Farmer Focus: Happy to get back to calving

Calving season has kicked off yet again and while it was nice to have a few months’ break, with the bulk tank dropping daily fresh cows are more than welcome.

My normal complaint each year is a lack of heifer calves versus the abundance of bull calves. This seems to have been rectified this year by using 75% sexed semen. The only downside to this is that our calf housing is rapidly filling up and some additional accommodation will be needed by the end of the year.

With the herd expanding year on year, our plan is to cull out older problem or non-productive cows, replacing them with younger and, hopefully, more profitable cows.

Most jobs are up to date, with third-cut silage completed and wholecrop wheat cut.

As grain prices are currently on the floor, we decided to cut more winter wheat than usual for wholecrop. This will allow us to keep our maize silo closed for longer and make sure the starch is more readily available.

Normally, we have to start feeding maize straight away and don’t get the full benefit from it for a few weeks. We have bought in some extra grain that will be treated and fed alongside a protein-balancer blend throughout the year.

This month we were delighted to host a NFU delegation. The committee members from across the UK were very motivational, with some great ideas being bounced around. The only question that couldn’t be answered is what happens when our milk price hits 25p/litre?

On a different note, after a recent run in with HM Passport Office I’m left wondering do any government departments do any work?

After waiting more than seven weeks for my three children’s passports and my own to arrive, I felt I had better make a few enquiries.

Following several days of phone calls and being told conflicting stories, my stress levels were running pretty high, to say the least.

With no one being accountable and no concept of time or urgency, dealing with these types of people makes managing cows seem easy.

Thankfully, 19 hours before we were due to fly, they arrived.

Thomas Steele milks 450 Holstein Friesian cows on a 263ha farm in Co Down, Northern Ireland. He was 2012 Farmers Weekly Dairy Farmer of the Year.

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