Slurry scrapers and cow collars fall victim to freeze
In Wales, temperatures were so low that electronic cow collars were rendered useless when readers seized up.
Automated slurry scrapers froze solid on some farms. Even milk froze on the worst hit farms.
Blow torches to de-ice milking parlours have sold out in some areas.
Although not recommended, keeping one tap running continuously has been a reliable fall-back for many.
Some dairy farmers have been regretting the move from old stone sheds built to withstand the cold, into open sheds and milking parlours, which are well ventilated for animal health, but not so good for equipment.
A few more cold winters, and some farmers may consider insulating sheds.
Unfortunately, some will have to replace sheds which collapsed under snow — an occurrence most common in Scotland, where the weather was so bad that rural fuel supplies for heating and farm machinery ran very low.
Frozen diesel has been another problem on some farms, making others thankful for the insulative effect of snow on fuel tanks.
Sheep farmers may suffer long-term effects if snowbound ewes deliver fewer lambs in the spring.
Aquaculture has suffered as well as agriculture and thousands of salmon were believed to have frozen to death on a north Antrim fish farm.
Inevitably, there has been a toll on wildlife. In Britain, barn owls proved vulnerable, with many found dead.
Another consequence of severe freezing and thawing may be large-scale collapse of unstable areas like riverbanks or cliffs.
On the bright side, if your Brussels sprouts for Christmas dinner tasted better, you can thank the weather, because frost takes the moisture out of them and brings more flavour out, according to gourmets.
