This week was all about silage and slurry. (Silage is grass that is cut and chopped, brought to a concrete pit and packed in tight. When covered with polythene and tyres to keep the air out, it stays preserved until the cattle eat it in the winter – it’s important to get it in as dry as possible). ?The contractors had a few problems with the mowing which meant it was dragged out a bit but it [...]
If you are accustomed to farmers or if you have read some of my posts before, you’ll know that farmers love driving along looking into fields whether it is their neighbours’ fields or if they are driving along unknown roads, they like to see the condition of the grass, the crops and the livestock. If you are driving the car, you’ll receive a running commentary and if he is driving, you’ll be in constant danger of hitting [...]
It was quite an uneventful week in many ways yet how can such an uneventful week still be so busy? The sun has started shining again and apparently it will be nice for the next week. As I collected Brian from the outfarm and brought my dad an icecream as he was rolling, memories from years ago in that field came back to me. The Chapel Field was re-seeded last year and the plan was to check there weren’t [...]
Between the bank holiday for St Patrick’s Day, the children being off school for two days and the fact that I wasn’t doing any training or mentoring, I’ve had a pretty full on farming week. I’m doing 2.5 days of training next week and I know I’ll probably end up with a croaky voice as a result. Teaching requires a lot more talking than the occasional chat with calves and cattle!
16 cattle went to the factory on Wednesday morning [...]
101 calves born, two deaths but a very good calving season so far. We still have to work out our sexed semen success and our heifer : bull ratio – at last count we were about 56 dairy heifers, 5 beef heifers and the rest in bulls so the ratio is pretty good. Here’s my nine commandments for successful calf rearing – well, it’s keeping me going and the calves thriving!
Patience is [...]
