It’s springtime on the farm again and with it our hopes and expectations are refreshed for the year ahead. Preparations are complete, the calving has started, the grass is growing, the fertiliser is out. The foundations are laid for what will hopefully be a good farming year. And, hopefully, the weather will be kind to us, there are no unexpected shocks on the health front or otherwise and we receive a fair price for our produce. Calving on our own herd, similar to most dairy herds in Ireland, has continued to become even more compact. This is possible because a lot of positive actions were taken last year such as feeding the cows well to ensure they are at the correct BCS, an effective vaccination programme and, of course, good heat detection.