Harsh Spring Brings Tough Conditions

So much for me waffling about positivity in my last post and there’s so many farmers in crisis at the moment. The news are full of stories of farmers in the UK and Ireland (with Antrim being hit worst in Ireland) suffering huge losses of sheep and lambs. Many farmers choose for their lambs to be born at this time of the year so the weather is mild enough (usually) for them to lamb outdoors, hence they don’t have the housing for them. Unexpected and large snowdrifts means that sheep are dying in the snow.

sheep in Antrim

Elsewhere, the rain and wind has been cold and cruel with baby lambs not surviving. The cold is one thing but when it brings rain and wind too, baby lambs just aren’t able for it.

Financial loss is one thing but witnessing death on such a scale is extremely upsetting. I saw a tweet earlier about one UK farm experiencing the loss of 700 sheep. Supermarkets are advertising half price lamb for Easter at the moment too and it makes me wonder are the farmers having to take half price on their prices or are the supermarkets using it a loss leader? It doesn’t leave a nice taste somehow.

These harsh conditions this late in the winter, while unusual, isn’t setting a precedent. ?My father was reminiscing yesterday about the 6 weeks of snow they received around this time of the year back in 1947, he was 9 years of age and had 6 weeks off school. It was also late in the winter and followed an extremely wet summer from the year before.

I also remember my sister’s birthday party on 24th April, back around 1978, it started snowing on 23rd April and everywhere was completely white on 24th.

Things are harsh at the moment though as snow or no snow, there’s no grass growth, animals have had to be rehoused and many farmers have little or no silage left. What is for sale isn’t necessarily great quality either following the poor harvest last summer. For farmers who have bank managers breathing down their necks, having to fork out for more fodder, the pressure is on. Teagasc has texted farmers telling them to contact them if they are short of fodder. I’m not sure what they can do but it is good that farmers in crisis get an invitation to get in contact if they need to. It can be hard to feel positive when one is facing debt, hungry cattle and dead sheep and cattle! Apparently many cows are doing ‘down’ pre and post calving and don’t recover. The number of deaths (animals going to knackery) had increased by 20% in January and February apparently and with the recent weather being so severe, I dread to think what the percentage increase will be for March. We have been lucky – we’ve only lost 2 calves this year which were at birth. We lost 3 calves last year with Rotavirus and while a few calves are a little poorly on and off this year, all are reasonably healthy. My heart goes out to each and every one that is badly affected this spring. Reports of suicide amongst farmers were too high last summer, we don’t want to be hearing of them this spring.

Image: Irish Times

12 thoughts on “Harsh Spring Brings Tough Conditions

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  • Leigh

    I came by to return the blog visit and thank you for your comment on mine. This is indeed a heartbreaking post. Nature can be so harsh, it’s no wonder folks become discouraged in farming. Or homesteading. It’s a reminder to never take any good circumstance or situation for granted.

    Reply
    • Lorna

      Thank you so much Yvonne, I really appreciate your comment and the nomination – I look forward to checking out the other bloggers later on when I pour myself a cup of tea and much later (next week!) I’ll select my own 15 versatile bloggers 🙂

      Reply
  • Dee Sewell

    The weather conditions have been awful for farmers Lorna, I completely feel from them. Just noticed a tweet from a northern UK veg farmer who’s three weeks behind now and says it will impact 100% on food prices.

    Reply
  • Ena Ronayne

    Gosh this just breaks my heart Lorna. These poor farmers. How do they cope with such losses? Dare I say it but are these sheep / lambs (that have died from hypothermia) edible? It seems like a terrible waste to just dump these carcasses doesn’t it? On a totally separate note does your sisters birthday falls on the 24th April? If so we share the same birthday so no excuse now Lorna hehe you’ll surely remember a birthday wish xx

    Reply
    • Lorna

      Do you remember snow on your birthday? My sister is 40 this year and I think it was when she was about 6 or 7.
      The carcasses will go to the knacker unfortunately – can’t go into the food chain.

      Reply
      • Ena Ronayne

        God I know I’m getting old but I don’t recall any snow ever in April. I’m 47 this April but heh just coz I don’t remember doesn’t mean diddly squat. Memory isn’t what it used to be (at all!)

        Without being a complete pain – why do these carcassess not end up in human food chain? I assume you mean they end up in dog food when you say that they go to the ‘knackers’

        Reply
        • Lorna

          Yes, I believe they end up as dog or cat food. Well, if they are dead and have to be collected by the ‘knacker’, 9 times out of 10 it will be because they died for a reason e.g. an illness, they may have been recently treated with medication that has a withdrawal period meaning it can’t go into the food chain, and if they died because they ‘went down’, they are ill and weak too. Regarding the animals that have died in the snow, I guess by the time they get to the knacker, they just won’t be fit for human consumption due to deterioration.

          Reply

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