AT Manor Farm, there was one heifer calf which was yet to be de-budded (the removal of its horn bud). This was because at the time of doing the whole group, this calf had very limited horn growth which makes it much more difficult to remove.

Therefore, although not ideal, waiting a few more weeks enabled the horns to grow just enough so that they could be removed safely and accurately. The usual procedure was carried out with an anaesthetic injected, and then a 15 to 20-minute wait to allow this to take effect.

The horn is then removed painlessly with a hot iron, which also prevents any further growth and thus intervention in the future.

Finally, the site of removal is sprayed with an antiseptic to stop infection and aid recovery. This procedure is necessary to ensure the animals are safe to work with and that they do not cause injury to each other at key times such as bulling.

The calves are growing well and now require more space, so during the routine clean-out, which helps to reduce the build-up of disease and subsequent infection, the pen was enlarged to provide more space.

It was then bedded up with barley straw which is considered the best for young calves as it provides a soft fluffy bed and aids rumen development, should they decide to eat it.

They are also provided with straw in racks which is preferential for them to eat as it will not be in contact with the floor. This is alongside unlimited access to fresh drinking water and calf nuts.

Maintaining a clean, safe working environment is important on any farm. With this in mind, Ian, James and Nathan cleaned out the covered yards during the week.

Nathan also attended LAMMA on Wednesday, which is the UK’s leading farm machinery, equipment and services show.

Our local vet visited for her routine work on Tuesday which is usually a combination of pregnancy diagnosis and any examinations that are required.

She also came to mobility score the cows. The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Dairy Mobility Scoring system is a four point score ranging from zero to three.

A cow scoring zero will have good mobility and will walk with even weight-bearing rhythm on all four feet, with a flat back, whereas, a cow scoring three will be unable to keep up with the healthy herd and will either show uneven weight-bearing on a limb that is immediately identifiable, or will walk with shortened strides and an arched back.

This is useful because it detects any early mobility problems, resulting in prompt identification and treatment. It is also a method of benchmarking performance to help improve herd mobility.

The NFU has also visited the farm to inform us of a health and safety review we can potentially undertake. Although it may be quite costly to do this, it is likely to be a very important and valuable document for the farm to have.

While Ian has been busy at Manor Farm, Kevin this week at Stowell Farm has been fencing fields and moving the store lambs on to fresh grass with the help of Smudge, his collie. He has also been feeding ewes morning and evening on their grass and lucerne silage mix. The mix also has oats added to it to increase their energy intake and the essential minerals that the ewes need at this stage of pregnancy. This is all put into the feeder wagon and mixed together before being fed.

Kevin has also been going through the wether lambs (last spring's lambs) to check their feet and condition. These lambs are on stubble turnips which are a good winter feed.