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Despite a week of dry weather last week, those in the wetter areas and heavier soils struggled to alleviate fears over a fodder shortage this winter.
In recent weeks, the Irish Farmers Journal has spoken to farmers in Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Galway, Limerick and Clare who are convinced they will not have enough feed to make it through the winter.
It’s been a total disaster – the ground is swimming
The situation has now spread to counties Longford and Cavan. Farmers there are facing up to the reality that without an early and dry spring, there will not be enough silage to go around.
Meanwhile, the IFA in Laois and Tipperary led by north Tipperary executive chair Tim Cullinan and Laois chair Francie Gorman have started a type of fodder bank.
Anyone in the area who has a surplus of silage hay is encouraged to ring the IFA local office on 067 32213 to pledge stocks in case they are needed.
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Teagasc adivser in Co Leitrim Tom Coll said there are question marks over the quality of silage in the area. He said those who had been aiming to cut silage early in the season have escaped well but those who have waited past the middle of July have made some poor-quality silage.
Coll advised farmers to count the number of days between now and 1 May and divide that by the number of bales the farmer has.
If the figure is above 50%, the shortfall can be made up with concentrates. If it is below 50%, then a farmer must look at buying in hay or silage.
Greater support needed
IFA chair in Longford Seán Conefrey has said farmers who are affected by the shortage of fodder need a top-up on their ANC payment as they are dealing with heavy ground.
Thomas farms suckler cows in Ballyhaise and has cut no silage this year.
“The weather has been very bad. It’s been a total disaster – the ground is swimming.
"I’ve cut [no silage] at all. The weather never came for the contractor to cut the grass. There’s fellas around here and the ground is too soft for them to cut the grass.
"Some of them never got a second cut.”
Thomas said he will be buying bales off his neighbour, but that he will have fodder issues in the spring.
Michael is a dairy farmer from Dromard in north Longford.
“The weather is the worst I’ve ever seen. We’ve had 600ml of rain since July. The climate has changed, there’s no doubt about it.
“I’m farming on marginal land here and it’s bad. The last two years in particular have been bad.”
Fodder will be an issue for Michael after Christmas: “I’ll probably run out of silage in the second week in February. I got all of the silage cut, but I had to use it [earlier than expected]. The grass is rotting in the fields now.
“The cows are in since September and they only went out on 9 April. That was the latest ever that they were let out.
“Everybody around here is in the same predicament. Lots of sucklers are being sold off and so are any surplus dairy cows that are not in calf.”
Feed sales rocket due to fodder shortage
'It’s been winter since July… The situation is the worst I’ve ever seen it.'
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