LATEST ARTICLES
Viewpoints
Home Farm: all clear and genotyping
Matt Dempsey
Recovery after grazing is certainly much less than normal – the lack of rainfall is definitely having an effect.
14 May 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: Annual herd test looms
I am relieved to see the beef price increasing again so we will continue to feed with a better frame of mind.
7 May 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: sunny days and cool nights good for the oilseed rape
The oilseed rape is now at petal fall and the glorious vibrant yellow will slowly turn into a murky brown over the next few weeks.
Home Farm: Beef is expensive to produce right now
We can only aim to maximise production from the stores on the rapidly growing high quality grass at this time of the year.
30 April 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: Extraordinary spring for cattle trade
I was disappointed to see some Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) on the Cassia winter barley.
23 April 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: BISS form submitted
On the cattle side, at long last we can operate the technology to see the Commercial beef value of the cattle we have on the place.
16 April 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: Area aid form and maps arrive
The cereals, wheat, barley and oats have all got nitrogen and growth regulator and despite the dry weather have visibly responded to the top dressing.
9 April 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: spring tillage work continues
We have also bought in some straight potash, following our soil samples showing low K on the silage ground.
2 April 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: dry weather drives progress
The beans are in a full six weeks earlier than last year and there is now nothing left to sow.
26 March 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: Spring work underway
As I write, we are sowing the beans. I was interested to see that our delivery came from Denmark.
19 March 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: Lime levels being counted
We don’t use that much lime, but it’s noticeable that even on just one farm that pH levels vary from one field with a pH of over 7.5 while a small grass paddock was analysed at 5.5.
12 March 2025 Viewpoints
Home Farm: all systems go
The first priority was to get the Roundup on the beans ground – it badly needs cleaning up before sowing.
5 March 2025 Viewpoints