chris.watson Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 Very cold down here in the usually tropical south. We are 2 thirds of the way through calving, but the 85 that are calving outdoors are producing better calves than the 110 calving indoors. Less pneumonia in the outdoor ones for a start. Problem now is it was 15 degrees here yesterday and today in the wind it's -7, this will shock livestock of any variety, and will do more harm than a prolonged cold spell. A close eye will be needed on all the stock down here in the coming weeks. The 150 cows that are due to calve in the autumn have it easy I think on another point, farmer round here top dressed 700 acres of cereals 3 weeks ago, then the beast from the east came, and since he put it on we have had 50mm of rain.....ditch and river banks should green up nicely in a few weeks judging by the water coming out of the land drains around here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 Just now, dm434 said: pretty much the same over the hill at Allendale john , fortunately the hill lads are a month off lambing , but as you say , they still need feeding n checking , hopefully all present and not buried behind the dykes with snow Yeah, it's not the quantity of snow ( yet ), it's that bloody wind that's blowing it into all the buildings and freezing the pipes, however the forecast looks like we're in for a fair dump of it tonight. I bet the ploughs are rolling up your way David! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 3 minutes ago, chris.watson said: Very cold down here in the usually tropical south. We are 2 thirds of the way through calving, but the 85 that are calving outdoors are producing better calves than the 110 calving indoors. Less pneumonia in the outdoor ones for a start. Problem now is it was 15 degrees here yesterday and today in the wind it's -7, this will shock livestock of any variety, and will do more harm than a prolonged cold spell. A close eye will be needed on all the stock down here in the coming weeks. The 150 cows that are due to calve in the autumn have it easy I think on another point, farmer round here top dressed 700 acres of cereals 3 weeks ago, then the beast from the east came, and since he put it on we have had 50mm of rain.....ditch and river banks should green up nicely in a few weeks judging by the water coming out of the land drains around here. You're right Chris, it's not good for any stock at the moment, or for farmers too for that matter. I know your neighbour won't be laughing after spreading all that fert, but that did make me chuckle for the first time today 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dm434 Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 39 minutes ago, 844john said: Yeah, it's not the quantity of snow ( yet ), it's that bloody wind that's blowing it into all the buildings and freezing the pipes, however the forecast looks like we're in for a fair dump of it tonight. I bet the ploughs are rolling up your way David! yes , gritters n ploughs are out but its my week end off from them but have a few hours left if things get bad . unlike the farmer , we get the working time directive thrown at us plus sodding tacho rules , 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb86 Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 1 hour ago, dm434 said: hope you have decent gloves , see you aint got a gator yet Funnily enough I have, bought a kubota as a mobility scooter for dad haha, but it is in need of a driveshaft and one or two bearings before it can be used. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb86 Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 1 hour ago, chris.watson said: Very cold down here in the usually tropical south. We are 2 thirds of the way through calving, but the 85 that are calving outdoors are producing better calves than the 110 calving indoors. Less pneumonia in the outdoor ones for a start. Problem now is it was 15 degrees here yesterday and today in the wind it's -7, this will shock livestock of any variety, and will do more harm than a prolonged cold spell. A close eye will be needed on all the stock down here in the coming weeks. The 150 cows that are due to calve in the autumn have it easy I think on another point, farmer round here top dressed 700 acres of cereals 3 weeks ago, then the beast from the east came, and since he put it on we have had 50mm of rain.....ditch and river banks should green up nicely in a few weeks judging by the water coming out of the land drains around here. Any snow or just cold Chris? The extremes in temp will certainly shock the beast, certainly don't envy anyone lambing or calving outside in this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dm434 Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 just drove up from hexham back to Allendale , visability was down to two feet in front of the car . the lad on the gritter was just in front n he told me he lost the road a few times , that wind is whipping the snow up , he also said the roads up to the durham and cumbrian boundries will be full Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 14 minutes ago, dm434 said: just drove up from hexham back to Allendale , visability was down to two feet in front of the car . the lad on the gritter was just in front n he told me he lost the road a few times , that wind is whipping the snow up , he also said the roads up to the durham and cumbrian boundries will be full just been out to check our yowes, the wind here is gale force now, with the snow driving at you it's almost impossible to see a hand in front of you, the sheep and the pens are all white, but at least they are inside. I don't know about you David, but i think this is as rough a spell of weather as we've had in a long time, the wind is just savage now 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 3 hours ago, mb86 said: Horrendous would describe the weather perfectly john, the only blessing is Im not lambing either not till the end of the month, but I'm just a bit worried that