Livestock Farmer Focus FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Neighbour’s straw averts bedding shortageThe big question looming over me back in June was whether we would have enough straw to last us until harvest. And this included putting all top bales through the… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Lambs on pellets as ewes pick at dry grassLast month, I said we were making second-cut silage. That was optimistic: weeks of strong, hot winds have ripped all the moisture out of everything. Stock have eaten all that… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Mother Nature still controls 90% of the outcomeWell, my optimism for harvest of 12t/ha average yield was short-lived once the combine started to roll. We planned to start wheat harvest at the start of August, but we… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Drought focuses minds on water resilienceThe stream that runs past our house has completely dried up. Two other streams on the farm are just about running with enough water for some of the sheep. Our… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Drought mitigation priority as smoke clearsIn my last article, I commented how great our spring grass growth had been. Silage crops were abundant and we were set up for a fruitful grazing season. Well, how… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Farm does worryingly well in my absenceThey say you should be able to leave your business without worrying for it to be successful. I'm recently back from 19 days in Australia and New Zealand, and things… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Haymaking done, but feed value is debatableThe past few days have been manic. The winter barley yielded about 8.15t/ha at 13% moisture; not the boldest sample we have ever seen, but there is a large pile… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Bull hire - quality genetics at lower costThe prolonged dry spell is beginning to bite. Winter feed stocks are disappearing far quicker than we had planned, as everything is now being fed on haylage. Not only is… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Culling and concentrates up as drought bitesMany people reading this from England will be rolling their eyes when I say we haven’t had decent rainfall in more than four weeks in Northern Ireland. Our rocky knowes… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Dry weather great for site work but not cowsAfter almost two years of planning and waiting, the electricity transformer blocking the new parlour site has been moved. That’s allowed us to make the most of the dry weather… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Misting system averts disaster in broiler shedBy the time you read this, I am hoping the prolonged dry spell we have been experiencing will have come to an end, because we certainly do need some rain.… FARMER FOCUSFarmer Focus: Hats off to sheep shearers in sauna-like shedIt's dry, hot and our ground is burning, turning a lovely shade of reddish brown. It's the constant topic of conversation among neighbours, how desperately we are in need of… More articles
