The cold weather is biting hard with below seasonal grass growth in the east and south of the country. Farmers who have increased dairy cow numbers without similar increases in soil fertility are being hit. However, the feed problem is not just in the east – the current poor growth, poor forage stocks and quality is as evident in the west, where suckler stock have been housed since August on some farms.

Perhaps farmers have been spoiled by some very early spring weather in the past number of years that allowed stock out early and stimulated early growth. Some farmers no doubt have been lulled into a false sense of expectation.

Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed is right when he says that individual farmers who have expanded numbers need to match that business growth with extra feed. However, individual farmers in a development stage or crisis situation need support. For many dairy and suckler farmers, cashflow is the issue.

So far this week, it seems feed and forage are available where required. However, cash is tight as the majority of farm spending comes in the first half of the year. Similarly, matching those farmers who have silage with those who are tight is an issue.

Emergency group

Security of payment is important for those selling feed. Should an emergency group be created to link processors, farmers and advisers with those farmers in trouble?

We saw the Government’s National Emergency Coordination Group take action when Storm Emma shut down large parts of the country. Perhaps a similar group with a focus on agriculture would help monitor situations in the sector in times of difficulty.

Growing pains in any business need to be nurtured for the long-term good of the sector. Positivity in a growing sector can quickly turn sour if timely action is not taken when pinch points arrive. Minister Creed must lead on this.

Thankfully some processors and feed mills have this week started to work with farmers to discuss the ongoing feed situation with suppliers.

Twenty-three per cent of the total Fonterra gross margin now comes from China.

Twenty-three per cent of the total Fonterra gross margin now comes from China.

Fonterra fallout

The growing pains of a large dairy industry outside the farm gate are reflected in our agribusiness coverage this week, as Fonterra’s woes in China become clearer. The double whammy of a €107m fine paid to Danone and the €236m write-down on the value of its investment in Chinese infant formula Beingmate makes the Fonterra financial half-year numbers look poor on paper.

We mustn’t be too quick to dismiss the Fonterra growth and investment story. As far as New Zealand farmers are concerned, farmgate milk price this year and over the last 10 years is a lot better than where it was for the 10 years prior to that. For the last 10 years, farmers have averaged a price in the region of 28 to 30c/litre; it was in the 15 to 18c/litre range at the formation of Fonterra.

Similarly, while the Danone milk quality issues have cost the business, not many purchasers of dairy products can avoid doing business with Fonterra given its scale and reach.

On the Chinese investment, it needs to be in put in context of the total amount invested in China. The $240m Beingmate investment is part of a $4.7bn dollar Chinese investment, and the fact of the matter is that 23% of the total Fonterra gross margin now comes from China.

Long-term investments on farm or in developing markets can look poor at a point in time, but if the strategy is correct and sensible, they can prove very profitable for shareholders.

We must not stifle ambition with fear and again the importance of strong leadership at board level cannot be overlooked.

Irish farmers and board members need to be mindful of the feed deficit lessons and the cost and risk of doing business in far-flung destinations.

CAP: Opportunities and threats to Irish farming

European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan.

There was more evidence in Brussels this week that farming and agriculture are on a challenging course in CAP negotiations. The challenge for Irish farmers and the wider industry here is how these negotiations can be shaped to ensure that the sustainable method of Irish production is understood by policymakers in the EU, WTO and beyond.

The opportunity comes from the fact that Ireland is one of the few natural grassland areas of the world. This, along with an abundant supply of fresh water, means that we are particularly suited to livestock production, beef, sheepmeat and dairy in particular. Ireland can have among the most cost-efficient production systems in the EU and we are in a position to give real meaning to the Origin Green brand.

The threat comes from the fact that there is a huge global lobby that is targeting meat consumption. In Ireland, we have seen the dairy sector targeted by the vegan campaign. It was a theme of the Forum for the Future of Agriculture Conference in Brussels this week: how the reduction in meat consumption and development of plant-based diets would create a more sustainable world.

As a natural grass-producing country, the only way to convert grass to food for humans is through livestock for either milk or meat, and that has to be the Irish contribution to the global sustainable food debate.

SOS: Final push in Save Our Sucklers campaign

Save Our Sucklers, Cootehill mart \ Lorraine Teevan

This week sees the Irish Farmers Journal enter into the final phase of our Save Our Sucklers campaign. The campaign has seen over 35,000 people sign either online or on paper with the final figure likely to be in excess of 40,000 signatures.

More importantly, it has brought issues such as the CAP budget, Mercosur, Brexit and support payments further into the wider public domain for discussion.

The suckler cow has long been seen as the wealth creator for rural Ireland and must be supported to halt further decline in our rural areas. We will take the campaign and the 40,000 signatures and make farmers’ voices heard in Leinster House and Brussels. We are asking anybody with outstanding petitions to sign them and post them back to SOS campaign, Irish Farmers Journal, Irish Farm Centre, Bluebell, Dublin 12.

BETTER FARM: Battling crypto on Limerick farm

From an animal health perspective, getting young calves – whether dairy or suckler – out of sheds as soon as possible definitely helps to reduce disease pressure. Limerick beef farmer Shane Gleeson speaks very openly about his outbreak of cryptosporidium in suckler calves in this week's BETTER farm.

Feeding adequate colostrum, rehydrating sick calves with drips, getting calves out quickly and supplementing protein before calving are all flagged as key management issues to prevent disease.

Clear and timely management messages like this are the very reason we are involved in programmes like the Teagasc/Irish Farmers Journal BETTER farm Beef Challenge. Well done to all concerned.

TILLAGE: Cropping concerns

As Stephen Robb reports in this week's From the Tramlines, ploughing and fertiliser spreading has stepped up in recent days. Planting is late, especially in the southern half of the country. Cropping options are narrowing. Beans and wheat need to be planted in March. A good May would put most crops back on track. Perhaps forage or fodder crops are worth examining, particularly with yards certain to be emptied whenever spring eventually arrives.

SHEEP: Worrying times

Once again, we hear reports of sheep worrying at a critical time in a sheep farmer’s year. Microchipping of dogs was brought into law over two years ago but we have yet to hear of any cases of this measure being policed. There is an onus on those in rural Ireland to report stray dogs and take an active approach in highlighting and reporting what could turn out to have a stressful and financially hard-hitting impact on sheep farmers.