Last updated 16:09, Wednesday, 20 August 2008

THE wet August weather is taking its toll on farms and the rural economy.

cycle: Dairy farmer Mike Chester, of Allonby

Last week saw the cancellation of Sunday’s Lowther Show, the cancellation of the Hawkshead Show and a number of hound trails.

Dairy herds across Cumbria are being put on winter diets early after the recent wet weather severely reduced grazing quality.

And sheep farmers preparing for the approaching breeding sales are struggling to maintain good lamb weights because of the very low dry matter in the grass.

Wigton-based animal nutritionist David Wilde said that until two weeks ago the weather had been variable, but when the rain set in, most farmers switched to winter diets.

He said: “Now it’s starting to affect everyone. It’s not just cropping, it’s the grazing systems as well.

“The big issue is grazing, and we’re busy putting everyone onto winter diets. People are having to feed crop in the summer that should be for the winter. We’re putting nearly every herd we visit on a winter diet. The cows physically can’t eat enough because dry matter of the grass is so low.”

Crops are suffering and while early silage was high quality, delays caused by the wet weather have seen the second cut falling in quality each day it stays in the field. What farmers are taking in is very low in energy.

Mr Wilde added: “People are having to change from making whole crop to a crimp – from a forage to a concentrate.

“It’s not a disaster at the moment but people have to be able to be flexible. If this wet weather continues for the next few weeks, it will start having a major impact.”

Fertility, yields and milk quality in dairy herds have been falling and some farmers are in danger of missing the most lucrative milk production period starting in September.

Mike Chester, a dairy farmer in Allonby with 320 Holstein Friesians, said many farmers have seen their calving index rise to 420 – cows are taking longer to get pregnant.

He said: “We seem to be in the same cycle as last year which had a major impact on production.

“In most cases first cut silage is OK but anything after late June is where all the damage has been done. Dry matter is low and so are sugars.”