The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Munster Regional chair Conor O’Leary has raised concerns about the amount of silage which may be saved for next winter.

Speaking at the Kerry IFA AGM last night (Tuesday, June 25), O’Leary said that “tricky weather” has resulted in below normal grass growth on many farms for much of the year to date.

He added that in some drier parts of the country there may be no more fodder saved this year following the completion of first cut silage.

Silage

The IFA Munster chair said that fodder reserves are very low or completed depleted on some farms following the prolonged winter housing period.

As a result, he said that an early assessment should be carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on the need for a fodder support scheme this year.

O’Leary said the feedback he has received from merchants is that less fertiliser has been sold which he said could have a knock-on effect on fodder growth.

This could be related to cash flow issues on farms or farmers being fearful about exceeding their fertiliser limits, he said.

The meeting also heard that some dairy farmers currently making decisions in relation to their future.

“I know of an artificial insemination (AI) man who has 33 herds and 8 of those herds will not be calving down cows next year.

“They’re taking the view that they’re milking on without putting cows in calf and selling to a factory at the end of the year,” O’Leary said.

The IFA Munster chair noted that this may be contributing to the lesser preservation of fodder this year.

Options

Meanwhile, Diarmuid Murphy from grassland seed provider Germinal, has said that farmers have forage options, but decisions will need to be made shortly.

He said that first cut silage yields were “disappointing” for many farmers as later application of fertiliser and cold temperatures meant that growth was impacted.

“In addition, grass is showing signs of stress on many farms and hence yield and quality are below normal expectations for this time of year,” he said.

Based on the Teagasc PastureBase Database, he said that June has not compensated for April and May where grass growth is back 11% on 5-year average growth levels.

Murphy said that some farmers are hoping to push second cut yields with higher fertiliser inputs, where possible.

“Another option is to plan to reduce reliance on forage conserved as silage with a fodder crop such as kale or kale-rape hybrids that can be sown now and grazed in the field over winter,” he said.

Kale varieties, such as Maris Kestrel, can be sown up to mid-July and will provide up to 10t of forage dry matter which can be grazed by outwintered livestock from early November.

“As cattle will be outwintered, farmers should choose a field that is not too steep, is free-draining, and is not near water courses.

“Ideally it should have some trees or hedgerow shelter for cattle. A lie back area is also required, which should be in grass.

“The available lie back area must be at least 30% of the total land area that is sown to the forage crop and lie back combined e.g. 3.5ha of kale will require at least 1.5ha of lie-back,” he said.

Kale

Prior to planting kale, Murphy noted that it is critical for farmers to carry out a soil test to ensure that soil pH is in the 6.3 to 6.5 and apply lime in advance if necessary.

He added that Phosphate (P) and Potassium (K) indices should be at 3.

“The old sward should be sprayed off, then disc harrowed and rolled to produce a fine, firm seedbed. Good seed-to-soil contact is critical. Seed should be sown to a depth of 5 to 10 mm,” he said.

Murphy added that fertiliser applied at the time of sowing helps with establishment of the crop.

In the event that sowing a fodder crop is delayed, the kale-rape hybrid, Redstart, can be sown from mid-July.

“Despite the cold temperatures and a challenging first half of the grazing season, farmers have options, including sowing brassicas to ease reliance on limited silage stocks,” Murphy said.

The post Early concerns raised over 2024 silage stocks appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Round bale silage is costing over €50/bale to produce this year when land costs are taken into account, according to Teagasc.

The table with financial information was included in the handbook which was distributed at BEEF2024 at Teagasc Grange, Co. Meath, today, Wednesday, June 26.

The costings included the cost per bale, the cost per tonne of dry matter grown and the contribution of each costing to the total cost when land charges are excluded.

The table below outlines the calculated cost to produce a round bale of grass silage in 2024:

For the fertiliser costing in the above table, 2,500 and 2,000 gal/ac of slurry was applied for first-cut and second-cut silage respectively and the remainder of nutrient requirements was supplied via inorganic nitrogen fertiliser.

The harvesting cost factored in is €26.77/bale, bringing the total cost excluding a land charge to €42.12/bale.

When the land cost is factored in, the Teagasc-calculated cost to produce a round bale of grass silage in 2024 is €50.46/bale.

Teagasc Beef2024

The national biennial beef open day ‘BEEF2024’ is taking place today at Teagasc, Grange, Co. Meath.

The theme of the event this year is ‘securing your future’ and the focus of the event is on the application of technologies that will help beef farmers increase the profitability and environmental sustainability of their farm businesses.

BEEF2024 is being hosted on a new site on the farm in Grange, with a new layout and structure for the day.

At the event, there are two technical main stands. The first is focusing on: ‘Securing your future in beef farming’ and the second stand is titled: ‘Key factors underpinning viable and sustainable beef farming’.

There will be a number of panel discussions covering key topics across a range of beef cattle production systems. These will take place in the forum centre and will be staged throughout the day.

The post Beef2024: Silage costing €50/bale to make this year appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Kverneland FastBale is no longer a novelty; the machine, designed to bale, wrap and eject without stopping, has been available on the market since 2016.

Over the intervening years, the company has had ample opportunity to sort out the gremlins and get it to work in all crop conditions.

Sales in Ireland were never immediate; the Irish farmer and contractor having apprehension around any new baler that claims it can deal with the quantities and condition of the grass which they will be required to deal with in this part of the world.

Yet the FastBale is accumulating a fanbase as its merits are appreciated more widely.

There are now around 20 machines at work in Ireland according to Kverneland and the pool of genuine interest is constantly expanding.

No stopping the FastBale

Naturally, it is the concept of not needing to stop to eject a bale which holds the greatest attraction for operators; this not only saves time but is also easier on the towing tractor as it needn’t be stopping and starting all the time.

This in turn will save fuel, and so the premium being paid for a FastBale over a standard model starts to look a lot less alarming when the time and fuel savings are mixed into the calculation.

However, there is a third great advantage that is now more often being talked about and concerns the standard of bale being produced.

Basic baler choice

Traditionally, farmers have had the choice between a fixed chamber or a variable chamber baler. The fixed type dominates the market in Ireland because it is said to suffer less blockages and problems of belts being dislodged.

Yet, because it compresses the grass from the centre outwards it produces a tighter bale of consistent density throughout, unlike the fixed chamber type which compresses the crop from the outside in, reducing the density towards the core.

The FastBale offers a sort of halfway house in that there are two fixed chamber balers, mounted one in front of the other, with what may be described as a mechanical valve which directs the crop into one chamber or the other.

The smaller primary chamber sits above the pick-up reel and to form the bale, the valve plates direct the crop into it from below.

This chamber is half the diameter, or a third of the volume, of the secondary chamber and so starts to compress the grass a lot closer to the bale’s centre, increasing the core density by doing so.

When this smaller chamber is full, the valve plates switch over to feeding the crop into the main chamber.

As it does, the small chamber immediately opens and ejects its pre-formed bale into the crop flow which carries it into the final chamber where the bale is completed and ejected for wrapping as normal.

