With the National Ploughing Championships behind us now, and the dark evenings firmly setting in, thoughts should be turning to preparing for the winter ahead.
Although housing might be a while away yet for some farms, others will be soon nearing that point, particularly those on heavier ground.
Despite winters the last few years being that bit milder, the sight of cattle in sheds in October is still a frequent sight.
Therefore, thoughts should be centred towards getting the farmyard, in particular any housing, ready for the winter period.
Preparing for winter
One job to get done, which is often put on the long finger, is power washing sheds. This helps to eliminate any diseases that may still be present from last year.
It is also a good way of identifying any damage in the shed, in particular showing any slats in the shed that may be damaged.
Ensuring all water troughs are working properly is another job to complete. Ensuring there are no leaks is a must, and the best thing to do is to clean out troughs, especially those that haven’t been used since cattle were in the shed last, and examine them for damage.
Those with automatic scrapers should at this time, ensure they are working properly and that all fixtures in the shed are in good working order, including gates, feed barriers and cubicles, as well as lights.
Outside the shed, ensure manhole covers are in suitable condition and if damaged, replace them.
Also, look to any eve gutters and down-pipes that may need to be repaired or replaced or if there are any blockages.
More and more farmers are making use of this rainwater and as such, are setting up a rainwater harvesting system with simply one or two intermediate bulk container (IBC) tanks and a few pipes and connecting them up to the troughs inside the shed to supply water.
The list of jobs compiled above may seem a lot, however not all will need to be done on every farm.
Therefore, one of the evenings, sit down, make a list of what needs attention and get a start before it’s too late and cattle are in the shed.
An untidy farmyard is asking for trouble. A safe, tidy farmyard will help to reduce the risk of farm accidents. Always think: Safety first.