Wiltshire dairy farmer loses milk production due to heat and drought
A Wiltshire dairy farmer has reported loss of milk production due to extreme heat and drought conditions, highlighting the impact of the ongoing heatwave on agriculture.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A Wiltshire dairy farmer has reported a significant drop in milk production as the third heatwave of the year continues to take its toll on agriculture. The extreme temperatures and lack of rainfall have left pastures parched, forcing the farm to take unusual measures to keep its herd fed.
Kerry Cryer, who runs a dairy farm near Brinkworth with 140 cows, said the animals are producing about four litres less per cow per day. That translates to a loss of roughly a thousand pounds in revenue each week. The cows are suffering from heat stress and sunburn, using much of their energy to keep cool rather than produce milk.
At the same time, the grass in the fields is not growing. The ground is so dry that what little grass remains has gone to seed and offers poor nutritional value. A paddock that would normally feed the herd for a full day now lasts only a few hours. Cryer has already started feeding the cows their winter silage, a more expensive option that also depletes the farm's reserves for the colder months. With no grass growing elsewhere, buying in extra feed is not an option.
The situation is putting huge pressure on the farm. Cryer said the lack of grass and reduced milk output may force difficult decisions, including reducing the size of the herd. She noted that climate change is making the land less productive, meaning less milk and less cheese for human consumption.
To try to future-proof the farm, Cryer has begun planting new trees to provide more shade for the cows, but those trees will take years to grow. Meanwhile, the weather forecast offers little relief. The region has seen very little rainfall so far in July, with Somerset recording just 1.2 millimetres of rain against an average of 64 millimetres for the whole month. Long-range forecasts suggest high pressure will persist, with only scattered showers possible towards the end of August, meaning the drought conditions are likely to continue.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| A farm is losing approximately £1,000 per week in milk yield due to heat. | |
| Heat stress is causing cows to produce about four litres less milk per day. | |
| Somerset has received only 1.2 mm of rain in July, far below the monthly average of 64 mm. | |
| The farm has resorted to feeding winter silage because grass is not growing. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focuses on the local human and economic impact of the heatwave on a single dairy farm, using the farmer's own words to convey the severity. It combines on-the-ground reporting with weather data to underline the ongoing drought. The tone is sympathetic and concerned, highlighting the farmer's difficult decisions and the broader implications for food production.
- “They're producing about four litres less per cow per day, and with our herd size that represents about a thousand pounds in money that we're losing per week.”
- “So we are having to start feeding the silage, the winter feed to the cows.”
- “This means that our area of land, because of climate change, can produce less food for humans if you've got less cows, we're making less milk, we're making less cheese.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.