Dry December

The cows have been able to go out the odd half day, although there is little grass it is not too muddy and it's useful to let them out when strawing the cubicles. I think they mainly enjoy a comfortable lie down!

Malton again

The last of the big over-year stores today. They have done well with the last two loads all over £1000 each and the first load of two heifers just under. I still have maybe 8 rather younger ones 8-10 months could go, well 4 next week anyway.

Ruswarp Market Run

I've started using a bullet cam on the pickup dash especially when I have the trailer on.
It seems to bring out the worst in some drivers who will shoot out in front of you apparently not wishing to get stuck behind a 'slow' trailer.
Truth is the Isuzu can keep up with the traffic just fine on main roads.
You might think they would consider the effect of violent braking on the animals inside.

No harm done in this incident at Egton road end but it would have been far harder to slow down so suddenly with a heavy load of cattle rather than sheep.
The camera has a very wide angle lens which makes the car seem further away than it was.

There was nothing behind so this saved him/her about 5 seconds.

(NB clock was not adjusted to GMT, done now!)



I do quite like some of the footage the cam captures, although just a gloomy mile or two here it will be interesting to look back at in a year or two.

Winter draws near

It's still very mild but getting awful wet in places after almost 100mm this month.

Even though there was still a fair bit of grass in their field, the big stores came back from Castleton Road today.

Unlike last year when we had a minor stampede back to the field and had to start over (oops), things went quite smoothly despite meeting 4 or 5 cars.
(Thanks to Keith and John for help)

The big shed isn't quite ready so I popped them in the calving shed for now, they have a low light in there which will help them get used to being confined again I thought,
Two of the big Lims are in calf and due December.

Ruswarp Suckler Sale

These three were about 11 months old and were weaned and kept inside since about 12 days ago.
Always a bit worrying getting them loaded as they can get in a right paddy, and are big enough to try deranged jumping stunts.
 Gave them plenty of time firstly to gallop round the yard which they thought rather fun, then walk through the passage to the trailer almost on their own.

Prices were well up on previous years, they made just short of £1000

 Robert Smith and helpers sticking numbers on - not mine.

Spotted lurking!

Late silage

Should have got some pictures really, but the red clover sown in May and cropped in mid-August had got to the awkward stage of being rather too big to graze considering the bloat risk and temporary electric fencing required - but hardly enough to bale and wrap I thought.

Anyway last Sunday decided to cut it with the idea of baling it myself maybe 3 or 4 bales at a time and drop it in the feeders. However the best bits seemed heavier than expected, and we had two good wilting days so asked Paul Houlston if they were anywhere near with a baler - and it turned out they would be at Danby on Wednesday anyway, so not a big problem to do only a small number of bales.

So that got done Wednesday morning and as I guessed there was just a dozen bales on about 7 acres!
Still worth having since it looked quite good stuff considering how late it is.

Shortly after they finished there was a sharp shower then much cooler showery weather continued overnight, so really pleased it got tidied up.

Bullet cam trial

I got this little thing the other day, being waterproof it has potential to be used on farm though no doubt enthusiasm will soon wane.
For such a small thing the picture is pretty good.
Could not be easier to use, one button for off and on.