Farmer focus, livestock: Adrian Harrison anticipates another bad winter

It is nearly autumn and we have now got, first , second and – our insurance – a third cut of 30 acres of new seeds I have purchased. I wasn’t sure whether or not I needed the extra, but having thought about it for “two nanoseconds” it seemed like a good idea in case of another bad winter.

I can’t help looking over at the full clamps and having a little gloat that “I’m alright, Jack”. Having said that, first-cut quality is average at 31.5%DM, 10.8ME, 13% protein, 66% D value and rumen stability at 324.7. This is a cow-friendly silage and a good base to work from with blend, pressed pulp and wheat straw. I am also trying out lactaid yeast at 50g a cow, so I will be advising on the results in my next article.

I wish it was as simple as just doing your job well and reaping the rewards, but farming has become so much more complicated and one big gamble. As far as grasslands go I really wish I had listened at college instead of having a good night out and looking at my timetable to see when the “crops” lectures were for an extended sleep.

We were lucky enough to have surplus stock to sell at Borderways Jersey Lakes Club Sale. I decided to go the night before for the cows to be settled and looking their best before the sale. This meant checking into the “Isuzu Inn”, complete with reclining seats and sleeping bags, for what my eight-year-old son described in his homework diary as a “horrible night”. Trade was down from the previous week, but we ended up with the top-price Jersey in milk heifer.