If ever a reminder was needed that we are still infants in the farming game, it was delivered earlier this year, when we had four separate groups of animals grazing four different fields. For small part-timers like us, where simplicity is key, this was poor management.

At that stage, we had weaned lambs in one field, their mothers in another, had calves in a sheltered field beside the shed and store bullocks in a different field. When a rotational grazing system is important for growing grass, but nearly half your fields are being very slowly grazed, it becomes very difficult to get a handle on what is going on.

We got through it, however. Joining the weanlings with the bullocks this week into one grazing group reminded me of how much easier it is to manage grass when your animals’ demand gets them into and out of a field in three to four days, rather than one to two weeks.

All the lambs have long since gone too and the ewes have spent the summer alternating between the last two fields that do not have water piped into them. Drawing barrels of water to them is not much fun, but it is manageable compared to trying to keep cattle watered out there.

So, we are back to two grazing groups – ewes and a mixed bunch of cattle. If the rams were not going out in a fortnight, we would join these groups as well, to create a single mob-grazing unit.

As usual, lessons have been learned the hard way, but at least they have been learned. And more importantly, they have been learned on the ground here, compared to just reading about best practice in a theoretical way.

But back to the rams for a minute. Two solid Charollais rams have been sourced and as usual, we paid more than we had planned. But, like all good investments, you hope they are only dear the day you buy them, and that they will pay for themselves by siring well-muscled lambs that will gain north of 300g per day next year.

We will be better set up with a simple grazing rotation at that stage and not have ‘The Late Late Show’ approach, where there is a separate field for everyone in the audience.

The only other news I have is that we recently signed up for Bord Bia’s quality assurance scheme. I had looked into it previously and dismissed the idea as not being worthwhile for small producers like us.

When factory quotes are as steady as crows bobbing on a telephone wire, 10 cents per kilo is taken away as quickly as it is added. However, life is short and you have to try new things. So, I phoned up and got the information pack sent out.

There were a few bits and pieces we had to work on, but when the remote audit took place last week, the inspector seemed happy overall and fingers crossed, we will be approved in the coming weeks. Overall, the process was straightforward, the inspector was helpful and the yard is tidier as a result. However, only time will tell if the exercise is financially worthwhile.