Blog - Livestock

This month, Roger Evans shares his thoughts on climate change and tells us why a dose of reality and common sense is helpful when dealing with the issues of the day.

From milk price takers to shakers, dairy farmers should take matters into their own hands, writes former cowman and agri-marketing contractor Phil Christopher.

As you read this we will have closed the door on another year. As we sit back and reflect on 2022, it is clear it was a year where once again the rollercoaster that was the weather played a significant and challenging role across all agricultural sectors.

Well that’s another year done, with the highlights being a record-breaking milk price and plenty of dry hot weather. The lowlights being huge cost inflation and the drought.

Winter has definitely announced its arrival to the Great Orme. With the timely delivery of my eBay purchase, an all-weather combating Swanndri coat, the strong winds and horizontal rain have also arrived.

I think 2022 perfectly encapsulates the challenges we now face when planning out our year ahead.

Claire Eastham farms with her husband Martyn in Dorset, where they milk 120-spring calving cows. After gaining knowledge and experience working for other businesses, the couple started their own dairy farming journey in 2015 by taking on a share farming agreement before progressing to their current county council farm.

Fraser Jones milks 1,500 Holstein Friesians across two sites near Welshpool. As a Disease? Not On My Farm! ambassador, he works closely with his vet Oli Hodgkinson, of Trefaldwyn Vets, to prioritise animal health and welfare. Here he provides a farmer’s perspective on the recently launched National Office of Animal Health Livestock Vaccination Guidelines and considers their potential impact on the dairy sector.

This month Roger Evans discusses the current farming situation at home, this year’s grass growth, milk prices and milk quotas.