I can’t recall ever having a spell of weather as dry as this, and while our fields are thriving in the heat, there are brown patches now appearing along hedgerows and under trees. To see this on heavy ground shows just how parched the soil is, a stark comparison to last year, when we had cattle housed at this time due to ground conditions.

One fine evening I took our kayak out for a paddle in the lake beside us and a surprisingly large drop in water level was evident on rocks around the shore. Only for a heavy dew most mornings we’d probably have seen a decline in grass growth and the first sup of rain last weekend was very welcome, with even the cattle looking delighted to have the dust on their backs washed off.

The stock are almost too well fed with the clover that’s popping up everywhere, and a couple of the heavier cows were feeling it in their feet.

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The house door has been left open most days due to the balmy temperatures and to my surprise a swallow entered one evening as I was silently working on the Irish Farmers Journal piece you’re currently reading. My one-eyed cat sized up the bird, but after a few circles of my living room the intruder realised his mistake and flew out. Hopefully his navigational skills improve for his journey across the sea.

We’re entered into the National Beef Welfare Scheme again this year and signed up for all options, as it’s pretty much being paid for actions we’d carry out regardless. We’ve only been faecal-testing for a few years since its introduction in the BEEP-S scheme, but meal-feeding is something we’ve always done as it eased pressure on the cows at the latter end of each year, along with increasing calf weight and shape at sale time.

Prior to this we’d skipped over the vaccination option, but with high export numbers it should be beneficial this year. It will be interesting to find out if it’s worthwhile, though with cattle prices remaining at record highs, it’s going to be difficult to work out if there’s any difference in value.

Breeding has almost finished, so now all that awaits is to see if we have any late repeats. The last lady to be served was our only heifer for next year, a Blue heifer of my own, and I’m hoping she takes after her dam when it comes to calving ability due to our record with Blue cows – which isn’t the greatest. As a precaution, I’ve used a sexed Limousin straw on her, and as she’s maintained a regular 21-day cycle since the beginning of summer, I’m hopeful she’ll go in-calf first time.

We’ve only one cow on the cull list for this winter, due to her unpredictable temperament and lazy calves that usually need help to suck for the first few days. However, she made other plans and with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer herself and the bull next door decided on a rendezvous. All we can do is wait and see if her last hurrah bears fruit, and if she has succeeded in defying us by going in-calf, she’ll have every right to look smug all winter.