By Matt Donald, pig & poultry farmer, north Yorkshire
Firstly I’d like to congratulate all the finalists at the National Egg & Poultry Awards. We had a great night down there and it was fantastic to have a night celebrating all things eggs and poultry in person. The standard of finalists was high, showing what a powerful industry we have, and even in testing times it’s great that everyone can let their hair down and enjoy catching up.
It is pleasing to see slight falls in the wheat price as I write this, however I’m sure by the time you read this, with today’s volatility anything could have happened. Volatility creates some great opportunities to beat the market but also makes decisions far more riskier, as we are also more likely to get it wrong. Planning things becomes increasingly difficult, not only with feed but also items such as concrete and steel, which both move around more than I have ever been used to. Quotations don’t last the time the email takes to arrive and all of a sudden it’s harder to pinpoint when is the right time to invest.
Ultimately if you need something and it will aid your flock performance, there is rarely a wrong time and things won’t suddenly deflate to pre-war prices. We could be in the new norm and in the time you wait to make that investment then the lower performance could have cost you greatly.
The next investment everyone can make is in yourself. A recent meeting I attended highlighted time off, and someone there had hardly taken a day off in the year. We can all be guilty of saying there isn’t time, but the key to success of any business is self care, to ensure you are constantly at the top of your game physically and mentally. Therefore time away is critical – it doesn’t have to be a holiday, just a break off farm or out of the office can make all the difference.