When I look back through the photos on my phone, it’s hard to believe the difference in two years.
This time last year, we had some very wet weather, and while there was loads of grass, the cattle were doing that much damage that I was on the verge of rehousing.
This year it is a pleasure to be a farmer. The dry weather has really suited this farm. Growth has been slow at times, but the utilisation of the grass has been superb.
After the wet weather in June last year, we had some reasonable weather until it started raining in August, and it continued almost non-stop until March this year.
All the farmers around here could talk about nothing else. Some were of the opinion that the ground would never dry again.
Well those very same farmers are now looking for a shower of rain. I cannot believe how short some people’s memory is. Has everyone forgot that the last shower lasted for almost seven months?
In June 2019 heavy rain resulted in significant damage being done to some paddocks on the Egerton farm.
Content
When you go out to check cattle they are lying in the sun totally content. In June last year, my cattle were destroying the ground. Every time that I went near them, they were looking for fresh grass.
Paddocks that were supposed to last three days were only lasting one day. Those same paddocks are lasting six days this year.
I am growing no more grass, but I am getting so much more from it. I am able to split three-day paddocks in two and get three days in each half.
I have been able to cut surplus paddocks regularly for the past six weeks. I have continued to sow fertiliser after each rotation, and I am still getting a good response from it.
All the advice from the experts is not to apply any fertiliser until there is a reasonable prospect of rain. However, in my opinion you sow when the ground is dry enough to carry the tractor (as long as it is not in the closed period). There will always come some moisture.
Contractor
One of my sons helps out a silage contractor from time to time, and they have had a great season so far. After 13 days, they are as far on as they were after 27 days last year. Everything is so much easier in the dry weather.
The same goes when bringing in cows for AI. I have been breeding my cows for about four weeks now. There is nothing worse than going out to bring in cows with the ground wet and it is pouring with rain.
How quickly we can all forget the disheartening feeling when you pull back the curtains in the morning to see it is raining again.
It is so much simpler dealing with a lack of rain than too much of the stuff. I can understand why some farmers in the east are looking for rain, but anyone from this part of the country should wake up and remember the damage that wet weather can do here.
I will be very happy if the sun shines for another few months yet.
Read more
Watch: teasers take the strain of heat detection
Wet weather puts grass out of control
Farmer Writes: going to war with grass
When I look back through the photos on my phone, it’s hard to believe the difference in two years.
This time last year, we had some very wet weather, and while there was loads of grass, the cattle were doing that much damage that I was on the verge of rehousing.
This year it is a pleasure to be a farmer. The dry weather has really suited this farm. Growth has been slow at times, but the utilisation of the grass has been superb.
After the wet weather in June last year, we had some reasonable weather until it started raining in August, and it continued almost non-stop until March this year.
All the farmers around here could talk about nothing else. Some were of the opinion that the ground would never dry again.
Well those very same farmers are now looking for a shower of rain. I cannot believe how short some people’s memory is. Has everyone forgot that the last shower lasted for almost seven months?
In June 2019 heavy rain resulted in significant damage being done to some paddocks on the Egerton farm.
Content
When you go out to check cattle they are lying in the sun totally content. In June last year, my cattle were destroying the ground. Every time that I went near them, they were looking for fresh grass.
Paddocks that were supposed to last three days were only lasting one day. Those same paddocks are lasting six days this year.
I am growing no more grass, but I am getting so much more from it. I am able to split three-day paddocks in two and get three days in each half.
I have been able to cut surplus paddocks regularly for the past six weeks. I have continued to sow fertiliser after each rotation, and I am still getting a good response from it.
All the advice from the experts is not to apply any fertiliser until there is a reasonable prospect of rain. However, in my opinion you sow when the ground is dry enough to carry the tractor (as long as it is not in the closed period). There will always come some moisture.
Contractor
One of my sons helps out a silage contractor from time to time, and they have had a great season so far. After 13 days, they are as far on as they were after 27 days last year. Everything is so much easier in the dry weather.
The same goes when bringing in cows for AI. I have been breeding my cows for about four weeks now. There is nothing worse than going out to bring in cows with the ground wet and it is pouring with rain.
How quickly we can all forget the disheartening feeling when you pull back the curtains in the morning to see it is raining again.
It is so much simpler dealing with a lack of rain than too much of the stuff. I can understand why some farmers in the east are looking for rain, but anyone from this part of the country should wake up and remember the damage that wet weather can do here.
I will be very happy if the sun shines for another few months yet.
Read more
Watch: teasers take the strain of heat detection
Wet weather puts grass out of control
Farmer Writes: going to war with grass
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