While mats are a great benefit to our cows in the shed each winter, especially for the few in their golden years, the disadvantage is that their feet can grow rather quickly when indoors for a prolonged spell.

This happens more regularly to those with lighter-coloured or striped hooves, with Charolais or Blonde breeding behind them, in comparison with the hardy Limousins which rarely need attention.

For as long as I can remember we’ve used Gabriel O’Dowd, who has provided top-notch hoofcare each time, and for anyone who knows him, it’s always delivered with some good-natured ribbing, banter and laughter while the work is done, and the cows walk out of the crate far easier than they walked in.

Although the indignity of having their legs hoisted into the air may be a factor in that.

Soil sampling was also carried out under the Department programme, and the poor man who arrived to take the samples must walk a considerable number of miles each day. The fields which had been specified for him to test were unfortunately on the steeper side of our hill, meaning he certainly got a cardio workout.

It’ll be interesting to see the different results for these fields, as some are used for meadow and have been getting a small lime application each year along with slurry, compared to pasture, which gets less help from the bag.

Leitrim land has an innate ability to grow rushes regardless of topical applications used, so to know what these are lacking in will hopefully allow us to use a more beneficial compound.

Testing

After having a clear herd test back in September, we assumed it would be the last of that particular worry for another year, but unfortunately with a few herds going down in our area, we were notified of being restricted until we undertook a contiguous test.

While we had fewer stock to do, the majority of our cows are now heavily pregnant and it was not ideal putting them through the stress of another test.

To make everything as easy as possible, we let the three strong calves out for a few hours in the days leading up to it. These brief escapades outdoors were very well received and after releasing all their pent-up teenage energy, they were easily coaxed back in with a rattling bucket of nuts.

Once we knew they weren’t going to take off for the Longford border, it meant we could allow them outside once tested, creating more space to manoeuvre the cows around.

As per unofficial herd test rules, the day was abysmal, with showers of rain and wind blasting around every corner, but the man above must have decided we’d had enough torture last month as the power only went off for a couple of hours and by the time our vet arrived, the sun was shining and skies were blue.

Thankfully all were clear, if a little disgruntled in their change of routine, and that now paves the way for us to sell the bull weanling this weekend.

Finally the cows got their belated Christmas present, a DeLaval swinging beef brush. Although cows are naturally curious animals and will merrily stick their noses into everything new, this was something completely different in their winter home. We decided a human guinea pig in the shape of myself was required to show them that it wasn’t going to come to life and devour them all. After 10 minutes of scratching my own back on it I can see why cows would enjoy it so much to itch those hard-to-reach areas and within hours the first cow stepped up to try it out. A small mound of hair on the ground the following morning was proof that it’s going to be well enjoyed by all.