Kieran Coughlan: 12 low-cost and simple fixes for a smoother spring on the farm

Sometimes the smallest changes can make the biggest difference, says rural accountant and dairy farmer Kieran Coughlan

Are high-speed geared fence reels and temporary posts sufficiently available to allow for easier grassland management? 

The weather has been particularly difficult this spring with little break in the weather to lift the mood. Thankfully, the outlook for the week ahead is better.

It’s a bit of a cliché, but tough weeks like these show up the faults in the system, and although cash flow and time seldom allow for action to be taken in the present, there is an opportunity to literally take note of the pressure points which could be addressed in future farm development plans.

As farmers, our needs change with the seasons. The weather is already starting to pick up, and our focus will shift. Thoughts will turn to breeding, AI and heat detection equipment, reseeding and fencing.

The issues that this spring has thrown up will get forgotten or at least replaced by more current issues as time moves on.

Most of the issues that farmers are facing presently are within the farmyard. It Is worthwhile giving some thought to all aspects of animal and indeed farmer welfare within the yard.

Low-cost improvements

Some of the issues farmers may wish to consider include:

• Is slurry storage and parlour washings storage an issue? 

• Is there an easier way of moving slurry from tank to tank within the yard, such as by investing in a pump agitator?

Is rainfall adding to slurry storage issues?

• And are there simple fixes, such as improved guttering, channeling and separation of soiled and clean water?

• Is feed space and feed quality a limiting factor to cows meeting their potential, where cows are not able to access grass due to soil conditions – is supplementary feeding of beet/maize or increased ration a possibility to bridge the nutrition gap?

• Is spur farm roadways an option?

• Are high-speed geared fence reels and temporary posts sufficiently available to allow for easier grassland management? 

• Is calf house ventilation an issue on muggy damp days, and is vaccination or manual ventilation an option to improve or maintain calf health?

• Are straw bedding houses excessively exposed to rain and dampness and would wind breakers or shed overhangs an option to improve animal comfort and reduce bedding usage?

Basic comforts for the farmer 

For the farmer, are there multiple sets of waterproof clothing and wellingtons available, and a place to hang damp clothing to dry out for reuse?

A small fridge in the parlour stocked with some snacks is useful when the day runs on, and getting back to the house for a cuppa isn’t possible. 

Plumbed-up toilet facilities in the yard are also a convenience when the hours in the yard run longer than expected.

Is there a blackboard in the parlour and chalk and multiple colour marking sprays to help identify fresh cows and those to be kept from the parlour?

• Are the wipers and the fan heater working in the tractor or loader, and adequate lighting to make the task of feeding out animals an easy operation on dark and wet days?

• Is it easy to cull out animals for calving, and are multiple culling pens/gates available to allow for division and subdivision of the herd to make the isolation of an animal easy?

Nobody's perfect...

The above are just a sample of the ideas that farmers might want to look at. 

None of us would admit to having the perfect yard, but as can been seen from the above list, some simple and low-cost measures can have a meaningful impact on stock and farmer welfare at this time of year, its not all about the big expenditure items.

At this point of the year, stress levels and workload can be high and will be getting higher as the dual workload of animals half in and half out will mean that the normal farm yard jobs will need doing but layered up with grazing, fencing, slurry, and fertiliser work.

Do what you need to do to get through.

And get help in if the workload is excessive and/or meaning that other jobs are falling down.

But do take note of what changes, if any, could make a difference to your farm for the coming season.

It’s easy to forget when the weather gets better and if there is a plan to improve the system then that in of itself will help lift the mood knowing that next year things will be a little easier.

• Kieran Coughlan is a specialist in farm tax advice and is principal at Coughlan Accounting & Taxation Services Limited. Kieran is a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) and Fellow of ACCA.

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