The wrapping table itself is a solid affair that drops to catch the completed bale as it exits the machine and then rises to allow the wrapping arms to pass underneath.

Once the bale is wrapped, it drops again to release it onto the ground.

Solidity and quality

This two-stage baling process does visibly produce a good square-shouldered bale that appears to hold its shape better than those formed in a conventional fixed chamber baler.

There also appears to be less air trapped under the film which can only help in preserving feed value.

The FastBale was designed to increase the baling work rate and that it no doubt does when working on open flat land.

However, on slopes, the danger of bales rolling away downhill still requires the tractor to be reversed to place the bale at right angles to the slope.

This problem is compounded by the tendency of a harder bale to roll more easily than a softer one, thus necessitating the need for preventative action.

Despite this drawback the FastBale appears to represent a huge leap forward in baling technology, it has reached a stage now where other manufacturers are in danger of being left behind and their premium machines looking a little dated.

The post Watch: A better bale with the Kverneland FastBale? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Unsuccessful European Parliament election candidate Eddie Punch has said that, among his most important post-election plans, buying covers for the silage pit is one of the most pressing.

Reflecting on his campaign and the election, the Clare man told Agriland that he “knows what it’s like to be Brian Lohan after a major disappointment”.

Now that the campaign is over, the silage work, which was put on hold during his election bid, becomes the priority for the former general-secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).

“Well, we have to get the silage cut immediately, because that’s been long-fingered,” Punch said.

“I’m planning to buy some covers for the silage pit and get that done, and after that I have a whole load of jobs to catch up with at home.”

In terms of whether a further foray into politics might be in his future, Punch took a reflective attitude to his campaign, and the logistics and challenges of running as a first time candidate, initially as an independent and then as a member of the new, and as yet small, Independent Ireland party.

“One of the things about this is that it costs an absolute fortune. It costs tens of thousands of euro, and the reality is that running for an election, unless you’re with one of the major big political parties, involves a huge personal sacrifice,” he said.

“We had absolutely fantastic support from friends in Clare and around the country, and we had a fantastic team of people, but the reality is if you look around the country the established political candidates had 10 posters for every one Eddie Punch poster, and it’s difficult to bridge that gap,” he added.

“That’s the reality of it. I’m going to have to go away and reflect about all of this. The one thing I would say is I spent a good bit of money on this, and I’m very proud of the fact that I supported local companies. My posters were made here is Shannon, my leaflets were made in Shannon, our website was done in Kerry.”

“It was a philosophy of mine that you try to support good business locally in Ireland,” Punch said.

Commenting on the national election campaign, Punch was critical of how it was covered in national media, particularly the coverage of candidates outside of the main parties.

“We were up against it. I was a first-time candidate up against huge party machines with a lot of experience and a lot of money and influence. I would feel very strongly that the coverage by national media was very poor. There was no opportunity really for new candidates to get a fair crack of the whip at national debates, and that’s something that needs to be reflected on,” he said.

“Many many people we met on the doorsteps were completely detached from the EU, they had no interest in the European Parliament elections. Worse still, you had many people who would be interested, but just didn’t know what to vote for, and who to vote for, or what to vote on.”

Punch claimed that many people who voted in the European elections may have been voting on a “hunch”.

“It’s all fine to say it doesn’t matter, but it will matter eventually when there is a referendum on Europe, and then politicians suddenly want to engage with people on Europe. But the people will be saying that they know nothing about Europe,” he said.

Punch added that providing coverage to all candidates isn’t just about promoting them, but also “quizzing them and challenging them, and asking them if their platforms make sense”.

“So in some respects, there are candidates out there who are not being put through their paces on national television, [and that is] potentially an advantage to them, because they can reach people by different means.”

He said that there is a “serios amount of reflection” that should be done by national media over what he called “the absolutely atrocious lack of coverage” of the overall campaign.

“You can’t just have European election after European election and…keep people in the dark…and then when it comes to it say we want to have a real discussion about how important Europe is. You can’t say Europe is important and be quite happy to stand idly by when there is no debate,” Punch commented.

The post Buying silage pit covers the priority post-election plan for Punch appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Increasing productivity and timeliness of operations are the the two major drivers behind the ever increasing size of machinery and the latest 15.6m tedder from Kverneland is no exception.

Spreading grass, whether for hay or silage, might appear a simple task and traditionally it was, but as crops have got heavier and tractors more powerful, there has had to come a new approach to the design of the machines to do so.

The Kverneland 85156 C is one answer to the problem and Agriland got the opportunity to see it in action today (Wednesday, June 12).

At nearly 16m wide, there is a huge amount of leverage from the outer tips upon the centre frame, so sturdiness is an absolute pre-requisite, and with sturdiness comes weight.

The best way to handle the weight is to make it a trailed machine which will also ensure it can be all folded up behind the tractor for ease of transport.

TerraFlow follows undulations

Thus then we have the main design features of this latest tedder, but there is still the issue of allowing the the rotor boom to follow the ground contours and the company has developed what it calls its TerraFlow linkage.

This part of the design connects the boom to the axle of the frame by two sort linkages which apply the tractive effort to the boom as well as provide the hinge point for adjusting the rotor angle of attack.

A single ram not only alters the the rotor angle, but also raises them out of work at the headlands and provides the primary action in the folding sequence.

Tedder flexibility

The TerraFlow design amounts to more than just the frame mounting linkage; it encompasses the whole machine, creating a flexible boom allowing each of the 14 rotors to follow ground undulations, according to the company.

The rotors themselves are small in diameter which is said to provide a much more even distribution of the crop as well as providing a more efficient pick-up.

Fitting many smaller rotors will also help separate the stalks as the crop will encounter a greater number of tines as the tedder moves across the field, neither will the tines be hitting the crop so hard, reducing leaf shatter as it dries.

In the field these theoretical advantages do appear to work as the crop is left in a consistent blanket rather than a series of flat ridges with the soil surface still showing through between them, as can happen with other tedders.

Semi swaths from tedder

However, ridging the crop slightly might often have advantages such as reducing dew penetration overnight, or allowing the wind to pass through rather than just over the cut grass.

This is still quite possible to achieve, reducing the rotor speed to the extent that it leaves the grass in defined rows if not a distinct swathe rows, a feature which is more commonly used on the continent rather than in Ireland.

As noted, altering the rotor angle and raising them out of work is done by the main ram.

A series of secondary rams activated by sequential valves folds the rotor boom and lowers it in a cradle on the main frame for transport.

Kverneland suggests that the towing tractor be of at least 150hp and forward speeds of up to 12km/h are possible, giving a work rate of 20-25ac per hour.

The post Watch: Kverneland brings its biggest tedder to Ireland appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The rural development chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), John Curran has called for an extension to the deadline under the National Liming Programme until the end of December.

The current liming deadline is Friday, June 28. The final spreading date was initially on October 31, 2023, but has been extended multiple times already due to wet weather.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, however, recently said he does “not envisage” any further extension to the final lime spreading date on June 28.

