It seems no one is escaping the relentless rain at the moment and even though the forecast looks a little better, ground conditions are really difficult.

The tups went out at the start of October when the weather was dry and all seem to be covered now except for a few gimmers still giving the tups the runaround.

The bulls went out to the cows a couple of weeks ago and they seem to have had a bit of action. I like the cows to complete a cycle outside with the bulls before coming in, so I’m hoping the rain will soon stop.

A new bull was required and that means more bull shopping. When selecting a bull, I first look at the estimated breeding values (EBVs) for ease of calving and good growth. I then want a bull who has good feet and movement – I must be able to enjoy looking at what I’ve bought. I have returned to the same breeder year after year, which says a great deal about him.

The suckled calf sales last month were a wee bit better than a lot of us anticipated considering the trade for finished cattle. The calves weighed heavier this year compared to last when we were badly affected by the poor spring and drought conditions. That first grass in the spring is rocket fuel and if it’s not there at turnout it has a dramatic effect on subsequent growth rate.

I am still selling a few lambs, and thankfully the price has improved ever so slightly this past couple of weeks. It seems that quite a lot of folk sold lambs to be clear of them for the latest Brexit deadline of 31 October and this has created a shortage of numbers this month. However, the beef trade is still pretty much in the doldrums, with reports that there are large amounts of beef coming from Ireland into the UK. Hopefully in the run-up to Christmas things will gradually improve.

Rebellion

Last month, I had a short trip to London, 24 hrs to be precise, to celebrate my sister’s birthday.

It happened to be the same time as the Extinction Rebellion rally, so I went to have a look at the camp site.

We arrived to see police cutting chains from an activist – the amount of resources involved in this procedure was ridiculous.

Having spoken to some of the policemen there, they had been drafted in from all over the country, leaving the rest of the UK with a shortfall.

Sadly, the activists have caused a lot of disruption to everyday lives and they seem to have lost the support of the general public. While it’s always good to get away from the farm and see a different way of life, I do also enjoy returning to some normality at home.