too much of this and the stress will start causing problems. . You're right Martin, we had an older yow spit triplets out this morning, all clean and healthy looking, just i would say a couple of weeks early, I'm putting it down to the stress of the weather over the past few weeks and self natures way of preservation kicking in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb86 Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 3 minutes ago, 844john said: just been out to check our yowes, the wind here is gale force now, with the snow driving at you it's almost impossible to see a hand in front of you, the sheep and the pens are all white, but at least they are inside. I don't know about you David, but i think this is as rough a spell of weather as we've had in a long time, the wind is just savage now I'm just about to go and move a couple of batches of ewes together so they have a bit more shelter while this wind is blowing. The snow showers are getting more frequent as the evening goes on, I bet there is a lot of snow still to come tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb86 Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 2 minutes ago, 844john said: You're right Martin, we had an older yow spit triplets out this morning, all clean and healthy looking, just i would say a couple of weeks early, I'm putting it down to the stress of the weather over the past few weeks and self natures way of preservation kicking in Aye id agree there, if it hadn't been so wet previous to this id say they would have been ok in this snow but they were looking unhappy yesterday. Its just too much for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 (edited) 8 hours ago, mb86 said: Aye id agree there, if it hadn't been so wet previous to this id say they would have been ok in this snow but they were looking unhappy yesterday. Its just too much for them. Yes, its been a hard winter for sheep, like you say all the previous spells of wet and snow has taken its toll on them, and me too if I'm being honest! Personally, i blame the Russians for sending us this weather, well,..... might as well, they're getting the blame for everything else at the moment! Edited March 18, 2018 by 844john 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 We'll, it's safe to say that things haven't improved overnight 4 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 meant to have woken up to it this morning, and then heavy all day,infact a amber warning out ,risk to life ,mmm yeah right ,glorious morning 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Palmer Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 we have had a sprinkling,but forcast still says some to come Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
844john Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 That's really rubbing it in Sean, you and Paul can have ours now, we've all had enough!!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderson Agri Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Had quite a bit overnight here in Somerset, not as much as others but still a good 3-4 inches and still snowing heavily. Meant to until early tomorrow morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Palmer Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 (edited) its just started snowing,but not a lot Edited March 18, 2018 by Paul Palmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Palmer Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 its coming down now,hope the main roads will be ok,my stepdaughter has just been induced,could be hours or could be anytime,but there is a bambino on its way 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_emmons Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 we got 3-4 inches overnight in Basingstoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.watson Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 19 hours ago, mb86 said: Any snow or just cold Chris? The extremes in temp will certainly shock the beast, certainly don't envy anyone lambing or calving outside in this. Couple of inches of snow mate. Poxy stuff, I hate snow. Should be over the worst of it now.the wind last night was horrendous, everything was still alive this morning. Our vet reckons adult cattle are good down to -30, I hope we never see that temperature in this country. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mb86 Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 3 hours ago, chris.watson said: Couple of inches of snow mate. Poxy stuff, I hate snow. Should be over the worst of it now.the wind last night was horrendous, everything was still alive this morning. Our vet reckons adult cattle are good down to -30, I hope we never see that temperature in this country. -30!!!! I doubt anything acclimatised to our weather in the uk could stand that, especially me! At least the ground would be hard enough to get some slurry out, if the tractor would start haha. Wind has shifted a fair bit if snow today, had to ram my way through a couple of drifts that came over the bonnet, that's why I have noisy old uncomfy landys,. Was tempted to stop and take a pic in the drift but I didn't want to get stuck. 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_emmons Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 snowing Heavily again in Basingstoke now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris.watson Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Looking out accross the farm at teatime it looked like the middle of December, you woudnt think it was the middle of March. Not a green shoot on the hedges anywhere. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tractorman810 Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 still green here, had a couple of hours of snow, but it did t really lay like that, meant to see more tonight but i doubt it , will have to see some tomorrow on the way to weston super mare,if the roads are open Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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