Liming deadline

The IFA has heard from lime supplies in the west particularly that only 20-30% of pre-paid lime has been delivered and spread to date, which is “concerning”, according to Curran.

While previous extensions to the deadline “helped”, he said the persistent wet weather for much of the period since, coupled with heavy grass covers, has “significantly diminished” opportunities to spread lime.

“Many farmers, particularly those with red clover swards, will be looking to get multiple silage crops this year to rebuild fodder reserves given the long and extended housing period last year.

“There is a danger that some may apply lime onto silage ground between harvests to comply. This would have significant consequences on silage quality and must be avoided,” Curran said.

The IFA rural development chair said farmers need additional time to make “full use” of the benefits of the scheme, which will allow them to “better plan” for the weeks and months ahead.

A further extension would also “prove resource efficient” from a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) perspective, “saving having to claw back monies at a later date”, Curran added.

The post Call for liming deadline extension until year-end appeared first on Agriland.ie.

I have attended a number of silage events of late at which the issue of grass-cutting height was discussed at length.

For many farmers, this is a black and white issue – it’s a case of setting the mower at ‘ground zero’, thereby getting the maximum amount of forage possible into the silo.

In my opinion, however, this is an approach to silage-making that constitutes total madness.

The issue crystallised in my mind a few days ago while attending a red clover silage farm walk, hosted by Philip and David Clarke.

The father and son team milk a herd of spring-calving cows near the village of Augher in south Co. Tyrone.

Last year saw them establish a new 12ac ley, comprising a mix of perennial ryegrass reed clover and white clover.

Two cuts of silage were taken off the ground in 2023, both baled. However, the spring of this year has seen the field come into full production, with the Clarkes committing to get a number of cuts into a clamp over the coming weeks.

Grass cutting

First-cut silage was made from the new ley at the beginning of May.  

Courtesy of his presentation, David made the point that he actually ran behind the mower, so as to make sure that the cutting bar was kept at least 3″ off the ground at all times.

Any lower than this and the contractor ran the risk of cutting the crowns.

His comments stimulated a discussion among those in attendance as to what is the optimal cutting heights for silage crops across the board.

The consensus view was that 3″ seemed to be in the right ballpark.

Going lower than this increases the risk of soil and residual slurry contamination within the resulting silage.

Moreover, leaving a reasonable cover of grass/clover in the field increases herbage regrowth rates while also providing quicker nutrient uptakes, if slurry is applied as a fertiliser source in preparation for the next cut.

A quick look of Ireland’s silage quality figures does not make impressive reading.

Despite all the technical advances achieved over recent years, where the likes of mowing, tedding, raking and harvesting are concerned, forage performance is going in the wrong direction.

I believe, there is one significant factor driving this trend – the use of trailing shoe slurry spreading systems.

No-one is questioning the role of this technology in helping to improve slurry nitrogen utilisation rates. No doubt, these systems also act to reduce nitrogen (N) volatilisation levels to the atmosphere.

However, they also leave ridges of slurry solids in fields. These are most obvious during periods of dry weather, when they stand out like tramlines.

In these specific circumstances, this slurry-based detritus is mixed with cut grass when cutting bars are set at ground zero.

One very simple way around this issue is to raise the height of the mower slightly. 3″ seems a fair enough trade-off height for me.

The post Opinion: Let the great grass-cutting height debate begin appeared first on Agriland.ie.

There has to be “better communication” between farmers and contractors going forward about how silage is being cut, the national secretary of the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI), Richard White has said.

A “big problem” that has been going on for years and is beginning to “manifest” itself now is that the spreading of fertiliser is all done in the same week and contractors are “expected” to cut silage within a short timeframe, he said.

“This is not possible for anybody anywhere in the country. Going forward there has to be better communication between the farmer and the contractor about the way the silage is being cut,” White told Agriland.

Silage contractors

The work carried out by silage contractors might need to be “staggered out a bit”, which means that cutting might have to be done in two different lots instead of one go in the first cut, according to White.

When it comes to spreading fertiliser, farmers need to talk to their contractor and see whether they are available to cut silage, he said adding that “we can’t cut everyone’s silage in two, three or four days, no contractor can”.

White reiterated the need for a call-out fee due to the “horrendous” cost of machinery and the cost involved in running the machinery, which he said is “unbelievable”. The FCI previously called for a call-out fee of €50-€100.

Especially small quantities of round baling are a “big problem” where it does not make economic sense considering the cost of machinery, he said and added that contractors should charge a call-out fee plus the charge for the job itself.

Meanwhile, the Tipperary-based silage contractor said that cutting is 10 days behind this year compared to a “normal” year. However, compared to last year, cutting remains 10 days ahead due to heavy rains since last July.

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A Ballina farmer has donated silage bales to the North West Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NWSPCA) who will auction them off to raise funds.

Tom Moyles from the Co. Mayo town has donated 10 silage bales, from last year’s cut, to the charity.

The clock is now ticking for anyone who may want to make a bid on the bales as the auction will officially close on Sunday, May 19.

Speaking to Agriland, Rachel Slater from the NWSCPA fundraising team said that the farmer got in touch with the non-profit organisation via their Facebook page to offer it the bales.

The bidding, which is taking place on the charity’s social media site, began at €140 and is currently sitting at €250.

The charity has advised that the owner of the winning bid will have to collect the bales from Breaffy on the outskirts of Ballina as no transport is included.

The NWSPCA, which has been in operation for 20 years, said while it was very grateful for the donation of bales from the farmer it always encourages donations from any source to support its work.

“Because of the increase of animals being neglected, COVID happening, all of those things, our bills have gone up.

“We’re in debt of over €80,000 to €90,000 per year.

“Last year, we set up an iDonate page and it’s been quite successful. We’re nearly at €30,000 now,” Slater said.

She hopes the bales donation from the Ballina farmer will encourage other people to also support the charity.

“We run a couple of things over the year, at Christmas and other times to just try and keep us afloat.

“I thought it was a lovely thing for the farmer to do and hopefully more stuff like this comes in,” she added.

Silage season

Meanwhile as first-cut silage is being harvested and stored on many farms across the country, Teagasc has advised that farmers should ask whether the way they stack their silage bales is the correct method.

It has also advised farmers to bear in mind conditionality rules under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) when stacking silage bales.

The rules relating to stacking silage bales are contained within Statutory Management Requirement 2 (SMR 2) Protection of Waters Against Pollution caused by Nitrates and came into force in 2023.

Conditionality relates to the climate and the environment, public health, animal health and plant health, and animal welfare.

The post Farmer donates 10 bales to charity for auction appeared first on Agriland.ie.

As first-cut silage is being harvested and stored on many farms across the country, it is time to ask yourself whether the way you stack your silage bales is the correct method.

This week Teagasc is advising farmers to bear in mind conditionality rules under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) when stacking silage bales.

The rules relating to stacking silage bales are contained within Statutory Management Requirement 2 (SMR 2) Protection of Waters Against Pollution caused by Nitrates and came into force in 2023.

