Farmer Focus: Under attack from a bird invasion

We’ve had an invasion of starlings in the calf shed, which has never happened before.

Sheila was out cleaning water and feed buckets twice-a-day because of them.

She even tried raw garlic around all the pens, and had the cheek to ask for a pay rise for all the overtime she was clocking up.

But they disappeared as quickly as they arrived.

See also: Read more from our Livestock Farmer Focus writers 

We had a great week at the Royal Highland Show, coming home with honourable mention for Logan Sid Edie.

The weather was kind on the show days, despite heavy rain in the evenings.

All of the duct tape and silicone round the caravan wasn’t as successful as we originally thought.

See also: First silage cut earlier than expected

We were delighted to welcome a group of 25 Lancashire Holstein breeders to East Logan for a herd visit.

The heavens opened in the afternoon but fortunately all of the animals are inside.

We were hoping to have had the second-cut silage done after the show, but the weather is not helping matters.

So it will be a case of ducking and diving to get it done as soon as possible.

And speaking of the weather, the heavy rain at night keeps spooking the in-calf heifers that are out in the field.

We have had to repair about three fences because they are going straight through them and end up in our barley field.

See also: Works continue despite further milk price drop

We had a trip down to the Livestock Event and were delighted to be runners up in the NMR Gold Cup for the second year running. Congratulations to the Bugler family on their win.

There were encouraging signs at the show, as it looks like milk prices might start to increase in the coming months.

Sheila and I are planning a trip to the Great Yorkshire Show for judging day.

Hopefully the weather will pick up to get the silage done before Michael and Emma head down to the Royal Welsh Show with a couple of cows.

Brian Yates milks 250 pedigree Holsteins in partnership with his wife Sheila, son Michael and daughter Anna. Surplus heifers are sold for breeding