If the calving season were a race, it would certainly be a marathon; it’s already pretty tough, and it won’t be over for a long time yet. Thankfully this year, like any good athlete, we’ve been in training, and we’re probably more prepared than ever for this calving season. Our meetings with the vet were really helpful for getting everyone up to date on protocols, and limbered up for the months ahead. We’ve also been greatly encouraged by our enthusiastic, though young, calf rearing team.
It was a slow start to calving, but they are now coming thick and fast, with over 150 calved in at time of writing. The new cubicle area was finished in time for the first big wave of calvings, and is currently the home of the fresh calvers. This new arrangement has made feeding this group much easier, and it seems to be working well. We are also using the shedding gate to separate out the high yielders, so that they are kept in at night and have access to a tailored ration, whilst during the day they graze with the rest of the herd.
The scene in the calving field is quite different from this time last year, with cows, heifers and farm workers more likely to be melting in soaring temperatures than sinking in the mud. Though the heat comes with its own challenges, the sunshine makes the round-the-clock checks of the calving paddock quite pleasant, whereas last year just driving round the field without getting stuck was a mission in itself. With an enthusiasm probably partly brought on by the good weather, we are being more intentional about getting the heifer calves straight in and getting milk down them quickly, and we’re feeling the benefits of knowing a job well done. Not everything is plain sailing however, we’ve had the excitement of triplets, but we’ve also had the worry of three caesareans in ten days, after going about 18 months without any.
When it comes to field work, the summer could more easily be compared with a series of shorter, faster races. And always in the mind’s eye is the big one, the harvest. The weather conditions are having an even greater impact on cropping, of course. Our maize has certainly benefited from the beautiful weather, with only one field looking the worse for wear. This is a new field of damaged crop, but we hope to give it a boost by spraying it with fertilizer.
The clear skies also mean that plenty of first class hay and silage is being made throughout the UK. We’re all benefiting from the opportunity to rebuild stocks for winter, and we hope there may even be some reserves. Yet while the weather and the land are doing their bit, unfortunately the machinery is not so cooperative. Frustration with modern technology is mounting. We’re having difficulties with the computers on the forklift and tractors, which are completely shutting down the vehicles, where older tractors would have just kept on going.
As we race through this season, we hope that the preparations have been enough, and we keep our eyes on the prize to keep us focussed. But so far we are pleased with the pace we’ve set, and we’re pretty happy with the weather conditions as well!