Fodder suppliers have reported an increased demand in the wake of Storm Emma, with farmers facing an extended housing period for stock after the severity of the storm that saw loss of livestock and the destruction of farm buildings.

While silage is still available around the country, suppliers are reporting that the ongoing scarcity of straw is worsening.

“I was selling straw for €30/bale, but now it’s gone so scarce that I’m keeping the rest of the bales I have for my own farm,” one supplier in Kildare told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Another contractor in Carlow said: “Everyone is short of straw, I had 2,000 bales at the start of the season and I’m down to my last 200.

“We started by selling silage and straw to the west of the country before Christmas, but now it’s farmers around home who need straw to bed calves because they have to house them for longer.”

Although not as scarce, demand for silage has also increased, with contractors asking on average €30/bale.

While suppliers have reported getting more calls requesting fodder from the north and northwest, none of the contractors had been involved with the Fodder Transport Measure introduced by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.

Co-ops have also informed the Irish Farmers Journal that there has been a very low uptake of the scheme, and the IFA has been told by the Department of Agriculture that two applications have been lodged.

“I had a lot of demand for fodder from farmers from south Galway and Clare,” one supplier in the west said.

“They all had issues with transport and when I suggested the scheme, one man told me that spring would be over before the paperwork was completed. The scheme is considered as a bit of a joke.”

Straw scarce in Europe

One midlands supplier is continuing to import straw from Europe due to the lack of availability of good-quality straw in Ireland.

“There has been an increase in interest from farmers since the bad weather,” the supplier stated.

“We’ve moved an awful lot of straw and most of our straw would be going to the north and northwest of the country.

“But supplies in Europe are getting tight because it’s been a long winter and a late spring across the continent.”

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https://www.farmersjournal.ie/department-publishes-list-of-counties-on-fodder-scheme-349370