Lakeland milk suppliers and feed customers can contact the dedicated advice line on 042-9747205 (00-353-429747205 when calling from Northern Ireland), Monday to Friday from 9am to 5.30pm.

According to the co-op, grass growth is less than 50% of what was achieved in the same period last year in its cross-border catchment.

"Our nutritional support team will be on hand to assist farmers in putting a strategy in place to address the short-term grass deficit; they will also discuss measures that can be taken to minimise fodder shortages in the winter as a result," Lakeland said in a statement.

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This follows the opening of similar helplines by Glanbia and Teagasc earlier this week.

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