Conditionality relates to the climate and the environment, public health, animal health and plant health, and animal welfare.

Stacking silage bales

The rules dictate that silage bales cannot be stacked more than two bales high or stored within 20m of a surface water or water abstraction point unless there are storage facilities in place to collect any potential effluent.

Teagasc is advising that this rule also applies to the storage of haylage bales, while farmers making low dry matter (DM) bales of silage, without appropriate storage facilities, should assess whether stacking two high is appropriate.

The regulations also include information in relation to the handling of silage effluent. Such facilities will be required where bales are stacked more than two high or when silage is stored in a pit, according to Teagasc.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has stated that effluent produced from ensiled forage must be collected and stored, and all organic fertiliser storage facilities must be fit for purpose and free from structural defects.

Farmers are also required to collect and manage all organic fertilisers (including silage effluent) in a way that will prevent run-off or seepage, directly or indirectly, into groundwaters or surface waters.

This has to be carried out prior to spreading it on land.

Inspections

If a farm is selected for an inspection, as part of either conditionality or the nitrates derogation, inspectors will complete measures and checks to ensure storage facilities are ‘fit for purpose’.

Teagasc said the inspectors will also check to see how silage bales are stored. If they find any non-compliance with the rules, farmers may face a penalty on their direct payments.

All nitrates records must be provided should an inspector request them such as an estimate of how much fertiliser is needed for the year, records of livestock manure and organic fertiliser moved onto or off the holding or the facilities a farmers has for storing livestock manure and effluent from manure or silage pits.

The post Advice: Do you know the rules for stacking silage bales? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Silage season is well underway in many areas and as most farmers try to get the first-cut completed, attention turns towards the quality of the silage.

Teagasc has outlined some key requirements for producing quality silage.

Grass growth stage will have a large effect on silage dry matter digestibility (DMD) so the advice is to target the cutting date at the correct growth stage for the quality of silage you are trying to produce.

Producing high quality silage

Where high quality silage suitable for milking cows and finishing cattle is targeted (74%+ DMD) leafy grass with no seed head will be required, according to Mark Treacy from Teagasc.

As the seed head begins to emerge, grass quality, and therefore potential silage quality, will decline due to the increasing levels of fibre in the grass.

A drop of 0.5 DMD can be expected for every day cutting is delayed after heading date. Where crops are lodged, quality will deteriorate at a more rapid rate, Treacy explained.

Silage with a DMD of less than 68% DMD is poor quality and should be avoided if possible.

Teagasc has outlined three key factors in the successfully preservation of grass silage:

1. Grass sugar levels;
2. Anaerobic conditions;
3. Buffering capacity.

Adequate grass sugar is required to feed the acid-producing bacteria which can be measured using a refractometer, with 3% or higher considered sufficient.

Where sugar levels are below 3%, options such as delaying cutting until later in the day, wilting, or adding molasses should be considered.

Conditions

Anaerobic conditions are vital for grass silage because lactic-acid-producing bacteria require these conditions.

Where anaerobic conditions are not achieved, undesirable bacteria may begin to grow.

The creation of anaerobic conditions can be achieved by properly rolling the silage pit both during and immediately after filling, by paying attention to detail with covering, and by checking and retightening the pit covers again a few days after cutting as the pit settles.

Buffering capacity is affected by the N levels in the grass. High N grass has a higher buffering capacity and it is therefore more difficult to reduce the pH to sufficient levels for good preservation.

Teagasc has said that the importance of N levels in the grass is often overstated and where adequate sugar levels are present, grass can be successfully preserved with in excess of 600ppm of nitrate.

Wilting of these crops will reduce the effects of the high N levels, Treacy advised.

The post Silage season underway – but what about quality? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) has stated that safety must remain the “top priority”, as pressure is now on contractors to complete work.

The FCI appealed to Teagasc farm safety officers to encourage farmers to be more patient and understanding with agricultural contractors.

With the weather easing and more machinery on roads, the FCI said that it is “inevitably” a “high risk period” in terms of farm accidents.

The association stated that contractors are being “pressurised” by farmers to cut silage crops, while many are also trying to get spring crops down, including cereals, maize, beet and reseeding.

“They will deliver, they will aim to satisfy all farmers, but there are only limited hours in the day, limited numbers of machine operators, and everyone needs downtime for safety reasons.

“Working 24/7 is not sustainable or advisable no matter what the conditions or the urgency,” the FCI stated.

Contractors

The association said that contractors and teams of operators have “twin goals” of getting work done fast and safely.

“Farming needs to be fair, it needs to be safer and it needs to be less pressurised for agricultural contractors,” the FCI added.

The message comes as silage season is in full swing, and many farmers and contractors are working long days.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), over the last ten years there have been 191 farm fatalities of which over half, or 96 people, lost their lives in incidents involving farm vehicles and machinery.

“None of this work is life threatening, so don’t create a situation that threatens lives.

“No one can take risks with farm safety, so farmers need to understand that they have a responsibility to ensure that they are not the ones who put the lives of their contractor and their operators at any risk through unreasonable demands,” the FCI stated.

The post FCI: Safety must remain ‘top priority’ amid pressure on contractors appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Dairy farmer across the country have seen much of their fodder stock depleted as a result of consistent rain since last summer, which has resulted in animals being housed for longer.

According to Teagasc, completing a fodder budget is an effective tool in quantifying the fodder requirements of your farm.

Stephen O’Callaghan, Walsh Scholar, Teagasc said that the challenge is to make enough silage for stock for winter 2024 while also trying to build up a reserve again.

Fodder requirement

Teagasc has advised that a simple approach is to estimate the length of the period for which silage will be required.

O’Callaghan explained that depending on your location in the county, planning for a five-month winter is advisable.

The table below is an example of the amount of silage required.

Farmers should also aim to have an extra months’ worth of feed in reserve for periods of challenging weather.

What is the quality of the silage?

The quality of silage made on farm will have a big impact on animal performance. According to Teagasc, the target dry matter digestibility (DMD) for dry cows is 68-70%, which is suitable for moderate body condition gain over the dry period.

“Silage fed to milking or growing stock must be good quality 73-78% DMD to support production and growth,” O’Callaghan stated.

Some farmers may think that they will delay their first-cut to bulk up and fill the pits. However, Teagasc explained that delaying first-cut will lead to a reduction in overall silage yield, as it will lead to a substantial reduction in second-cut yields.

Delaying cutting date will also have an effect on silage quality, as a one-week delay in cutting can cause a drop of 3-5% in DMD of silage.

Silage pit

Silage pits should be measured (length x width x average settled height) in meters to calculate the volume of silage. This number can then be divided by 1.35 to get the amount in tonnes.

To convert bales to the equivalent of tonnes of silage, multiply the number of bales by 0.9.

The estimated feed in the pit will vary due to dry matter; drier silage will have less weight per m³ but will have a higher feeding value due to reduced water content, according to the Walsh Scholar.

