Farmer Focus Livestock: Julian Ellis’ Nuffield subject creates interest

Since becoming a Nuffield scholar my subject, “farming with the cycles of the moon”, has created some interest.

Friends are keen to share their thoughts and among other things I have been told a saying that “Two moons in May, mean no weather to harvest corn or hay”. This was certainly true last year and with 30 acres of grass on the floor and only two acres of corn cut, I’m beginning to think it may be true.

Despite the wet spell we have managed to get most of the cabbage drilled and hoping we will not miss the Trifluralin to control the weeds.

Cows have been cleansing a lot better until the pre-calving group got too small and grass got ahead of them. Cell counts have been running higher than normal and we are using sanitising wipes to try to avoid slipping out of the top band. So far we are not sure how well they are working, but the flies are definitely enjoying the extra time that the cows are in the parlour.

SCC may have risen, but our milk price has dropped as well as the temperature; a faulty probe resulted in the agitator and 700 litres freezing solid to the bottom of the tank.

The 8 August was a big day, I proposed to Sam and, fortunately, she said yes. We also moved into a cottage on one of the rented farms. The move was going well until Ron, Sam’s pet snake, escaped from his cabinet through the sliding doors that I was supposed to have made secure. Sadly, my slight fear of snakes meant I wasn’t much help looking for it in the car.

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