Livestock Farmer Focus FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: It's a lottery dealing in store cattle and lambsThe nights are drawing in and autumn is here – and what an easy autumn we are having. We were of course due one, after the past two abysmal years,… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Forage changes hit milk yieldWe chopped our maize during the first few days in September. The process went smoothly and the effort from everyone involved was thoroughly appreciated. We averaged more than 7t/ha (18t/acre)… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Terminal tups melt in a commercial hill flockIt’s been a busy few weeks here with the sheep sale season in full swing and our annual bovine TB test for the dairy heifers. Sheep prices have been mixed… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Will creep feeding cut weaning stress?What a difference a year makes. We have most of the winter crops sown, leaving only a field of broccoli to be harvested before drilling with wheat. This time last… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Cell counts up for cows grazing excess grassAutumn can be the most testing time of year for grassland management. If we want to deem ourselves as an effective grazing herd, it requires patience, adaptability and knowing when… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: The season of electric fencing and tuppingAfter a busy spell keeping our ewes and cattle topped up with haylage because of limited grass growth, we’ve now moved into the season of electric fencing and winter grazing.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Funding fail for robotic pressure washerI previously mentioned the latest round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund, and our hopes of securing some funding to allow us to buy a robotic pressure washer. I’m… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Farm jobs and industry roles tricky to balance“Make sure you’ve got a farm to go back to.” It was 2019 at the British Charolais annual general meeting, and I had just been voted in as chairman. That… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: In-calf heifers blooming as milk price dipsSeptember saw us on a skeleton staff, with the ones left having to do a bit more. Two have been off hedgecutting, others on annual leave, leaving three of us… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Butterfats and crossbred calf trade lift incomeIt was great to be finished harvest up here before we’d reached the last week in August, even with combining spring wheat. I’m pleased to say we have the pleasant… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Four months in, still the pig farm’s new boyWith a son working in the film industry, I’m often reminded that there are three recurring narratives in storytelling. One of these is “new man comes to town” – and… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Silage stocks extended with new heifer rationOur grass is looking better now, just before fourth cut, than it has all year. Undoubtedly, this is due to the recent British weather we have longed for since May.… More articles