Fodder deficit

If after compiling a fodder budget, you realise you are or will be in deficit, purchasing additional forage is an option to make up the difference.

It is important to be wary of variable silage quality when purchasing.

Hay or straw availability may be an issue this year and you are advised not to rely on securing maize in the backend as a lot of these crops are contract grown.

Teagasc has advised that purchasing standing crops of silage may be an option this summer.

Another option is reducing winter requirements by selling surplus stock, poor-performing cows and animals.

Culling poor-performing cows now will reduce mid-season demand and will allow you to conserve more forage on-farm.

Farmers are reminded that is important to plan ahead and remember that “decisions made in the next few weeks will have a big impact on silage quantity and quality next winter”.

The post Dairy advice: Budgeting fodder for next winter appeared first on Agriland.ie.

As ground conditions improve and silage season begins, contractors all over the country are working long days to catch up on lost time.

Contractor, Stephen Mohan from Mohan Agri Limited in Co. Meath said that he is finding it hard to get enough workers and machinery at this time of the year.

“What should have been done a few weeks ago is having to be done along with silage now.

“We’re down three or four guys sowing maize that should be here at silage, so that’s all extra costs because of the weather, a knock-on effect,” Mohan said.

He added that there is also a lack of interest for farmers getting involved in contracting.

Silage season

A regular work day for contractors currently starts at about 7:00a.m, continuing until midnight, according to Mohan.

“The dairy men won’t be able to do the work themselves, they need the contractors.

“The dairy man is probably not getting enough for his produce for us to keep going up and up with rates either, so it’s kind of catch-22 for everyone at the minute,” Mohan said.

Mohan said that the hike on fuel prices is also putting pressure on contractors, with heavier loads to draw, and harder work with ploughing and tilling.

Part-time farmer and contractor, Des Crinion told Agriland that there has been continuous rain and wet spots causing tracks in fields this year.

Crinion said that with weather conditions for the last number of months, this is one of the “worst” years he has ever seen.

He said that a lot of farmers are currently out cleaning up grass to be able to spread fertiliser and “get a good second cut”.

Most soils currently have good trafficability, although there are areas in the midlands and south that remain saturated or close to it, according to Met Éireann.

Stress on farm

Crinion said that in Co. Meath, field conditions will be “okay” if the weather remains settled for the rest of the year.

He said that if rain returns or if weather becomes too dry then the situation for fodder may worsen, as there are no stocks left on farms.

Farmers are dealing with the “stress” of lower milk yields and other financial issues, according to Crinion.

Crinion said that farmers can sometimes not see the “professionalism” of a contractor, and the amount of finance that goes into maintenance and staffing.

He added that if cashflow does not improve then it may turn younger farmers away from the job.

The post Watch: Contractors under pressure as silage season starts appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The 2024 spring planting and grass-cutting season is now well underway in the south Antrim area, according to one agricultural contractor.

Darren Russell is part of the Russell Brothers team. The business works out of premises close to the village of Templepatrick.

Russell told Agriland that they have more spring crop this year than in years gone by.

“All of the seed was bought at the back end or turn of the year when prices were more realistic,” he said.

“Conditions aren’t ideal and it’s getting late, but the price and availability of straw has kept the acres up.”

“As it’s getting late and with the price of seed barley, if you can get it, maize is going to be a big thing this year.”

Maize planted in early May should be ready for harvest come September.

Russell continued: “Normally, I would like to see crops planted out towards the end of April. But that wasn’t possible this year, due to the very poor weather.

“We don’t provide a maize planting service. However, we will plough the ground and then harvest the crops in the autumn, if the weather allows.”

The past week has seen the Russell Brothers team out with both a harvester and baler, marking the start of the 2024 grass season.

“Some of the ground that was cut then received slurry and farmyard manure in preparation for maize,” Russell continued.

“Roundup will be applied as soon as there is enough leaf showing on the old sward. The last of the barley ground will be ploughed at the start of the week.

“After that, a start will be made on maize stubble. Historically, we’re usually running out of slurry work at this time of the year. We would expect a small lull before grass.

“But, to be honest, everything is going on at the minute; silage, slurry, muck spreading, fertiliser sowing, ploughing, sowing crops, spraying plus our own digger work,” he said.

“We also farm at home, where we are flat out calving suckler cows.”

Russell did acknowledge that his staff are in great form and “love the challenges” that contracting brings in helping others.

The post Spring planting now well underway in south Antrim appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Krone has once again pushed the envelope with its latest four-rotor rake, claiming it to be the largest machine of its type on the market.

Known as the Krone Swadro TC 1570, it is centred around the familiar V-frame concept, which has been adapted from the world’s largest centre six-rotor rake, the Swadro TC 2000.

This feature gives the machine a flexible working width from 11m up to 15.7m, and the overall design is said to make it extremely stable and smooth running.

Using the new intuitive user interface, the entire machine can be operated from the tractor cab via an ISOBUS-compatible terminal or in combination with an ISOBUS joystick.

Adjustable width

The working width of the four-rotor rake centre delivery can be variably adjusted via the front rotors guided by the V-outriggers.

The two V-outriggers can be retracted and extended independently of each other ensuring field corners and obstacles can be easily negotiated without undue disturbance of crop rows already formed.

To enable quiet running while running and turning at speed, the outriggers are each supported by a wheel in the front area.

Further hydraulic adjustment to the outrigger arms of the rear rotors enables swaths to be produced in widths of between 1.40m and 2.90m.

Smooth operator

Krone has also integrated vibration damping into the design, helping to ensure that the machine runs smoothly in the headland position.

In addition, a soft–down automatic lowering mechanism ensures that the outrigger arms are decelerated just before the rotors touch down.

By doing so, there is less stress on the machine and the crop is more smoothly engaged with.

The height of each rotor can be adjusted individually, or all rotors can be adjusted simultaneously via the operating terminal to suit the working conditions.

The Swadro TC 1570 is equipped with a category II/III pendulum-suspended two-point hitch. This compensates for uneven ground and gives the rake extra manoeuvrability due to the large steering angle.

Easy lifting by Krone

The lifting heights of the rotors can also be set via the operating terminal, especially useful at the headland where they only lift as far as is necessary, so as not to disturb existing swaths.

The lift delay of the rear rotors with respect to the front rotors can also be adjusted from the cab. This can be set as either a time-dependent or path-dependent delay.

The raising and lowering can be controlled even more efficiently using the section control partial width switching which automates the process with the aid of GPS positioning.

The main frame of the rake is hydraulically adjustable to allow for a transport height of under 4m without the need to fold down the tine arms.

The post Krone brings six rotor technology to four-rotor rake appeared first on Agriland.ie.

With milk supply down on many farms, dairy farmers must focus on maintaining good cow performance over the next couple of months, according to dairy specialist for Teagasc, Martina Gormley.

Recently released data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) have showed a decline in both the volume of milk and its contained protein delivered to processors and co-ops over the month of March.

The decline in milk volumes and its protein component may be a result of “challenging grazing conditions” on farms, over the month of March.

