This week, the farm could be described as a happening place. On Monday, three tractors and tipping trailers and a 360° digger spent the day emptying the slurry pit.

We do like to take this out and leave it in a heap for several months to heat up, kill the weed seeds and become more friable before spreading.

I know we will suffer some nitrogen loss, but we have not got a concrete bottom for the slurry pit so it has to come out all at once with the digger.

A concrete base is on the agenda for next year, which will allow us to go in with a wheeled vehicle and take out silage as and when is needed.

Exciting activity

Also on Monday, another contractor came in with a digger and telehandler to install the concrete panels on the extended silage pit.

Also in attendance was the internet installer with a cherry picker extending the range of the security and internet cameras. It was all very exciting as there was activity in whichever direction I looked.

The cows and young stock are out at grass - such a relief after a very long winter. The cows are milking well and, so far, grass growth is adequate, but since the herd has gone from 100 to 130, we are having to take more away land for silage making.

Milk collection

Ireland does not appear to be suffering the dramas of the UK milk industry. Over here, some processors are only picking up six days out of seven. One is only paying 1p/l per week with the rest to follow later and another is paying 6p/l with the rest to follow.

These options available to the processors must have been well hidden in the small print of the contract when farmers left the shelter of the co-op and signed up for the extra penny. A decision they are bitterly regretting.

There are also rumours that some processors are getting farmers to dump milk and then buying milk on spot

As the one remaining UK co-op, First Milk, traditionally the bolthole of the last resort, has its doors firmly closed to any outside milk it does not have a market for. There are also rumours that some processors are getting farmers to dump milk and then buying milk on spot at 15p/l.

One major processor has asked its producers to cut production by 3%, based on the milk produced in the first week of April. All very well, but it will be a far greater percentage of the milk when cows go into production in May.

Unwilling to cut back at peak production and reduce yield for the remainder of the lactation, many farmers are leaving a note on the bulk tank for the driver to take a set amount and dump the rest down the drain.

None of this was foreseen when they left the shelter of the co-op where we all shared equally in the profit and the pain. Thank goodness I am with First Milk.

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