I wasn’t quite sure why my final load of nitrogen fertiliser was delayed because of “transport problems“ but in any event, it arrived on Monday.

As it was the nitrogen with sulphur, we wanted to spread it first, especially on the oilseed rape which we are constantly reminded needs sulphur for reasonable yields.

Ground conditions have improved hugely over the last week so we began with the oilseed rape and moved onto the winter barley. After that it will be the oats and winter wheat.

I am conscious that the costs of production will be by far the highest ever

Conditions are also ideal for ploughing so we will start as soon as possible on the ground for the beans and hopefully sow with a one pass system at a rate of around 14 stone to the acre, though we will be guided by the 1,000 grain weight.

As we plan for the treatment of these crops, I am conscious that the costs of production will be by far the highest ever. How much higher I am afraid to work out but I should, as the future prices on offer should set some kind of benchmark for making a decision whether or not to sell at least a proportion of the crops forward.

By any standards, it is an extraordinary time dominated by horror at the suffering and trauma being inflicted on the people and farmers of Ukraine.

Between the finished cattle going to the factory as they become fit and the stores grazing by day, our silage is lasting better than I had feared just a few weeks ago

On the cattle side, we are getting excellent clean out of the paddocks we are grazing with the stores by day and ground conditions are ideal for spreading slurry.

Between the finished cattle going to the factory as they become fit and the stores grazing by day, our silage is lasting better than I had feared just a few weeks ago.

Gain per day is certainly lower with the steers but I have not yet seen enough results to do an accurate profit comparison

We are also using less concentrate as time goes on which has to be a priority at present prices.

One striking feature of the switch from bulls to dairy beef steers is the dramatic reduction in mortality.

With the benefit of hindsight, young bulls seemed vulnerable to problems which don’t seem to affect the steers to the same extent.

Gain per day is certainly lower with the steers but I have not yet seen enough results to do an accurate profit comparison. Hopefully my accountant’s farm management programme will produce answers in the immediate future.