After a dip in air pressure mid-week, the barograph has settled on a steadier line.

The gale force winds from the tail end of Hurricane Gonzales have fortunately passed over us without causing any damage. Autumn has truly arrived with many trees wearing a cloak of yellow, orange, red and brown, though the strong winds have spread many leaves far and wide.

The week here on Manor Farm got off to a good start!

We received a phone call telling us our yearling heifers had escaped from their field into the neighbouring wood. On this occasion, they were enticed out with the lure of a tasty breakfast. The main problem was making sure they had all been found, as playing hide-and-seek among the trees is a great game.

Calving has slowed a little, but on the last day of the week three cows gave birth to Friesian/Holstein heifer calves, giving us a total of about 30.

Most of the cows in-calf to dairy bulls have had their calves, so we are now getting some Aberdeen Angus xs from the remainder of the herd. One of our cows gave birth to twins three weeks early.

Sadly one of the calves was still-born but the other is doing well, although very small. We are leaving it with its mother for longer than usual to give it a better chance of survival.

Richard spent an afternoon rolling some of our home-grown spring barley , which will be added to the feed ration of our cattle. Barley grains cannot be fed whole as cows are unable to digest them.

This year we are using a system to improve heat detection in our cows. It is being installed by our semen suppliers, who will be responsible for running the whole programme, including the insemination of our dairy cows.

At present we detect oestrous with the aid of pedometers situated within the “ankle bracelets” worn by our cows, but these only read increased movement for two short periods each day.

From December onwards we will be putting our cows back in-calf again, but in the winter months cows do not display signs of oestrous as obviously or for as long as they would in the spring.

This being the case, heat detection in some cows passes unnoticed. This year cows nearing time for insemination will be fitted with a collar that will read activity more frequently, with monitoring starting now. Once the cows are scanned as in-calf the collars will be removed. Hopefully the result will be positive and we will see a higher percentage of cows inseminated at the right time.

Our agronomist walked our crops earlier in the week, telling us that overall they were looking very healthy. The only problems found were some slugs in one of our new grass leys, aphids in fields of winter barley, winter wheat and blackgrass in two fields of barley. The problem with cereal aphids is they spread a disease called Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV).

The most common one spreading BYDV in the south of the country is “the bird cherry aphid”. The disease affects all cereals and grasses but is more prevalent in barley and oats. Early planting and mild winters will encourage attack by both winged and wingless aphids. Signs of BYDV are yellow or red discoloration of leaf tips in early growth, leading to stunting and large yield losses.

Delayed sowing and ploughing three weeks before drilling, to bury or destroy trash, will mean most years spraying will not be needed, but this year Ian has had to spray all the winter cereals with a pesticide.

On Stowell Farm it has been routine sheep work, of which part is the daily checking for any signs of ill health. Kevin has spent the majority of his time trimming hedges. Hedge management will be different next year, as under the Common Agricultural Policy we will not be able to start trimming until September 1 (moved from August 1), with the season for trimming still ending on the last day of February. Not good, as later in the year field cultivations have begun and the ground is often wetter.