Concerns are growing among NI farmers that a serious shortage of fodder could develop this winter as thousands of acres of silage remain to be cut across all parts of NI.

Agricultural contractors in each county of NI report that significant areas of grass remain standing in fields, with the outlook uncertain if or when it will be ensiled. “We have 1,200 acres of grass to cut for silage. This is mostly third cut, but there is still some second cut to go in on farms. After that, we have six to eight weeks of slurry work,” one Fermanagh-based contractor told the Irish Farmers Journal this week.

“We can only hope for a dry winter to use the reasonable excuse clause to get slurry out. There is no point in putting it out the way ground conditions are right now,” he said.

The wet weather has not been isolated to the west, with a Co Antrim contractor stating that he has up to 1,000 acres of silage to cut around the Ballymoney area and another contractor in Co Down estimating 600 acres of silage is still to be cut for customers around Banbridge.

In Armagh / Tyrone, contractors contacted by the Irish Farmers Journal indicated they have between 600 and 1,000 acres still to do.

Figures from the Met Office show that average monthly rainfall across NI in July, August and September was 79%, 28%, and 58% above the long-term average, respectively. As well as volume, the frequency of rainfall and lack of drying has caused ground conditions to remain wet with an average of 21.2 days of rain recorded across NI in September, 50% higher than the long-term average.

Although the quality of grass in fields is deteriorating, many farmers are depending on late crops to bulk up silage stocks this winter. According to the head of dairy development at CAFRE, Ian McCluggage, a significant number of farmers are currently one-third short of their winter fodder requirement. “The mental pressure and stress in the industry is palpable,” noted McCluggage at the Irish Farmers Journal/Ulster Farmers’ Union dairy conference in Portadown last week. His advice is to carry out a fodder budget immediately and to make up a cashflow plan as concentrate, purchased silage and straw prices are rising.

Barley

Significant areas of spring barley are also yet to be harvested across NI with estimates that over 50% of yields have been lost at this stage. Some cereals are unlikely to be harvested and for crops that were cut, some straw remains lying in fields. “There are virtually no winter crops in the ground. Even crops to be sown directly into stubble ground can’t be planted,” a Derry-based contractor said.