Lambing prospects lighten the mood for Alistair Mackintosh

We had no sooner finished cleaning up from burst pipes and flooded sheds after the thaw than we were hit by torrential downpours making the land waterlogged again.

There has been much concern about how the snow and adverse weather conditions would have affected the fertility and potential lamb numbers for next seasons lamb crop. We’ve been conscious of this and have been providing extra feed through this difficult time in the form of whole sugar beet.

We scanned at the weekend, and it would appear the extra feed has done its job – out of 1163 ewes we had 17 barren and the lambing percentage is estimated to be more than 190%. A pleasing result. However, the challenge now will be to secure as many lambs as possible at lambing time and to pray for good weather.

The barren ewes have been sold at a pleasing trade. Singles and triplets have been separated and they will be fed and looked after accordingly.

We’ve just had our FABBL inspection and, fortunately, had no non-compliances, so we have passed.

At the time of writing, our single farm payment has not been paid. I have to say RPA staff have been helpful in finding the problem – small potential double-funding issues with Natural England on my environmental scheme would appear to have caused the hold up. I’m assured the problems have been identified and put right and therefore my payment has been Okayed and should be on its way.

Care on my part will have to be taken next year to ensure the same problem does not arise again. Hopefully, by the time you read this, I will have been paid and still have some of it left.

Farmer Focus Livestock