Farmers are facing a shortfall of 10m silage bales this winter. Feed bills continue to mount as grass growth remains sluggish in most of the country.
Teagasc estimates there will be a 9m tonne shortage of silage. This comes on top of unprecedented demand for feed, with mills delivering winter tonnages in July, and Dairygold and Glanbia reporting a doubling in demand.
Rain during the week was welcome, but farmers in the worst-affected areas still expect to wait at least a fortnight for grass, with most still forced to feed out first-cut silage and meal.
Credit
Feed mills are still operating at winter capacity and have warned of escalating credit bills.
Jimmy Brett of feed merchants Brett Brothers said that while they were trying to look after customers, “credit lines aren’t elastic”.
Offaly-based J Grennan & Sons added that credit bills were up 70% in July and growing.
There has been a 28% increase in feed imports to Ireland for the first half of 2018 compared with last year, according to Department figures.
It is understood that European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan and Minister Creed have been in frequent contact, with the Commissioner offering flexibility to member states on certain schemes, greening and risk management tools.
A source close to Commissioner Hogan told the Irish Farmers Journal an official request has yet to come from the Department of Agriculture to avail of these measures.
The Commission has already granted flexibility to other member states to deal with the EU-wide drought.
Irish and European feed mills are competing for raw ingredients such as soya hulls and palm kernel and Irish farmers are waiting up to a week for deliveries.
Teagasc estimates that with the combined hit of two extreme weather events, additional costs will affect all farm sectors, while feed use this year has jumped 75% per dairy cow. Meanwhile, feed purchases are up 20% for beef animals and 15% for sheep.
Read more
Dairy farm income to drop €40,000 – Teagasc
Three in four dairy farmers feeding winter silage – IGA tour survey
Fodder situation 'extremely difficult' – Creed
Farmers are facing a shortfall of 10m silage bales this winter. Feed bills continue to mount as grass growth remains sluggish in most of the country.
Teagasc estimates there will be a 9m tonne shortage of silage. This comes on top of unprecedented demand for feed, with mills delivering winter tonnages in July, and Dairygold and Glanbia reporting a doubling in demand.
Rain during the week was welcome, but farmers in the worst-affected areas still expect to wait at least a fortnight for grass, with most still forced to feed out first-cut silage and meal.
Credit
Feed mills are still operating at winter capacity and have warned of escalating credit bills.
Jimmy Brett of feed merchants Brett Brothers said that while they were trying to look after customers, “credit lines aren’t elastic”.
Offaly-based J Grennan & Sons added that credit bills were up 70% in July and growing.
There has been a 28% increase in feed imports to Ireland for the first half of 2018 compared with last year, according to Department figures.
It is understood that European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan and Minister Creed have been in frequent contact, with the Commissioner offering flexibility to member states on certain schemes, greening and risk management tools.
A source close to Commissioner Hogan told the Irish Farmers Journal an official request has yet to come from the Department of Agriculture to avail of these measures.
The Commission has already granted flexibility to other member states to deal with the EU-wide drought.
Irish and European feed mills are competing for raw ingredients such as soya hulls and palm kernel and Irish farmers are waiting up to a week for deliveries.
Teagasc estimates that with the combined hit of two extreme weather events, additional costs will affect all farm sectors, while feed use this year has jumped 75% per dairy cow. Meanwhile, feed purchases are up 20% for beef animals and 15% for sheep.
Read more
Dairy farm income to drop €40,000 – Teagasc
Three in four dairy farmers feeding winter silage – IGA tour survey
Fodder situation 'extremely difficult' – Creed
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