This is a subscriber-only article
On this farm, it appears twins are born in threes, as we welcomed two further sets in the last month. Having gone so many years without even one set, it’s fairly baffling to have three sets of twins in our small herd. Not that I’m complaining; all I want is for them to come out alive and kicking.
Our second set of twins to arrive were by the Limousin bull TVR (Elite Forever Brill) off a Blonde-Limousin cow. With a calving difficulty of 17.5%, he’s not for the faint-hearted, but having seen some superb calves off him I wasn’t deterred. And while I was hoping for a calf I could train for the commercial show ring, I’m happy enough to settle for twin bulls.
At this stage, I’m beginning to think some of the cows have heard they’re being written about in the Irish Farmers Journal and each of them wants a mention
The third set was half expected, as the cow resembled a rather well-fed tick and she duly obliged with another bull and heifer by BZC, a Belgian Blue. At this stage, I’m beginning to think some of the cows have heard they’re being written about in the Irish Farmers Journal and each of them wants a mention.
Approximately three acres of pasture has been set aside specifically for these cows with twins and this has received a mix of 18-6-12 and CAN. The same mix has also gone on to our meadows after slurry application and over a couple of the larger pasture fields. When spreading fertiliser, we have to be mindful of our limits under GLAS rules as both our low-input permanent pasture (LIPP) and traditional hay meadow ground cannot exceed 40kg N/ha per annum. Luckily our need for grass doesn’t peak until autumn, so there’s no rush for us to get meadows cut and back into rotation. Though I’m sure by the time 1 July comes around, I won’t need any encouragement to book the contractor for baling.
Bulls and breeding
Our last pedigree bull of breeding age was also sold on to pastures new in Cavan. I had considered training him and bringing him to a sale but in the end I sold him privately for a price I was happy with.
A lovely even-tempered bull, he was usually found in the field surrounded by calves. I’m always sad to see them go but at the same time I’m looking forward to what next year will bring.
Each cow’s height, width and calving ability is taken into consideration and paired with a bull who should complement her weaknesses
Breeding for 2020 has yet to begin here, but I’ve most of my bulls picked out for each cow. Each cow’s height, width and calving ability is taken into consideration and paired with a bull who should complement her weaknesses. In theory, the only thing required now is a bit of patience to watch the herd morning and evening.
This time of year, there’s a great cacophony of birdsong morning
And if you’re not in a rush to be anywhere else, standing among the cows watching for signs of heat can be an exceptionally pleasant way to spend half an hour. This time of year, there’s a great cacophony of birdsong morning and evening, and picking out the different songs to identify the bird in question is something I do almost unconsciously at this stage.
One bird which I have not heard for a few years is the curlew, though they are in the area
From the creamy warbles of a robin to the high-pitched notes of a wren, these are songs I learned years ago and which have stayed with me since.
Lately, the most bizarre birdsong struck up outside my bedroom window, with the culprit turning out to be a starling which has learned how to mimic both a jackdaw and a fox bark.
One bird which I have not heard for a few years is the curlew, though they are in the area.
So it was a pleasant surprise when we were recently asked to join the Irish Breeding Curlew Project which is a trial scheme operating in south Lough Corrib, Galway and the south Leitrim area.
We’re eligible because we have a portion of land in an established nesting area, but we haven’t noticed any activity by curlews recently. It would be fantastic to participate in reviving the numbers of this beautiful bird with its haunting call.
SHARING OPTIONS: