Slurry

[digger64]

Are can't suggesting that @Cowabunga , and every other dairy farmer in the country that will be facing this problem currently, should invest in enough storage to allow for the unprecedented levels of rainfall that we’ve seen lately? Having 4 months of storage is plenty in a normal time, but do you suggest allowing for 200% of rainfall, just in case?

The op has, quite correctly, managed to exclude as much rainfall as possible from his store. He has a full store as the weather conditions have meant his ground hasn’t been suitable for emptying that store completely, before the winter housing period. Should he have applied it when it was so wet that it would have leached straight into watercourses? Or hold off to wait for better spreading conditions which would minimise pollution and soil damage? In a ‘normal’ year one would expect a suitable window at some stage, as everyone with a corn drill has been waiting for too, but this is certainly not a ‘normal’ year.

I think the point is that the industry as a whole cant afford from its enterprise output to make longterm reinvestment in essential
facilities and keep going , so they proritise accordingly and slurry would not give income or cost saving in the same way as say a new tmr diet feeder ,parlour , genetics or some land to grow maize etc .
Despite receiving subs grants etc from outside .
pollution regulations and issues and the need for investment surely must be one of the most common reasons for ceasing production - I would suggest the whole system some how or other has got its priorities mixed up , through no fault of its own .

 

[lazy farmer]

Excellent post.

I’m not quite sure why your finding it an excellent post. It contains not one mention of those bxxxxxxds in the Eu.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Are you suggesting that @Cowabunga , and every other dairy farmer in the country that will be facing this problem currently, should invest in enough storage to allow for the unprecedented levels of rainfall that we’ve seen lately? Having 4 months of storage is plenty in a normal time, but do you suggest allowing for 200% of rainfall, just in case?

The op has, quite correctly, managed to exclude as much rainfall as possible from his store. He has a full store as the weather conditions have meant his ground hasn’t been suitable for emptying that store completely, before the winter housing period. Should he have applied it when it was so wet that it would have leached straight into watercourses? Or hold off to wait for better spreading conditions which would minimise pollution and soil damage? In a ‘normal’ year one would expect a suitable window at some stage, as everyone with a corn drill has been waiting for too, but this is certainly not a ‘normal’ year.

Dont compare what you are getting to what is quite normal in West Wales, we are a hardy lot and used to being flooded out .
Can anyone give me the total for Ceredigion so far this Month

 

[Ukjay]

Are you suggesting that @Cowabunga , and every other dairy farmer in the country that will be facing this problem currently, should invest in enough storage to allow for the unprecedented levels of rainfall that we’ve seen lately? Having 4 months of storage is plenty in a normal time, but do you suggest allowing for 200% of rainfall, just in case?

The op has, quite correctly, managed to exclude as much rainfall as possible from his store. He has a full store as the weather conditions have meant his ground hasn’t been suitable for emptying that store completely, before the winter housing period. Should he have applied it when it was so wet that it would have leached straight into watercourses? Or hold off to wait for better spreading conditions which would minimise pollution and soil damage? In a ‘normal’ year one would expect a suitable window at some stage, as everyone with a corn drill has been waiting for too, but this is certainly not a ‘normal’ year.

What I said was clear to read Neil, to which I believe you are well aware!

However, to play your game and see where it leads: if one keeps stock that is geared to have a slurry based byproduct / holding system - then you have a duty to ensure you can manage the situation accordingly, regardless of how many excuses one would like to blame it on - and you can't blame the weather in Wales.
Contingency planning is most definitely nothing new, and chucking it over the hedge is not really a great example now is it...

Oh, and please show me where I am advocating spreading in unsuitable conditions...... You can't as I didn't.

What I can see however is another potential damaging leaching event caused by complacent management.

Will you then pat him on the back then for a job well done if that happens.

 

[lazy farmer]

What I said was clear to read Neil, to which I believe you are well aware!

However, to play your game and see where it leads: if one keeps stock that is geared to have a slurry based byproduct / holding system - then you have a duty to ensure you can manage the situation accordingly, regardless of how many excuses one would like to blame it on - and you can't blame the weather in Wales.
Contingency planning is most definitely nothing new, and chucking it over the hedge is not really a great example now is it...

Hindsight.........

 

[7610 super q]

I’m not quite sure why your finding it an excellent post. It contains not one mention of those bxxxxxxds in the Eu.

I don't know why I keep replying to your trolling posts, but just to explain, UK Jay has the measure of Cowabunga. Whenever I post about losing my subsidy, or costs incurred to my business due to EU rules, he tells me it's my fault, or my bad management, or my bad farming, or my bad business acumen...... Now the boots on the other foot, and he don't like it. Anyone else, I'd have some sympathy with the current weather situation.

