You could be forgiven for thinking it is October or November! The temperature has dropped dramatically and it is wet and dreich outside. It certainly doesn't feel like summer is just around the corner.

Thankfully, lambing took place in March and April under altogether better weather conditions. We only had three days when we held off putting ewes and lambs outside because it was too cold.

Once ewes did go back out they were kept on silage fields longer than usual as the grass has been slow to grow. We have also provided additional feeding for the ewes to ensure adequate milk for their lambs and to date we have fed double the amount compared to previous years.

Every year sees something medically affect ewes or lambs and we try our best to tackle it quickly. This year it is what we call 'black poke' or bad udders, which are easily identified as affected ewes are slow to come to their daily feed via the snacker. Affected ewes are given Betamox LA, which prevents further illness, but the udder is forever damaged and such ewes are not used for breeding again.

The first of the new season lambs – mainly tup lambs not good enough for breeding – have been sold through the prime ring at £155 per head, which compares to last year's £104 entries sold on May 2020. This year's lambs were born at the beginning of February and have grown well however, feed prices have been higher.

Spring calving has come to an end and all cows and calves are happily outside with silage. Heifers have also calved and headed outside supplemented with turnips, sugar beet pulp and barley maize dark grains, to support milk production and maintain condition.

Bulls went out on May 20 with the cows, first calved heifers and maiden heifers, thereby enabling them to calve at two years of age.

We have now sold 50% of last year's spring calves not suitable breeding. Most of these were sold through Forfar Mart, at 12-13 months of age and values 30p per kg up on the year, which will help offset the increase in feed costs.

Summer calving started on May 8, with cows outside up on the hill at Shandford, and heifers inside, and to date 65% have calved. Calves have been born predominantly unaided and are up suckling within a short time.

We are getting on average 10-12 calves born per day, with some unexpected arrivals too in the shape of three sets of twins born that had all been scanned as singles. All six calves are of a good size and are still being reared by their mothers.

With so many being born each day, tagging and registering calves is one of my main priorities, otherwise it can become overwhelming and difficult to catch up. Fingers crossed the cows continue to calve with ease and summer finally arrives and allows us some much need sunny, bright, warm days.