Our new bull out with the girls. Maraiscote Pedro.
Happy Christmas and New Year to all – I apologise for being lapsed on posting diary updates. The constant changes to daily life caused by Covid-19 together with juggling business and pleasure is a trial.
In November I went to Brecon Sale – sold a couple of bulls very well on the trade – Killerton Plutonium and Killerton Persuasive. A full sale report is on the British Limousin website : https://limousin.co.uk/2020/11/malthouse-paddy-tops-brecon/
The new bull MARAISCOTE PEDRO has been out with a few cows and heifers for a short while. I am very pleased with his looks and temperament- fingers crossed.
Dry cows and Heifers on stubble turnips over winter.
We weaned a lot of bulls a bit younger than usual due to wet weather conditions. The dry cows and in calf heifers are now on stubble turnips and straw but keeping their condition very well. Nearly all cows and calves are housed but space is at a premium and it hurts every time we have to put a bale in the straw chopper. Thank goodness we grow our own cereals.
There are some promising young bulls coming along. The hardest decision is what to keep and take on whilst others will be heading for slaughter once the weights are achieved. I do find it hard to keep within the specification range of weight and age – many are at weight at 12 months if not before. I also have a lot of heifers in the pipeline with a similar dilemma – whether to keep ourselves, sell for breeding or send to abbatoir.
Cereals are looking well at the present moment in time. I have dabbled into oil seed rape for the first time which potentially is looking promising.
More members of staff have been taken on recently to help with the workload – Simon Staines has moved to the farm as our new stockperson.
As the year draws to a close it looks as though we will soon be moving from our current Tier 3 restrictions to lockdown Tier 4 so our winter sports may be cut short and the spaniels will wonder what is happening.
Keep safe everyone and look forward to seeing you in the new year.