Today is Gypsy Day, the day when cows often move to a new property. Listen to Gypsy Day last year and follow the links to understand more about it. This year will be difficult for some farmers and sharemilkers if their cows are possibly infected with Mycoplasma Bovis. When farmers are waiting for test results, they are not allowed to move their cows to another property.
Just two years ago, prices for milk solids were low. Now prices are up this year at around $6.50 a kg of milk solids. This might give some comfort to farmers at this uncertain time.
However, there is not much comfort for farmers at the moment. Those who have healthy cows are probably worried about the future as it can take a long time for the disease to show. They probably also feel sympathy for their neighbours or other farmer friends who have to face losing all their cows. Some older farmers say that they will now give up. They can’t face that stress.
Sorry, Gypsy Day post was two years ago not last year.
Vocabulary
• comfort (n) – something that makes people feel happier; it can be a verb also
• give up (phrasal verb) – to quit, decide to stop farming
• to face a problem – have to do something about a problem; opposite of ignore a problem