It has been an unseasonally warm week with temperatures remaining in double figures.

There have been periods of gloom and doom broken up by warm sunshine, with air pressure remaining fairly steady.

I was saddened this week to receive a call from Melissa to tell me that one of the ewes in Corsham Park had been very badly savaged by a dog. The attack had been witnessed by a passer-by, who was extremely traumatised.

When I saw the extent of the injuries my stomach churned. The dog had attacked the ewe’s face, just missing its eyes, tearing its flesh and causing a great deal of damage.

The ewe is being carefully nursed and hopefully will recover. Fortunately she is able to drink, although I am not sure how, and she is beginning to eat as the swelling is starting to subside.

I must at this point make a plea to all dog owners to keep their dogs on a lead when near animals. It was only recently that three sheep on Roves Farm were attacked, one of which was found dead. Work remains routine but there is always plenty to do. The lights on the Land Rover decided to remain on full beam, but are now in proper working order after a new part was fitted.

Richard had to mend the tractor’s slurry scraper, his favourite job!

Four new cubicle beds have been added to existing ones in a barn used for the winter housing of our dry cows and older heifers. The newly erected cubicles were then lined with rubber mats, which will be bedded up with chopped straw.

The milking machine equipment has had a full service, including changing all the liners in the milking clusters. We have also had a routine vet visit to do post- natal checks on cows that have recently given birth. Fortunately few problems were found, so getting these cows back in calf when the time comes will hopefully be successful. The calves being born are now predominately Aberdeen Angus crosses – the bull calves being sold to a local farmer who will rear them for Waitrose and some of the heifer calves are going to Stowell Farm.

Richard has delivered a few barren cows to a local abattoir. Following this we were, as usual, sent a report about the carcasses informing us of any problems.

On this occasion the liver of one of the animals was condemned due to damage by liver fluke (fasciola hepatica). Liver fluke is a parasite to which all grazing animals are susceptible, with wet areas holding a higher risk.

This is due to the fact that although the eggs produced by liver fluke are excreted in the faeces of mammalian hosts, the miracidia must contact their intermediate hosts, mud snails, within three hours of hatching.

On finishing their growth in the snails, the cercariae are shed, attaching themselves to blades of grass, from where they are ingested by grazing animals. Once in the gut the cercariae migrate to the liver to complete their life-cycle, shedding thousands of eggs each day.

Infected dairy cows have reduced milk yield, anaemia and fertility problems but rarely die. Young stock are more susceptible to liver fluke but fortunately flukicides are effective, but in milking cows the milk withdrawal period (ie, when milk cannot be consumed) is long.

It is therefore better to prevent cattle grazing high-risk areas and practise pasture rotation. Climate change is thought to be a factor in the number of infected animals as mild temperatures and above average rainfall provide optimum conditions.

On Stowell Farm Kevin has finished hedge cutting and more store lambs were selected for sale, then transported to Frome Market.

On a stroll around Manor Farm during the week I was amazed to see so many wild flowers in bloom, probably due to the spring-like temperature.