Archive Article: 2000/06/16
Mike Allwood
Mike Allwood is owner-
occupier of 82ha (200-
acres) near Nantwich,
Cheshire. The 175-cow dairy
herd block calves during
May and June. Besides
converting to organic
production, he is also
planning to produce
unpasteurised cheese
WE MADE the first of silage as planned in early May, nice and dry. Unfortunately, a deluge accompanied the second 20ha (50 acres) last week.
I am now waiting for some sun for the final batch of 16ha (40 acres), which I am hoping to big bale as hay or haylage. I calculated that at 50-60% dry matter it was no dearer to bale than to clamp as silage, and bales will give us extra flexibility when feeding.
Grass growth has been slow in May after a spurt in April, and we will only just have enough until silage re-growths come back.
Under Soil Association rules, we cannot feed supplementary minerals or vitamins unless we demonstrate a need to do so. The theory is that when crops are not forced with artificial fertiliser, mineral levels are higher.
But I find this difficult to understand, being a believer in prevention is better than cure. Nevertheless, we have not seen any major problems this spring after moving onto an unmineralised compound.
We will continue analysing blood and forage samples to allow us to keep an eye on things and take action if necessary. Some recent blood tests on baby calves showed acceptable levels of vitamin E and selenium, both of which were low last year.
Organic rules have also affected the way we feed baby calves; they now drink exclusively whole milk. Bulls and beef crosses are sold through a calf group at two to three weeks of age. Heifers must be offered milk for at least nine weeks before weaning.
A quick tot up reveals that we fed calves 5000 litres in May. This is worth little at the moment, after quota costs have been subtracted, but will become more painful once we start being paid an organic milk price in July.
It now seems that the whole country has turned into a GM trial site, following the accidental supply of GM contaminated rapeseed. A friend of mine asked his maize seed merchant to guarantee the crop he had planted was GM free and was told that no such guarantee could be given. So much for safe separation distances and for our right to be able to produce GM-free food as Nick Brown promised us last year. *
Mike Allwood hopes that despite slow grass growth in May there will be enough grass to last until silage aftermaths come back.