Extreme Weather Affecting Farming In The UK

This last week has seen temperatures soar to over 30 degrees. This has affected many farmers across the UK. Unlike farms in the south, I’ve had green grass that has enabled me to graze my livestock. The only issue I’ve had is getting water to all the fields. Having only recently taken over the farm, I’ve not yet installed a system to fill water troughs. Fortunately, I do have a large pond so have been grazing the ewes in a field with access to this water source.

Whilst we’ve rain forecast next week, we still need to be vigilant. Many farmers are already using their winter hay to supplement grazing. Some are having to buy feed, which has a knock-on impact on the profitability of their livestock. As a result, many farmers are selling lambs earlier and in larger numbers. This of course means more lambs in the market so the prices being achieved per lamb have reduced. Coupled with rising feed and fertiliser costs, it’s once again a challenging time to be a farmer.

Posted: August 15, 2022