Heavy rain and water logged soils resulted in many dairy cows being retained indoors for longer on silage and concentrate diets, reducing the opportunities to graze spring grass.

The dairy specialist has suggested two options to help maintain good cow performance.

Option one:

• 40ha milking block/120 cows = three livestock units (lu)/ha;
• At an allocation of 20kg/DM of grass/cow, that’s a demand of 60kg/ha;
• For 60kg demand/ha, most dairy farms would be comfortable and have opportunities to take out surplus bales as required.

Option two:

• Short on silage and decide to close up a 8ha on milking block for silage and reseed 2ha;
• 30ha/120 cows= 4lu/ha;
• At an allocation of 20kg/DM of grass/cow = 80kg/ha of a demand.

The Teagasc advice stated that very few farmers will achieve to grow 80kg+ for May/June/July, which often means farmers will run into grass quality/quantity issues.

This means that cows will not have good performance due to more fibre in the sward. The cows “will not milk well” if the growth rates are not at 80kg/ha consistently.

She suggested that reducing the area closed to around 5ha would be a safer option.

Gormley said that the main disadvantage in option one is that farmers might have to call on a contractor a few times over the summer for a lower number of bales.

According to dairy specialist, some farmers are working around this challenge by mowing the paddocks themselves and making more than 30 bales at a time.

She added that if this will not work for your farm, then a comprise is to reduce the closed up area to 5ha, which will leave stocking rate at 3.4lu/ha and demand at 68kg/ha.

Gormley advised that the main priority on the milking block should be that the cow is fed well with good quality grass for as long as possible.

The Teagasc advice stated that a fodder budget should be completed to work out if there is a deficit, when silage from out-farms are taken into account and a plan should be put in place to reduce deficit.

The post Stocking rate effects on cow performance and silage stocks appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Sheep specialist at Teagasc, Damian Costello, shared key advice to ensure that there is enough “high-quality silage” produced for sheep next winter.

Dry matter digestibility (DMD) is one of the key factors influencing silage feed value.

Costello gave practical tips on providing enough high DMD (target 75%) silage for sheep during winter housing.

The guideline silage requirement for the average lowland ewe is 0.15 tons pit silage/ewe/month, or 0.19 bales/ewe/month. Budget for 15 to 16t pit silage or 19 to 20 bales/100 ewes/month.

Where rotational grazing is practised, some or all of the sheep silage requirement will be met from removing heavy grass covers as high-quality surplus bales.

The quality of the batches should be determined by analysing silage samples, ideally, sheep should be offered high feed value silage right throughout the housing period.

According to Costello, key points to follow include:

• Do not mow too bare to avoid ensiling dead material and the risk of soil contamination;
• Ensure that mowers and tedding machines are set at the correct height to avoid rooting up soil;
• Where soil contamination may be an issue due to poor ground conditions at harvest, identify the silage that is not to be fed to the sheep;
• Target 25% DM at ensiling for pit silage and 30% DM for bales;
• Surplus bales or light crops should be baled and wrapped relatively soon after cutting;
• Ensure silage pit is covered and fully sealed. With bales, extra layers of plastic wrap combined with careful handling and storage will help ensure air is totally excluded from the bale;
• Do not allow birds or other vermin damage your silage clamp or bales and do not forget to repair any bales damaged in transit to avoid mould and wastage.

Costello stated that if clods of soil end up in silage (pit or bale), there is a risk that sheep could feed on this silage and ingest the bacteria that causes listeriosis.

It is important to check phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) requirements based on most recent soil analysis, making sure to not exceed P allowances.

Costello recommends to apply up to 100 to 120kg/ha of nitrogen (N) in the form of a compound or protected urea, allowing that 30% of N previously applied for grazing will still be available to the plant.

He added that reducing chemical N applied at closing will enable earlier harvesting and reduce the risk of crop lodging pre-harvest, which can negatively impact digestibility.

The post How to target ‘high-quality silage’ for sheep farms this winter – specialist appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Teagasc is advising farmers to avoid “bulking up” the first cut of silage, as this may prove to be a “false economy”.

Research by Teagasc shows that it is better to take two cuts, as this improves the yield and quality of the silage.

When the first cut is taken, in mid-to-late May, an extra 1t/ha of dry matter is produced, which is the equivalent of 4.5 bales/ha of silage, according to Teagasc.

The quality of the silage will also be “far superior” when cut earlier, as come mid-June, the grass plant enters its reproductive phase, producing a stem and seed heads.

Teagasc stated that the first cut might provide additional bulk, but this produces a lot of “poor-quality material” which offers “little nutritional value” to the animal.

“Silage cut in early June will struggle to be 65% dry matter digestibility (DMD), with this worsening if the sward was not grazed before closing,” the Teagasc advice note stated.

As many silage swards were not grazed prior to closing, due to the wet conditions, Teagasc is advising farmers to prioritise a mid-May cutting date.

A two-cut system starting in May also offers more options, for instance if we were to experience drought conditions, the silage has been cut in mid-May and the grass has started growing back.

However, if harvest is left until June, farmers might not have any grazing available and the grass is burning back.

Cutting earlier also ensures that the May growth is being incorporated into the second-cut silage crops, which will be “key in replenishing” fodder reserves, according to Teagasc.

Along with targeting an earlier cutting date, Teagasc stated that completing a fodder budget is important to have throughout the year.

A Fodder Register is in place to help connect farmers who have fodder available with those farmers that require it.

Farmers can also contact the local Teagasc advisory office to register as “having feed available”, or to enquire if there are farmers on the register from whom, “they might source feed”.

The post Should farmers ‘bulk up’ silage during the first cut? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

A contractor “call-out charge” for light baled silage crops this season may cease as grass yields improve, the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) has said.

Contractors need to consider a call-out fee of €50-€100 before bale costs are calculated, according to the FCI which is advising its members to discuss call-out charges for low-yielding baled silage jobs with their farmer clients.

The association suggests that contractors need to look at a call-out charge where three or four paddocks will return less than 20 bales because the cost of bringing a full mowing and baling outfit to the field is “too high”.

“Contractor services cannot be profitable without a call-out charge in paddocks yielding small numbers of bales, and a lot of these early 2024 paddocks will be small numbers,” the FCI said.

Call-out charge

“The advice to farmers from Teagasc to bale these paddocks that were unable to be grazed due to wet ground conditions is not taking into account how much it costs the contractor to provide that mowing and baling service.

“If you ring a technician to fix your washing machine, they’re expecting to get a €75 call-out fee before they will even look at it. Compare that with a contractor who has spent €150,000 on a tractor and €100,000 on a combination baler.

“You bring a quarter of a million in kit after the mower gets into the field and you’re doing that for three or four bales to the acre. It doesn’t make business sense and is not financially viable.

“If it takes the contractor half an hour to get to the job and a half an hour back and they are only doing three or four bales to the acre, you can’t sustain a business like that without a minimum call-out charge,” the FCI said.

