With Storm Barra on the horizon, the problems adverse weather conditions can have on a farm can be significant and the damage these weather conditions, particularly high gusts of wind can bring, can be major.
Power outages are a commonly seen during times of stormy weather and the need for a generator, particularly on dairy farms, some would argue, is a must.
Therefore, with Storm Barra bringing red weather warnings in place for counties Clare, Kerry and Cork and Status Orange and Status Yellow weather warnings for the rest of the country, it’s important to make sure you have a generator at the ready or have a neighbour of friend who can loan you one.
Problems for dairy farmers during storm outages
On many spring-calving dairy farms, most, if not all, the cows are dried off.
However, for winter milk farms, a power outage can bring many problems, not just in relation to being able to milk cows, but also the the negative effects this can have on the cows themselves.
Delays in milking beyond 24 hours leave cows predisposed to producing milk with a high cell count and a greater risk of developing clinical mastitis.
Apart from animal welfare, it is also important that you take of yourself during the expected turbulent weather and take every safety precaution necessary.
It’s advisable to avoid carrying out any tasks that can wait until the weather adverse subsides e.g. tree cutting or work at heights should be postponed.