Adam Henson: 'Food stocks low' at Cotswold Farm Park

Adam Henson is worried that his farm could run out of hay and silage

The recent cold weather has led to a shortage of animal food at the Cotswold Farm Park, according to owner Adam Henson.

With recent temperatures in parts of Gloucestershire dropping to -10C and heavy snow having fallen, he said it had been causing problems for his livestock on the farm at Guiting Power.

"[The pregnant ewes are] getting through twice as much [hay and silage] as we usually would at this time of year. Rather than a bale lasting a week it's only lasting two days," he said.

"We had frost in May and it droughted in June, so the yield from our hay and silage crops was much less than we expected; very depleted.

"So we were worried we were going to run out [of hay and silage] anyway this winter, and now we're even more worried."

"But if we've got to feed, we've got to feed and we'll worry about having to buy in fodder at the end of the winter if we need to, but actually nationally hay and straw is in short supply."

'Incredibly think skin'

"It's all a case of just surviving really," he said.

"[The animals] need food and they need water and if they're indoors they need bedding. It's hard on them.

"Sheep and cattle, particularly some of the rare breeds that we've got are very, very hardy, and have incredibly think skin.

"When you look out at them across the fields and they're stood under the hedges and the trees you wonder how they're still alive.

"But they're very well insulated and everything they do is to survive, and they try to get as much energy into themselves just to keep warm."