French contractors in Brittany and Normandy are now including call-out fees for similar small output jobs because the investment and operational costs of the machines have “become so high”, according to the association.

The post FCI: Contractor ‘call-out’ charge may cease as grass yields improve appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Profitable winter-milk systems rely on the availability of high-quality silage, with 75-80 dry matter digestibility (DMD) targeted to lessen the requirement for concentrate feed over the winter months, Teagasc has said.

Advisor on the Teagasc/Aurivo Joint Programme, John McCabe pointed to a number of cutting dates farmers should aim for to ensure the production of quality silage for their winter-milk herds.

The aim is to produce high yields of very digestible silage that is well preserved, McCabe said.

As the cutting date moves later into May, more fibre will be present on account of the additional bulk, second-cut yields will be reduced, and an expensive winter diet for cows will follow, he said.

Winter-milk silage

Alternatively, McCabe said that where an early May cutting date is achieved, less fibre will be present in the silage, a heavier second-cut will be obtained, and a cheaper winter diet based on a silage capable of supporting higher intakes will result.

“The more fibre that you push into your silage by delaying it out into May, the less the cow is going to be able to eat.

“We want to reduce the amount of fibre, the amount of stem, because we want the cows to eat more silage and we want the cows to eat better silage,” McCabe said.

After a challenging spring, McCabe pointed to a cutting date between May 5-10 as the “optimum” for silage for winter-milk systems.

He noted that this will allow sufficient time to achieve high yields in the second cut in late June. However, this will vary depending on the level of grazing achieved on farm this spring, the advisor said.

There is ground that has been un-grazed since the end of September or the start of October which, he said, needs to be gone by May 5 to feed a winter-milk cow in a “profitable way”.

If these grounds weren’t to be cut by early May, the Teagasc/Aurivo Joint Programme advisor said that the silage could drop from good quality to poor quality in the space of a week.

“If it was grazed bare in autumn or spring, we would say it needs to be cut before May 12, and if it is grazed recently, it needs to be cut before May 18-20 for a winter-milk cow,” McCabe said.

The post Early May harvest ‘essential’ for winter-milk silage appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Pottinger released its Harvest Assist app in March of last year with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the harvest operation through better utilisation of the machinery, especially the transport portion.

Over the last year, it has been developing the software. For the 2024 season, three new features have been added to further increase its utility and flexibility.

The first advancement is that a baler operator can now enter the number of bales deposited in each field.

The drivers of the loaders and bale collection vehicles can then see at a glance how many bales need to be fetched.

If there are several bale collection teams, each driver will know which fields they still need to visit in real-time, and how many bales have already been removed.

Counting bales

The number of bales also provides an indication of the harvesting performance. This enables you to keep track of the grass and whole crop harvest at any time.

In addition to providing navigation to the field, the navigation function will now also show the route back to the clamp.

New clamps can be added and navigated to directly using Google Maps. This latest feature in the Harvest Assist app will avoid detours and means that new destinations no longer need to be sent separately.

The final new feature is an ‘Other machines category’. With this, it is now possible to add bale collection machinery and forage harvesters to fleet being monitored.

This gives every driver in the harvest fleet a better overview of where each machine is deployed and opens up the app to silage operations based around a self-propelled forage harvester, a machine which lies outside Pottinger’s product range.

Navigating, planning, and a clear overview of every machine in the fleet, regardless of make, are now all provided for by the updates Pottinger has made to the app.

The post Pottinger adds to utility of its Harvest Assist app appeared first on Agriland.ie.

With temperatures on the rise and better weather for the past few days, field operations and grazing have begun across the country after being delayed due to the difficult spring weather conditions encountered this year.

College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) senior dairying advisor, Alan Agnew and senior beef and sheep advisor, Rachel Megarrell have issued some guidance to farmers on actions to take as the weather improves.

Silage management

Planning for the silage season ahead must be the key focus, it is important to take stock of the amount of silage required for the winter period. 

The advisors stated that a fodder budget will allow you to calculate the demand from feeding stock through the winter and determine the quantity of silage required this summer to avoid a fodder deficit on farm prior to next winter. 

A typical example of the average daily animal silage requirement during the housing period on a fresh weight basis is as follows:

• Dairy cow: 45kg/head/day;
• Suckler cow: 32kg/head/day;
• Ewe: 5kg/head/day.

The advisors suggested avoiding aiming for large bulky cuts at the detriment of silage quality as this will have implications for concentrate feed input throughout the housing period and will slow down sward re-growth.

The ability to cut highly digestible silage allows farmers to maximise the quality of forage fed to priority groups of stock such as young stock, finishing stock and pregnant ewes, and reduces the need to feed supplementary concentrate feed. 

Replenishing forage stocks

Many farmers this spring have been grateful for silage carried over from previous seasons. However, that buffer of ‘surplus’ silage will need to be replenished this year, according to CAFRE.

Dairy farmers should take a close look at livestock numbers on the farm and offload unprofitable or surplus stock so that silage area can be maximised.

On beef and sheep farms, if you predict a silage shortfall for the incoming winter then consider the following options- scan breeding stock and sell unproductive cows; sell cattle as stores before winter; and cull older less productive ewes. 

Grazing while weather is good

Grazing areas should be walked each week, this allows you to plan the grazing rotation in advance and help in the decision making.

E.g., if grazing conditions are still poor, you may opt for a period of on/off grazing or grazing a larger area with a smaller number of stock to begin with.

On most dairy farms grass covers are good but this can lead to grazing problems later in the season unless a proper plan is put in place now.

High grass covers can lead to a smaller than necessary platform being established on the first rotation which then leads to a grazing shortfall during the second rotation and before silage aftermath is available. 

Grass quality and allocation will be much better over the course of the season if an adequate platform is established now, the advisors said.

Surplus grass should be identified and removed for silage during this first rotation, to create a grass wedge.

Target covers are 3,100kg DM/ha at grazing with a post-grazing cover of 1,600kg DM/ha. Remember that cows will benefit from a gradual transition to grazing over the course of the first week.

Ewes and lambs that have been particularly affected by the prolonged period of wet weather have now seen some respite and when grass growth and quality is sufficient, concentrate supplementation to lactating ewes can be reduced.  

Creep feeding of lambs may also be an option to take some of the pressure off certain groups such as first lambing ewes rearing twins.

Ewes and lambs can now begin to be moved into larger mobs for grazing which will allow silage areas to be closed up.

Animal health

With the changeable spring weather, it is important not to forget about the challenge of hypomagnesemia (grass tetany or staggers) which can occur on rapidly growing lush swards. 

Access to magnesium minerals will be essential and supplementation can be via free access minerals, licks or boluses. If grass tetany is suspected, then contact your vet immediately.

Within the sheep flock, two concerns with the wetter and milder weather at present are  coccidiosis in lambs greater than four-weeks-of-age and nematodirus in lambs over six-weeks-of-age.

In relation to nematodirus, the SCOPS forecast should be kept under weekly review and action taken as appropriate when risk level dictates. 

