Farmer Focus: Are fireworks and bonfires worth the hassle?

I had to go back to one of our finishing yards the other night as an intruder alarm was going off.

Thankfully, it was a false alarm, but it was also Bonfire Night and while I was there some huge bangs were going off locally which were really spooking the pigs.

They were charging around knocking each other over. There wasn’t anything I could do at the time to calm them down, though fortunately it was quite late and there were fewer bangs.

Next day I had to treat a couple of pigs for lameness. Thankfully, they made a full recovery.

See also: First vaccine licensed to combat salmonella in UK pigs

It has never occurred to me before, but a lot of household pets and livestock are really badly spooked by fireworks.

An article in the local newspaper reported a horse had panicked so much that it had impaled itself on a fence.

Now I know Guy Fawkes probably felt justified in trying to blow up Parliament (though I feel we would probably be more justified now) but has the time not come to ban fireworks and bonfires?

I am surprised that environmentalists have not demanded this, as there must be a vast amount of pollution released from fireworks and bonfires. I personally find it obscene to see a vast amount of money going up in smoke.

We started work at 5am the other Saturday so we could get home for the Rugby World Cup final. I have to say the Springboks were the best team on the day and massive congratulations to them.

England’s win over the All Blacks the week before was one of the most complete performances I have ever seen.

I was asked to be a judge again for Pig World’s National Pig Awards so we will be heading down to London for the pig industry’s big night shortly.

My role was lead judge in manager of the year and stockman of the year and I can tell you it gave me a few sleepless nights as the standard of entries was so high.

Congratulations to the finalists in all the categories.

David Owers is a Farmer Focus writer in Lincolnshire. Read his biography.