Our slurry campaign during this sporadic spring is best described as ‘snatch and grab’ with opportunities taken as they are presented.

It began a fortnight ago with our local contractor spreading all suitably dry ground at the home farm with an umbilical low-emission spreading system. In addition, we have been able to spread dry, free-draining fields at an outfarm ourselves.

But one of the main frustrations has been the BBC weather app, which seems to continuously offer the carrot of a settled week after three days of persistent rain. Up to now, the carrot hasn’t been delivered, although the forecast does look more settled now.

Culling

On the farm, we have made a concerted effort to improve herd efficiency though a rigorous culling programme aimed at removing less productive cows.

With a milk price that does not adequately compensate for increasing costs, and a reasonably good cull cow price, it is easy to justify such a policy.

Currently cows are milking well on excellent silage, so by removing less efficient cows, hopefully we will be able to save more of this quality forage to feed next winter when concentrates are expected to be even more expensive.

Breeding

A recent pregnancy diagnosis and fertility check session has shown us that almost enough cows and heifers are now in calf to sexed Holstein semen to provide a sufficient number of replacements.

This allows us to serve a higher proportion of cows with beef semen. Due to the expense of rearing replacements and the prevalence of TB in the locality I do not want to rear any more dairy heifers than required.

We have introduced our new Angus stock bull to the maiden heifers. The majority of cows are being served with the Aberdeen Angus bulls Intelagri Matteo and Tyrone Matador. The latter bull is a red carrier, and produces superb red calves when used on Fleckveih cows.

I will continue to use sexed Holstein straws from Delaberge Pepper (a bull that excels for milk quality, type, width and power) on my very best cows until the end of the month. After then I will only use Angus.

This will mean that all dairy replacements will be born within a three-month period, making it easier to group them for rearing and ensure they can achieve 24-month calving at around the same time.

Succession

On the subject of animal succession, it has been fascinating to watch our collie Millie gradually train her three pups.

When they were first introduced to the yard she would coax them away from moving vehicles, and while we were training them to obey basic commands such as “sit” and “stay”, Millie would demonstrate what to do.

It is obvious that she wants them to learn and succeed as any good parent would. Two pups are still looking for homes so if you are, or know of someone who would be interested, please get in touch.

Changed world

Outside of the farm, the world has changed, with terminology such as “re-wilding” and “conservation” dumped from the political lexicon to be replaced with the words “wheat” and “corn”.

I soon expect Boris to address the nation and send us forward to patriotically “dig for Britain”. There seems to be a realisation, even among UK politicians, that the ability to feed ourselves should not be tossed on the altar of environmental egotism. It would be amusing if it was not so desperately sad. Essentially it will have taken the evil actions of Putin for UK political leaders to sober up and to properly value the agricultural industry.

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