The dry good weather continues and the goats seem to be enjoying being outside more and more. The nutritional value of the grass is pretty poor now but even so, we have spotted them grazing on quite a few occasions. The bulk of their diet is still hay though and we are really chuffed they are happy to eat that outside too. As with the al fresco breakfasts and suppers, it all means less poo inside and less spent straw to muck out, And talking of straw, with the cows being out and bedding inside the barns and sheds staying drier all round, our straw usuage plummeted last week to a mere three, as opposed to the 15 plus of previous weeks. That’s a saving of approximately £40 a week: a considerable sum. Hay consumption has dropped too as the cows have been eating grass. We have used just eight a week since the cows went back outside, as opposed to anything from 11 to 16 throughout November and December. Hay is more expensive this year: £5 a bale as opposed to £3.50 so again we are saving up to £40 a week there too.
Weather really does cost money!!!