Fodder reserves have dropped below 100 days on 22% of farms, as weeks of high levels of supplementary feeding in many parts of the country have eaten into the coming winter’s supplies.
The results of Teagasc’s fodder survey as of last Friday signal that one-sixth of farms in the southeast are more than 20% short of fodder and a total of around two-thirds of farms in the region thirds are in deficit ahead of the winter.
Some 12% of farms in both the southwest and midlands reported supplies 20% lower than needed, with a respective 58% and 49% of farms in these areas facing some level of a shortage.
Those with below five months of feed on-hand ahead of the housing period have been advised to buy-in additional fodder or to reduce demand.
Farmers witnessing low supplies have been advised to begin buffer feeding stock with straw and aiming to correct any nutritional reduction this brings with extra meal.
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