Pre-Autumn Farm Checklist: Get Your Farm Ready for the Season

Pre-Autumn Farm Checklist

As summer draws to a close, now is the time to prepare your farm for the challenges that autumn and the approaching winter will bring. Use this checklist to ensure nothing gets missed before the season turns.

🐄 Livestock & Animal Health

• Schedule autumn veterinary health checks for all livestock
• Review and restock animal health supplies — wormers, vaccines, and minerals
• Check and repair housing, pens, and stalls ahead of housing season
• Inspect and clean water troughs and automatic drinkers
• Assess body condition scores and adjust feeding plans accordingly
• Order winter feed (silage, hay, concentrates) and confirm storage capacity
• Review POM-V prescription requirements and place orders in advance

🌾 Crops & Pasture

• Complete any remaining harvest operations and record yields
• Soil sample fields and plan autumn fertiliser or lime applications
• Overseed or reseed worn pastures before ground temperatures drop
• Clear field margins and drainage ditches to prevent waterlogging
• Plan and order autumn-sown crop seed if applicable

🚜 Machinery & Equipment

• Service tractors, loaders, and key machinery before the busy period
• Check and replace worn tyres, belts, and hydraulic hoses
• Inspect and test slurry equipment, spreaders, and feeders
• Grease all moving parts and top up fluids (oil, coolant, AdBlue)
• Test lighting on all vehicles and trailers — days are getting shorter
• Ensure a stock of spare parts for critical machinery

🏚️ Buildings & Infrastructure

• Inspect roofs, gutters, and downpipes — clear blockages before autumn rain
• Check doors, gates, and latches on all livestock buildings
• Inspect slurry stores and lagoons — ensure capacity for the housing period
• Test electrical systems and lighting in barns and outbuildings
• Review fire safety equipment and ensure extinguishers are in date
• Check and repair fencing and hedgerows before stock are moved

🧰 PPE & Workwear

• Audit staff PPE — replace worn waterproofs, boots, gloves, and hi-vis
• Restock first aid kits in farm vehicles and buildings
• Check that all staff have appropriate cold-weather workwear
• Review chemical handling PPE and replace any degraded items

📋 Admin & Compliance

• Update livestock movement records and medicine books
• Review farm assurance requirements and schedule any outstanding audits
• Check insurance policies are current and cover all new equipment
• Review health and safety risk assessments ahead of housing season
• Confirm contractor bookings for any autumn fieldwork

🌧️ Drainage & Water Management

• Inspect and jet field drains if waterlogging was an issue last year
• Clear yard drains and ensure clean and dirty water systems are separated
• Check rainwater harvesting or storage systems are functioning

Getting ahead of the season pays dividends. A well-prepared farm heading into autumn means fewer emergencies, healthier livestock, and a smoother winter. If you need to restock supplies — from animal health products to workwear and PPE — browse our range at Skipton Dairy Services.