Livestock farming and the bad weather
It has been a wet few months, and the bad weather can prove an additional stress to the majority of farmers.
For some the lambing season has now begun and the stress caused by flooding means ewes can potentially give birth early, which can result in additional challenges.
It is important that newborn lambs receive plenty of colostrum within two hours of birth, as it promotes growth and health in newborn animals and helps protect them from disease. In an ideal world a ewe and her lambs would be turned out to make the most of the fresh spring grass within a few days of birth but I fear that is going to be challenging in some areas this year.
Farmers will also be considering a number of other issues including assessing their feed stocks, feed spoilage, potentially contaminated water, housing for livestock, as well as animal health.
For many farmers this time of year can be both challenging and rewarding. This year those challenges have multiplied considerably.
For any farm businesses that have been impacted by the flooding and bad weather, AHDB has produced a number of resources that contains advice. These can be found on the AHDB website.
Clive Brown is AHDB Beef and Lamb head of regional development