 

[Ukjay]

Hindsight.........

Or Excuses...

 

[Cowabunga]

Well you keep on repeatedly about him selling his and what a great thing it was to do and how beneficial it was to his personal wealth and opportunities so you seem to think it should affect his personal viewpoint which maybe different to his business viewpoint .

You are deluded.

 

[Cowabunga]

If you have been increasing your output by 10% every year ,just to keep ahead of your neighbours , would explain why you have got a lot of slurry

Total idiot! I haven't increased my cows in over thirty years and never said I did.

 

[Ukjay]

I’m not quite sure why your finding it an excellent post. It contains not one mention of those bxxxxxxds in the Eu.

Not everything revolves around the EU, and the topic in question definitely doesn't in terms of how it has come about!

It's a bit like a Robin Hood sequel on here at the minute....

 

[milkloss]

Rules are rules. Let the slurry run and take the fine (like the water companies do), buy more storage, pay someone to take it away or get better at putting it on at the right time (irrespective if it suppresses grass growth because it may be a bigger problem to deal with now than it would have been then).

 

[Cowabunga]

I don't know why I keep replying to your trolling posts, but just to explain, UK Jay has the measure of Cowabunga. Whenever I post about losing my subsidy, or costs incurred to my business due to EU rules, he tells me it's my fault, or my bad management, or my bad farming, or my bad business acumen...... Now the boots on the other foot, and he don't like it. Anyone else, I'd have some sympathy with the current weather situation.

Once again, you insist on claiming things that I never posted. I can only conclude that your chip has migrated to your brain.

What I have is a small management issue that has been impacted by particular weather conditions. It is not insurmountable and is just a 'normal' part of running a farm business. There are issues that need addressing on an ongoing basis that fall outside of the expected. It is not something that will impact on my business and hopefully will soon be solved when the contractor arrives. In the meantime I'll shift a few loads now and again as conditions allow.

 

[Brisel]

Hindsight.........

No, contingency. You can’t plan for everything but if you only plan for an “average” year you’re going to get caught out without a plan B in years like this.

 

[ILovebaling]

I'm not going to lie I got bored reading after 5 pages. Have to say it didn't take it long to excilate to blaming the guy asking a question and then blaming the EU and/or brexit.

If nothing else this forum is very very predictable.

 

[Brisel]

I'm not going to lie I got bored reading after 5 pages. Have to say it didn't take it long to excilate to blaming the guy asking a question and then blaming the EU and/or brexit.

If nothing else this forum is very very predictable.

Many of the posts are tongue in cheek, especially the anti EU ones. It’s hard to get a feel for context and if you’re not a regular poster, the back story of pot shots taken between members who often argue on every thread topic they all post in, not just this one.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Well dont you think its sad that after 40 years of poor returns in the EU the poor guy cant afford to hang up his boots and retire . He should be spending his twilight years on a fishing boat in Cardigan bay not worrying if his slurry is going to end up in it .

 

[Brisel]

How the hell is Europe to blame for a slurry problem???? Without the CAP propping up rural employment that farm would have reverted to scrub decades ago because there wouldn’t have been a viable farm there. Ironically no slurry problem as a result!

As and when we leave the EU you will have to find another scapegoat for all the woes in the world.

 

[neilo]

Well dont you think its sad that after 40 years of poor returns in the EU the poor guy cant afford to hang up his boots and retire . He should be spending his twilight years on a fishing boat in Cardigan bay not worrying if his slurry is going to end up in it .

If he owns the farm, even a small one, he only has to sell up to have a much larger pension pot than most people would ever need.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

How the hell is Europe to blame for a slurry problem???? Without the CAP propping up rural employment that farm would have reverted to scrub decades ago. As and when we leave the EU you will have to find another scapegoat for all the woes in the world.

The EU is the main planter of scrub . They offered me a small fortune to turn my farm into it . I sent them packing .
You remainers sadden me . You must have no drive and ambition or confidence in your own ability

 

[Brisel]

The EU is the main planter of scrub . They offered me a small fortune to turn my farm into it . I sent them packing .
You remainers sadden me . You must have no drive and ambition or confidence in your own ability

Charming, as ever. And you still have the nerve to whinge about being called unpleasant names yet you post stuff like this and don’t like being told to go forth and multiply. Your assumptions about my personal circumstances are entirely fictional. I make the best of the cards I have been dealt and work to improve them. I’m not offended by you and have been called far worse by people far better than yourself.

Please come up with a better argument to solve a slurry problem and plan ahead in future.