Christmas day for a farmer still requires the wellies to be put on and jobs being completed, as livestock must still be cared for properly.
Just because there is work to be done, does not mean that you have to spend Christmas day in the yard, rather than with your family.
In order to get this quality time, there are a number of measures that can be taken in order to reduce the amount of time spent in the yard.
Workland
The aim for the majority of farms is that only essential work is completed, such as feeding, milking, herding and liming of cubicles.
In order to achieve this, it may mean that some extra bits of work are completed in the days leading up to Christmas.
Firstly, you need to ensure that you have adequate amount of supplies that you require, including: cubicle lime; gloves; milk filters; concentrates, and anything else that will be required over the coming week.
Anything that is in short supply on the farm should be ordered or obtained, before shops and Coops close for Christmas.
Give all machinery and implements an inspection to ensure that they are in full working order, a breakdown could be quite costly at this time of year.
Ensure that oil levels are adequate, and that machines are full of diesel.
If you notice any hoses or fittings that are damaged or frayed, you should repair them promptly.
This should mean that the machinery can be used to feed without the worry of a breakdown.
Livestock
On many dairy farms, cows are now dry, but that does not mean that there is not work that still needs to be completed.
Cubicles still need to be limed, and cows still need to be fed.
To reduce the need for feeding on Christmas day, you can put out a few extra blocks of silage that can then be pushed up when needed.
On farms where cows are being milked, they will still need to be fed and milked – with little that can be done to reduce the workload in this situation.
On farms where a total mixed ration (TMR) is being fed, a second mix could be done on Christmas eve – which would reduce the amount of time you need to spend in the yard.
Christmas
Although it is important to spend time with your family, taking care of livestock on your farm is also important.
It is always important to remember that farms can be dangerous places, so rushing to complete jobs should be avoided.
Farm safety should be paramount at all time – but having extra people around, potentially challenging weather conditions, and rushing to complete jobs only increases the risk of a potential accident.
When working over the Christmas period in the yard, be aware of who might be around, and take your time completing tasks.
