The excellent weather made lambing a pleasure for Iain Green

Finally, spring is here and everything is growing well. Ewes and newborn lambs have been turned out onto more grass than normal and I have decided not to purchase turnips this year.

We were lucky we had excellent weather for this years lambing, but we had all the usual trials and tribulations that go along with keeping ewes, one of which was prolapses. It is always difficult getting ewe condition exactly right.

Once again, we were fortunate my niece was on holiday from university and was willing to assist. She was helped by my two oldest daughters who were not only content helping at the lambing but once again came home at night and watched a recording of the excellent Lambing Live programme.

Yearling bullock calves have been sold at our local auction market to average £902. This is an increase on previous years, but it is needed to cover the increasing costs of keeping suckler cows. Hopefully, finished cattle prices will continue to rise to give the purchaser a good return for their investment.

Grass fields where cows and heifers were outwintered have had the feeding areas levelled and have been re-sown with grass seed. I would have liked to have done this earlier in the spring, but ground conditions would not allow.

I am honoured to have been invited by the National Beef Association Scotland to host its beef event on the 1 June. The day will consist of a farm tour viewing our pedigree Simmental herd and some of our Simmental cross cattle from our upland unit. There will also be trade stands, seminars and stock judging. I hope to see and meet as many of you as possible on the day.