This is a subscriber-only article
A gift can represent many things. It can show thoughtfulness, generosity and love, but when my parents gave me a birthday present of a digital radio for the telehandler, it perhaps meant all these things as well as: “you’re going to be doing the buck-raking for many years to come”.
So silage season is upon us and despite preferring the company of livestock to operating machinery, even I enjoy this period.
Grass quality is excellent, and with the weather forecast in our favour, we have been at it this week.
Long before the creation of weather apps, my father, like most other farmers, would pay the utmost attention to the BBC Countryfile forecast on a Sunday afternoon. All children present knew to sit in complete silence, as interrupting this vital information on a potential silage week would not be well received!
No side-mounted harvester is ever going to have the “cool” factor, but if you were to see my “isolation haircut” you would be able to tell that I am not worried about being fashionable
We run a traditional DIY silage fleet led by a JF 850 silage harvester, a machine which can economically cut 30 to 40 acres per day.
Despite this work rate, no side-mounted harvester is ever going to have the “cool” factor, but if you were to see my “isolation haircut” you would be able to tell that I am not worried about being fashionable.
In a period of milk price volatility, I am focused on producing the best possible silage as cheaply as we can, with the equipment that we have. But this is only possible because we are blessed with excellent friends and neighbours who are generous with their time and labour.
However, social distancing protocols mean that meals are taken in the field, rather than at the kitchen table.
Turnout
Our cows made their long awaited return to the fields on 15 April and have enjoyed almost nothing but sun ever since.
Conditions have been perfect for grazing. However, we have just reached the part of the grazing season where the sward benefits from being mowed prior to grazing.
I am focused on producing the best possible silage as cheaply as we can, with the equipment that we have
When this is carried out correctly during dry periods, it can dramatically reduce wastage and greatly improve intakes. The mower is set in the highest mowing position so to leave enough leaf to aid regrowth.
Again due to a poor milk price it is essential that we maximise the use of grass through good grazing management, and not chase marginal litres through the excessive feeding of concentrates.
Recording
One thing that COVID-19 has taught me is to be very grateful for the work normally done by our milk recorder. During the isolation period, I’m using the DIY recording system, and it is all too tempting to procrastinate and come up with reasons to put off the inconvenience of recording for another night.
Dumped
Also due for some praise are the folk from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
We have land adjacent to a layby, on to which some less than socially conscientious member of the public had dumped two mattresses and a set of car tyres.
It is incredibly frustrating to have such instances of fly-tipping on and near our land
My father promptly phoned the council offices and left an answer-phone message. I hadn’t expected much to come of this due to the current pandemic, and thought the message would get lost in local government bureaucracy.
To my surprise, the next day not only had council workers removed the mattresses and tyres but also carried out a full removal of any other debris.
It is incredibly frustrating to have such instances of fly-tipping on and near our land, not only from an aesthetic point of view but also the risk that it poses to animal health. I sincerely hope that all recycling centres can open in the near future.
SHARING OPTIONS: