Lakeland Dairies is encouraging all of its farmers to check their fodder requirements for the winter after deficits were recorded of between 10% to 50% in parts of west Cavan, Leitrim, north Monaghan, Fermanagh and west Tyrone.
Alan Hurst, technical manager with Lakeland Agri, said: “Cows are now housed on the majority of farms. The extended period of poor weather in recent months has restricted farmers in silage making to the extent that we have identified possible forage deficits on some dairy farms across a number of counties.”
Lakeland Dairies is urging farmers to contact them if they feel they need help to undertake a fodder budget. Lakeland suggests that if farmers are in difficulty, they should follow these three tips.
Fodder clinics
Aurivo is also hosting fodder clinics this November to help farmers calculate how they can budget their fodder stocks this year.
Upcoming events will be held on:
All farmers are welcome to attend and Mental Health Ireland will also send a representative to speak to farmers on how the fodder shortage can have a negative impact on mental health.
’It’s been winter since July… The situation is the worst I’ve ever seen it.’