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The troublesome silage that I have been expressing concerns about for the past three months has finally been removed. While it did cause some health issues, it also impacted milk production, with a decrease of 3.5 litres per cow per day on average since we switched to second cut silage. Currently, our cows are yielding an average of 35 litres per day, with butterfat content increasing to 4.5%.

The summer has been relatively calm in terms of heifer calving, but we are gearing up for more activity in October, which should help boost our milk output. Our goal is to maintain a consistent calving schedule throughout the year, although challenges sometimes arise.

We recently harvested wheat and barley, achieving yields of approximately 7.16 tonnes per hectare for barley and 9.6 tonnes per hectare for wheat, which we were pleased with given the season. While the straw harvest was successful, we had to bale around one third due to inclement weather conditions.

We have planted grass on 16 hectares of land that was previously harvested, opting for ploughing instead of direct drilling. The remaining wheat stubble will be utilized for cover crops and winter bird seed as part of various environmental schemes we participate in.

Maize harvest is expected to commence towards the end of the month, with a tighter window for completing the process before wheat drilling begins. In preparation, we are also tending to other tasks such as fifth-cut silage and clearing out the storage area.

Despite facing a shortage of drivers due to scheduling conflicts, we managed to complete the necessary work, albeit with long hours. Additionally, our Maize Maze and ice cream operations have concluded another successful season, thanks to the hard work of our farm staff, seasonal employees overseen by my mum and wife, and everyone else involved in making it all happen.

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