WILLIAM SLINGER

MANAGEMENT UPDATE

WE DID manage a white Christmas, something I cannot remember before. This was followed by heavy rain and severe winds earlier this month which brought down half a dozen trees, one of which fell across a road.

This gave us a good opportunity to test out our new loader – a test it passed with flying colours.

Over recent years there has been an explosion in ivy, growing in places it never used to. Besides the obvious health issues for stock, it has the effect of giving some trees sails, contributing to the number brought down in the wind.

The electricity went off for a time too, though not long enough to disrupt milking. Local radio was full of reports of trees blocking roads which were being cleared by local farmers, or should that be “rural land managers”.

In any case, it highlighted to the general public that farmers are not just here to be blamed for so much that is wrong in the countryside.

Milk yields have remained buoyant over the last month; the same cannot be said for the farmgate price. Lambs have not been helped by wet weather, or by the snow we had over Christmas, attractive on Christmas cards but hardly anywhere else.

The single farm payment scheme is now with us, although we have yet to see its full impact. I believe the powers that be have thus far failed to appreciate the consequences of what they have put in place. This is a reform unlike any we have yet witnessed.

We are looking at starting our pre-lambing feeding programme earlier this year in view of the severity of the winter so far. Ewes remain in good condition and we intend to keep them there.

The beef market remains uncertain, particularly given the fluctuations in supply caused by the ending of the previous regime at the turn of the year. Beef represents a significant proportion of local agricultural trade and the reforms may well have a more immediate impact on this sector than any other.