Our grass at the moment is a golden biscuit brown. It has rather upset the plan to rotate the sheep around our three main grazing fields so that the grass has time to re-grow by the time the sheep arrive back. Alas, the grass has stopped growing. The problem is not so much the current protracted heatwave but rather the many weeks preceding where, however overcast, in this area we have had absolutely no rain. I have had to continue with post-lambing supplementary feeding plus ensuring that hay is available. And it’s not yet July.
The pigs are finding it hot too and lay in the shade much of the day. They have dug out their own wallow which I top up with a hose. Saddlebacks have a white band around the shoulders which is prone to sun burn so I rub on sun protection (factor 50 as it happens).
The neighbouring farmers have for some weeks been regularly irrigating the fields using enormously long hoses snaking their way through the crops with great jets of water pumped from the drains that criss-cross the land here. I’ve used my more modest sprinkler on the vegetable plots. It’s been a tricky growing season so far after the cold spring and slow start.
Sounds like your land and livestock are having a tough time Philip. Even here in Ireland its very hot this week. I read somewhere that pigs don't have sweat glands and they need mud and hosing down to keep them cool.
ReplyDeleteThey do like a muddy pool. I had the sprinkler showing them with a fine spray during the which they seemed like.
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