Steve Morris
Steve Morris
Steve Morris farms in the
Forest of Bowland, Lancs,
in partnership with his wife
Valerie. Over half of the
190ha (470-acre) LFA farm
is heather fell, with a
further 20ha (50 acres) of
rough grazing. It is stocked
with 50 dairy cows, 280
Lonk ewes, 100 half-breds
and 40 gimmer hoggs
I MUST be getting old. The number of times in the past Ive smiled at dad reciting how the summers used to be when he was a lad. Recently Ive caught myself doing it.
How did we make 10,000 or more bales of hay in a summer, when now it is a struggle to make 4ha (10 acres). Even then its not a fair comparison when you realise that half of that is made in mini Hesston bales.
One aspect that has changed for the better is the heifer calving season. As a teenager which, I admit, is more than a couple of decades ago, milking new calved heifers would fill you with dread. At least a two man job – often three plus kick bars – whereas this past couple of summers the introduction of newcomers to the herd has been a breeze.
Particularly pleasing this year have been daughters of Parker Aerostar Wade. I should have bought more of this bulls semen, but he became unavailable soon after I purchased it. With a couple of heifers still to calve, maybe I am tempting fate, but I cant recall such a trouble-free heifer calving season.
This year they have all calved to Jurmel. His figures get better with every proof run, but once again I probably should have purchased more semen as he died after I bought his semen last summer.
The only disappointment with heifer calving is milk let down. Oxytocin is always close at hand. This year four have required it – 25% – when only a decade ago I dont think Id even heard of it.
With no apparent differences between those that require treatment and those that dont, its baffling as to why this is an increasing problem albeit an easily remedied one.
The 20-day rule hasnt affected us unduly so far. In the normal run of things, the only stock bought in are rams. This year we need to purchase at least seven, split between three different breeds. The timing of these purchases will be considered carefully, but whenever they occur it is inevitable that this ridiculous piece of bureaucratic nonsense will affect the running of our business. Please Lord Whitty can we just have some commonsense. *
Although haymaking weather has got worse over the years, heifers have definitely become easier to deal with, believes Steve Morris.