The tough spring of 2026 continues, with high rainfall causing problems on many farms across the country. There does appear to be some respite on the horizon with a dry week forecast for next week. Cultivation work on tillage farms has also been a stop/start affair.

The slow spring is delaying turnout on many farms right across the country, with a lot of cattle still housed in sheds. This is adding to feed bills at a time when other input costs, including diesel and fertiliser, have sky-rocketed.

There is a real risk on some farms that a combination of high fertiliser costs and poor weather conditions could see first cut silage yields significantly down on last year.

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Silage fertiliser should be the priority on livestock farms in the next 7-10 days to avoid any feed issues next winter. May is one of the best months in the year for grass growth.