Yahoo News Farmers are having to slaughter cows early as ongoing drought leaves them short of food
UK farmers are being forced to slaughter their cows early as the heatwave has left them short of food to feed the animals.
With grass being left crisp and yellow due to a lack of rain, cows have very little to eat and farmers are having to break into their winter stocks.
Dairy farmer Abi Reader explained that as a result, cows they would usually still be using for milking are being slaughtered.
She told the BBC: ‘We’ve lost a lot of money on them. The cheapest option is get rid of them and cut our losses.’
John O’Farrell, who runs an abattoir in Camarthenshire, Wales, said that many farmers are culling animals earlier than they would normally due to the bad grass growing season.
He added: ‘Our volume of work is considerably higher than we would expect at this time of year.
‘Farmers are taking the view if the animals are to be culled it’s best to cull early.’
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Farmers struggling in the hot, dry conditions have now welcomed moves to give them more flexibility on taking water out of the environment.
They have also called for support to help transport animal fodder across the country to where a lack of grass in parched fields is putting pressure and costs on livestock farmers.
The move by Environment Secretary Michael Gove will make it easier to trade water allowances between farmers to maximise supplies and help them make the most of extra water in rivers after heavy rain.
The Environment Agency may also allow farmers to take additional water on an emergency basis if there is a real or imminent threat to crops and livestock, officials said.
But cases will be assessed to minimise the impact on the environment and other water users.
The UK has seen its driest first half of summer since 1961, with last Thursday and Friday bringing the first rainfall in weeks, and farmers have warned the ongoing hot, dry conditions have hit crops.
