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Blizzard / Tests / ToppingRSS feed

Posted: Monday 21 June, 2021

by Rosemary at 8:33am in Smallholding Comments closed

Monday 14th June

Quite a lot of rain overnight, which is welcome. Just pottered about today until the footie at 2pm.

Tuesday 15th June

Dry, sunny, breezy.

Well, this is a blow. Contacted the vet about the results from the cattle blood tests. All cattle clear for everything - IBR, Lepto, Neospora and Johne's except we have an inconclusive test for Johne’s from Blizzard. Not quite sure yet what the consequences are – there will be a retest. Feeling gutted. In touch with our vet and reading up. Can’t believe she’s got it – she’s probably a condition score 4 and is carrying her tenth calf in ten years.

BlizzardBlizzard.

Good news on the PTO front though – John the Tractor brought it back, repaired, so Dan was able to get on with topping Laing’s Field this evening. Hopefully get it finished tomorrow, then on o ours.

 

Wednesday 16thJune

Overcast and cool first thing but warming up with sun and a brisk breeze. We had a tiny wee shower about 7pm – I thought it was the sprinkler!

 

Dan finished topping Laing’s Field; ours next.

 

Thursday 17th June

 

Spend a few hours in the vegetable garden weeding. Very satisfying.
 

Dan topped Far Top.

fieldRushes begone.

This is Rocky, one of our two cockerels. Just because.

RockyRocky.

Friday 18th June

Our landlord, from whom we rent the 10 acres field, popped in today. He’s a house builder and has mega tonnes of topsoil to remove from the latest development site, so he’s got permission from SEPA to spread it on the field we rent. He’s offered us some other grazing but it’s not as convenient as the adjoining field. Still, beggars can’t be choosers

Blizzard can be retested for Johne’s 30 days after the first test, so that’s w/c 28th June. I’ll book it on Monday; the calves can be tested for BVD at the same time. We’ll give the lambs and calves their second Bravoxin at the same time.

Saturday 19th June

Dan pressed on with topping and strimming. Sheepfold and Far Ditch are still to be topped but the rest are done, and he’s strimmed two hen paddocks.

orchardStrimmed orchard.

I spent the morning baking; filled the biscuit tins up.

The hens like to roost in the apple trees. Naughty girls.

hensRoosting hens.

Sunday 20th June

Ace thought it would be good to have a special photo for Father's Day.

AceAce and his daughters.

Thought it would be good to make the most of the grass in Laing’s Field while we can, so Dan let them through this morning.

cattleNew field beckons.

 

Very close today but some rain fell in the evening. Gwenna’s feeling the heat – this is her favourite spot.

GwennaGwenna's spot.

 

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