Farmer Focus Livestock: Julian Ellis sees clear TB test boost morale

A few days of fine weather and our second clear TB test has boosted morale. It has also helped us forget about this winter’s heavy rain, frost and snow. Fortunately, the unusual severe frost didn’t cause too much of problem to the cattle or cabbage.

But the snow did mean I had to take a few hours off to go sledging and skiing. My girlfriend Sam says it’s a lot easier with proper skis, not ones made of strips of plastic cut from a 45gal teat-dip barrel.

Store cattle have been sold now and, despite one or two poor Limousin crosses, sold fairly well.

Cows went out to grass on 20 February along with the bull, who can run with them until we start the spring calvers.

Hopefully, he shouldn’t be too busy if the scanning results are anything to go by. Unfortunately, a large number of our cows refused to hold to Guernsey and preferred British Blue.

I was told once that as long as they are in calf, it wouldn’t matter if they held to a camel imagine a cow that can go a month without drinking. Not so good is an animal that can spit on you while putting the unit on.

Now everything has had the first application of fertiliser, dad is champing at the bit to get on with chain harrowing and rolling some will argue the necessity of these two pieces of kit. Necessary or not, he does come in feeling good after making some straight uniform lines in the fields beside the road.

Next month may be some news about the first part of my Nuffield scholarship, which I have been lucky enough to be awarded.

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