Last year saw bumper crops of silage right across the country; a stark change on 2018 when farmers were facing an impending fodder crisis.

The strong silage supplies built up in 2019 have meant that the sale of silage so far this winter has been much slower than usual. It is reported in the south and east that silage is moving from farm to farm, while in the west and midlands it is slow to move, and it’s a buyers’ market.

Quality is the main focus from dairy farmers buying silage, with the majority favouring bales that have been tested. Round bales of 70+DMD are the preferred choice.

In Leinster and Munster, prices are strongest, with haylage selling from €25 to €28 and up to €30/bale in some cases.

Good-quality first-cut silage bales are being advertised for sale at €25 to €28/bale on average, but deals are being done for less than €25/bale, even for good-quality first-cut. Lesser-quality silage is on offer in many areas from €20 to €22/bale.

Connacht and Ulster have large volumes of round baled silage for sale. The majority of prices being quoted are from €23 to €25/bale for good-quality first cuts. However, there are a large proportion of bales being offered for sale at €20/bale also and the majority of reports suggest that prices are ranging from €18/bale to €20/bale. Where hay and haylage is on offer, good-quality bales are reported to be selling from €23/bale to €26/bale, but volumes traded are low.

Pit silage

The majority of pit silage for sale is in the south and east. Where it is on offer, prices are ranging mainly from €30/t to €35/t for good-quality first-cut silage.

There are some reports of farmers doing deals at €25/t for good-quality pit silage, but these remain few and far between. In some cases, lesser-quality second-cut pit silage has been traded for as little as €20/t.

Maize silage is on offer in the east and southeast and is selling mainly from €50 to €55/t in pit silage, while a round bale of maize silage is on offer from €60 to €70/bale.