Floods have affected silage stocks, writes Andrew Burleigh

I would like to first of all thank Farmers Weekly for giving me the opportunity to write this column.

What a September and October we have had in Fermanagh. Torrential rainfall with widespread flooding has meant some farmers did not get their second-cut silage saved. Those who were also hoping to get barley combined have found, owing to the heavy rain, it is lodged and there is no hope of getting it now.

Due to the weather, we also had to house all pedigree cows, calves and bulls from early September, six weeks earlier than last year. A very long winter looms for everyone in this part of Northern Ireland with extra pressure on winter stocks of silage and hay.

The one consolation is that cattle and sheep prices are pretty good and steady, top end weanlings making anywhere from £350 to £450 over their weight with show calves £1,000 to £1,200 over their weight, but on the other hand all inputs are costly, too.

My father-in-law, Harold Stubbs, was the Charolais judge at Perth Bull Sales in Stirling in October and we sold two Charolais bulls to average 5,000gns.The buyers were selective and bulls with figures for easy-calving were much sought after; this is because more suckler farmers are trying to cut down on labour and hard calving and they also want calves that will get up and suckle their dams quick.

In my butcher’s shop, with the weather getting colder, more shin and soup ingredients are being sold along with some turkeys already on order for the big day.

The CAP reform talks are a very important issue for us all as it would be hard to survive without the SFP. So let’s all lobby our MEPs to fight for the best deal for all UK farmers.

Livestock Farmer Focus: Andrew Burleigh