Farmer Focus: Drought focuses minds on water resilience

The stream that runs past our house has completely dried up. Two other streams on the farm are just about running with enough water for some of the sheep.

Our well, our neighbour’s well and the cattle all depend on our borehole. The water infrastructure over part of the farm means water supply is totally flexible and troughs can be moved wherever the stock are grazing.

See also: How solar water pumps can extend areas suitable for grazing

About the author

Edward Evans

Edward Evans farms a 178ha upland farm in Powys in partnership with his wife, Sue. They run a flock of 800 Tregaron-type Welsh and Aberfield ewes, wintering 180 ewe-lamb replacements and rearing 80 Wagyu weanlings up to 18-20 months on a rotational grazing system.

Read more articles by Edward Evans

It is good to hear that people are now sitting up and talking “water resilience”. Parts of North Wales are the wettest in the country during the winter, yet they were the first area of the country to be declared in drought.

Our farm is still more green then brown, and I do feel sorry for farms with livestock having to be fed – or, even worse, having to have water carried to them.

The main jobs like shearing and harvesting have been completed and lambs have had their fly protection treatment.

Some more lambs were sold at the beginning of July, while the remainder of the March-born lambs have now been weaned.

All our lambs are very “clean”, with no obvious signs of any worm burden, but, as a precaution, a dung sample was tested by our vet.

There were low numbers of strongyles and nematodirus, probably helped by the hot weather.

The advice was not to dose at present, but to keep a close eye on their condition. When it begins to rain, the worm burden will be much greater.

We have also started sorting through some of the ewes, checking teeth, udders and running them through the foot-bath.

The lameness issue continues and I fear it is going to take quite some time to get on top of the problem.

I spent two days at the Royal Welsh Show, meeting and catching up with friends and colleagues, enjoying food and drink and merriment, and seeing all or most of “the best show in the world”.

I also attended a seminar where the new Welsh Assembly farming minister was giving a talk. I must say it was very refreshing listening to him.

I think farmers are being listened to and we have someone who is genuinely on our side.

Water resilience should now feature in the new Sustainable Farming Scheme in Wales. Reservoirs or lakes could be built, which would also benefit nature.