Livestock Farmer Focus FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Nant Ffrancon project spells end for farmersI've been thinking about the resilience of the farming community while attending the breeding sheep sales dotted about North Wales. We have endured a really tough time over the past… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Show win softens fifth-cut silage fiascoSeptember is always extremely busy, and this year was no exception. We harvested the maize in three days during the first week of the month, and it was a very… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Just enough forage to see us through winterThe recent good weather here meant we managed to cut some more forage this month. That’s more than we have done so far throughout this year. It is good to… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: No mud on road as maize brought inThe day my previous article was published, the weather finally turned and we had some very welcome showers. The grass turned green within hours and it hasn’t stopped growing since.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Rain gives clover-rich reseeds perfect soakingLampeter Serengeti is now green. To say that we planned for the rain to start on 27 August would be a lie. I finished sowing grass seed with the new… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Ration prep tweak stops cows sorting feedHow is it the middle of September already? Thankfully, we managed to finish harvest in the last days of August, as the weather has returned to its usual theme of… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Forage stocks get 37t/ha maize boostWell, the rain has finally come, but maybe too late for some. Our grass has really taken off in the past 10 days and should be ready to cut before… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Pig tent flaps are up and down like a yo-yoI have come to the conclusion that making hay in September on our coast is either for the brave or the foolhardy. The rain at the end of August warranted… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Finished lambs disappoint at marketSo far, we have missed most of the promised rain. A fantastic crop of maize came off on the Glorious Twelfth in 37C temperatures, but the herbal ley seed stayed… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Extreme weather prompts grassland rethinkWe have seen a return to what is a more typical weather pattern in north-east Scotland in late summer: a real mix of sunshine and rain. Grass growth has found… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Rain comes too late for reseeding plansIn my last column, I mentioned that the farm was still more green than brown. That didn’t last long. The next heatwave in early to mid-August tightened its grip and… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Late calvers go to reduce stocking rateWith September upon us and summer drawing to a close, what does your grass situation look like? Are you still feeding silage reserves? Ask any farmer in Northern Ireland and… More articles
