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The estimated forage deficit on Irish farms is 28%, which equates to an average shortage of 207 tonnes of silage per farm.
Dry conditions and deterioration of grbad growth at 25 kg DM / ha / day forced to feed the first cut silage and pasture silage soil.
Following the results of its forage census, the Inter-Agency Committee on Forage outlined the next steps farmers should take if they are faced with a winter forage deficit
1. Take Action now
The group recommended taking action now rather than later because, according to their experience, early action offers a greater choice of options to bridge the gap between supply and the demand.
The report stated that there was "no single solution to fill this void" and that this had to be addressed from the point of view of supply and demand – which issues of stock will be transported next winter and what additional food can be purchased?
2. Establishing the deficit
The committee recommended establishing the deficit on the farm, but in the areas most affected by the drought, farmers should badume that the forage will be nurtured over the next four weeks.
If the deficit is 20%: They said that it could be relatively easy to manage for a whole winter by feeding additional meals, but that would entail a considerable cost.
If the deficit is 50%: It would be much harder to handle the said report. Feeding the meals with very restricted fodder was mentioned, but the board recommended additional forage supply.
3. Examining Forage Demand
Farmers were asked to examine the demand for their individual farm and to look for ways to reduce it. The sweeping of cows and the sale of empty, slaughtered or late calving were all mentioned. In addition, it has been suggested to put cattle on improvised meals and finish them before the winter.
4. In Large Deficits, Banks Harvest Immediately
Although the limited options available for additional fodder were recognized, farmers with a deficit of over 40% were advised to secure their inventory as soon as possible.
The available options have been identified as; silage of whole crops for those in cereal areas, the purchase of limited hay / straw and the planting of forage crops on hastily harvested plots or fields for reseeding.
5. Having Ready Fertilizers
The high growth potential of grbades when rain came was seen as the main reason why fertilizer was ready to be used in the courses . The committee said that a resumption of grbad growth in August would allow some farms to make a silage cut in early September. They said that adequate and timely fertilizers would be needed to take advantage of this opportunity.
The Interagency Fodder Group plans to conduct a second forage census on September 1st.
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