purchased in batches or upgraded as part of wider operational improvements. Funding these assets through cash reserves alone can place pressure on working capital, particularly when income is concentrated into the shooting season.
Specialist finance allows game businesses to:
Spread costs over the useful life of the equipment
Preserve cash for feed, staffing and land management
Align repayments with seasonal income
Upgrade infrastructure without operational disruption
Gable Business Finance understands the practical realities of game operations and structures funding accordingly.
Hire Purchase is commonly used where game businesses want long-term ownership of their equipment.
It allows immediate access to essential infrastructure while spreading the cost over an agreed term. Repayments can be structured around seasonal income patterns, which is particularly valuable for businesses with revenue concentrated in the shooting season.
Key benefits of hire purchase include:
Ownership of the equipment at the end of the term
Fixed or variable repayment options
Interest payments typically tax deductible
Potential capital allowances on qualifying assets
VAT often reclaimable upfront on the full purchase price
Hire purchase is well suited to durable, long-term equipment such as feeders and permanent pen infrastructure.
Finance leasing provides flexibility where equipment may be upgraded, expanded or reconfigured over time.
Under a finance lease, the business pays rentals for the use of the equipment. Rentals can be matched to cash flow and are often aligned with depreciation. VAT is payable on the rentals rather than the full purchase cost, easing initial cash-flow pressure.
Finance leases are commonly used for:
Larger batches of equipment
Supplementary or specialist systems
Equipment linked to changing operational needs
This approach allows businesses to adapt without tying up capital.
Many sporting estates already own feeders, pens or handling equipment outright. Asset refinance allows capital to be raised against these assets while they continue to be used as normal.
Released funds can be used to:
Invest in additional equipment
Upgrade feeding or handling systems
Support seasonal working capital
Fund improvements elsewhere on the estate
Asset refinance is a practical way to improve liquidity without disrupting operations.
Where investment in feeders and pens forms part of a wider rearing or infrastructure project, unsecured term loans can provide additional funding.
These loans typically range from £10,000 to £500,000, with repayment terms of 3 to 6 years, and can be used to fund:
Large-scale pen installations
Integrated feeding and handling systems
Biosecurity and welfare improvements
Associated project and installation costs
Unsecured loans can be combined with asset finance to create a joined-up funding solution.
Game rearing and feeding costs often occur well ahead of shooting income. Equipment investment must therefore be carefully timed and funded.
Gable Business Finance structures repayments to reflect:
Rearing and release schedules
Seasonal income from shoots
Off-season preparation and maintenance
This ensures finance supports operations rather than placing pressure on cash flow.
Gable Business Finance specialises in rural and land-based business finance. We understand the importance of feeders, pens and handling equipment to stock welfare, operational efficiency and shoot quality.
By working with lenders experienced in specialist asset finance, we arrange funding solutions that reflect the realities of game management rather than generic agricultural assumptions.
Feeders, pens and handling equipment are critical investments for successful game operations. The right finance structure allows you to invest in reliable systems while preserving working capital.
Speak to Gable Business Finance today to discuss finance for feeders, pens and handling equipment tailored specifically for game businesses, sporting estates and countryside operations. Our specialist approach ensures funding works alongside seasonal cycles and operational demands.