Thinking ahead

CAFRE has said that the establishment of clover into grazing swards has many benefits including fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere, improved animal performance, increased daily liveweight gains, reduction in worm burdens and increased trace element availability.

Clover swards require a high level of management and soil fertility.

However, the benefits are such that farmers can really profit from clover and establishing a small acreage initially is a sound approach, the advisors said.

The post Advice: Actions to take as weather improves appeared first on Agriland.ie.

As silage season approaches, Limerick City and County Council has reminded farmers of their obligations around effluent.

In a statement, the local authority highlighted the EU water protection regulations when it comes to silage effluent.

The council said that silage effluent is a “particularly potent pollutant” being “200 times more polluting potential than raw domestic sewage”.

“It is essential that all effluents arising from the silage making process are collected, stored and managed in a manner which ensures that water quality is not impacted,” it said.

Silage effluent

Ahead of making silage, the council said that farmers should ensure that the silage base and associated collecting channels are clear.

If repairs are needed, the local authority recommended that farmers seek professional advice and follow Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) building specifications.

Farmers should be away of how much silage their slab is capable of storing as a lot of effluent problems occur when clamps are overstocked with silage.

“Additional silage should be stored on another slab or made into round bales,” the council said.

The council advised that grass should be wilted before ensiling to ensure that dry matter (DM) content is at a level where release of effluent is minimised, at least 30% DM should be attained.

It said grass should be kept behind the drainage channels on the base and ensure that the drainage channels are kept free from blockage. Farmers should also ensure that the polythene cover extends beyond the channels.

The council said that the silage pit should be checked regularly to ensure that all effluents are being collected.

“Directly ensiled grass can release up to 30 litres of effluent per tonne for the first few days after ensiling so keep a constant eye on effluent collection tank,” it said.

Field drains and streams should also be checked throughout the year to ensure that farm effluents are not being directed away from storage facilities.

“This is particularly important at silage-making time and when the pit is opened over the winter period,” the council added.

In cases where silage effluent is spread on lands, it should be diluted at least 1:1 with slurry with adequate buffer zones maintained to protect watercourses.

If a farmer sees silage effluent leaking from the pit, they are obliged to report any such issue to Limerick City and County Council at 061 556000 or on the out-of-hours emergency phone: 061 417833.

The post Council highlights risks posed by silage effluent appeared first on Agriland.ie.

With many farmers still unable to get housed stock back onto grass due to the prolonged spell of wet weather and poor ground conditions, some dairy farmers have expressed concerns over turnout running into breeding season, especially where maiden heifers are concerned.

That’s according to Stuart Childs, dairy specialist with Teagasc, who addressed the issue on the latest episode of Dairy Edge podcast.

“In reality, the vast majority of heifers are still in the shed. The forecast is only just starting to show signs of improvement…There hasn’t been the opportunity really to turn them out,” he said.

“They’re running definitely a month and possibly two months behind schedule depending on what part of the country you’re in.

“If the weather, please God, does pick up next week, we’re getting good drying in a very short space of time when we do get the dry weather. So if we do get a dry spell of weather, ground will firm up quickly enough, and we will be able to turn them out,” Childs added.

However, he said that some dairy farmers have expressed concern that turning animals out close to, or at the same time as, breeding, and the ensuing diet change of moving from silage and concentrate to grass, may impact breeding performance.

“The big concern that seems to be out there is in relation to what this transition is going to be like… There does seem to be a bit of concern that this change in diet is going to have an impact on them,” Childs said.

However, he cast doubt on whether the change of diet would itself have a negative impact, instead highlighting that good quality grass, once heifers do get out, is of greater importance.

“It’s the availability of grass that would probably be the bigger concern for me, and just making sure that once they go out, they stay out. That would be the most important thing. The quality of the diet is going to improve straight away once they do go out,” the Teagasc dairy specialist said.

For those farmers who still have concerns about the transition from a housed diet to a grass diet, Childs suggested, if possible, continuing to feed heifers concentrates for a few days immediately after turnout.

“If people are very concerned, and the big question I’m coming across is the transition from the housed diet to the grazed grass diet, and if people are really bothered about that…for the two or three or four days after they do go out, continue to give them the concentrate that they were getting, and just help them get used to being out again,” he said.

“But from a nutritional point of view, assuming that the weather does come right, and it’s not lashing rain down on top of us again…grass quality is going to be better than any silage that they’re getting, and if you want the comfort of giving them the little extra bit of concentrate for a couple of days, just while they’re switching over, they’ll be fine from then on.”

Childs noted that one concern for these heifers on an all-grass diet around breeding time is minerals, although, according to the dairy specialist, the impact shouldn’t be significant.

“The only concern I’d have for them going on an all-grass diet is from a mineral point of view, and in the short term that’s not even a major concern, because there will be a week of a carry-over effect in the feed in terms of mineral content, so they would get away with it for a couple of days,” he said.

“If there are concerns around minerals they’re either being made available to them in the field through buckets, or else they’re going to be bolused or injected with some sort of mineral to cover them for the trace minerals. It just will be lacking in the grass, there’s no two ways about it,” Childs added.

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The sunshine and warm weather finally arrived to most parts of the country over the weekend, and farmers in many areas took the opportunity to get an application of fertiliser out on their ground for first-cut silage.

Some farmers in drier parts of the country even managed to take out a few surplus paddocks that had high grass covers for a cut of bale silage.

With winter feeding still continuing in many parts of the country, many farmers have yet to assess what course of action they will take as regards silage cutting this year.

Before coming to a decision, farmers should first assess their grass covers and the ground conditions.

Some silage ground may not have been grazed since last August or September and may have a high grass cover on it.

Where slurry stores are full and grass covers are high across the farm, it could well be a feasible option to mow and clear off grass covers now, securing silage while making ground available for a slurry application.

Where farmers are going to proceed with a fertiliser application, the general rule of thumb is that grass will use two units of nitrogen (N)/day between the application date and proposed harvest date.

However, where farmers are in doubt, it is always advisable to test grass for the prescence of N before cutting.

Farmers have been well briefed on the importance of cutting silage early as well as the impact of heading out date and stem on silage feed quality.

The quality/quantity debate is also not a new discussion and most farmers know themselves the benefits of feeding good-quality silage over poor-quality silage.

Where slurry has been applied on silage ground already, establish what N volume has already been applied via slurry. The table available here will offer a guideline on the nutrient content already applied to silage ground.

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) requirements can be provided by early-season slurry applications.

Where this was not possible, a compound fertiliser containing P or K can be used – in line with soil analysis results.

Six weeks from today (Tuesday, April 23) is June 4, and if three bags (150kg) of calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) (27% N) is applied/ac today, it will be the end of the first week of June before farmers could consider taking their first cut.

Where lower rates of N are spread now, farmers may be able to secure an earlier cut of silage if the opportunity arises, which could be of more benefit to some farming systems.

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Approximately 19 million grass silage bales are made in Ireland on an annual basis, which is a figure that is likely to increase significantly.

As a consequence, this specific form of conserved fodder will remain a critically important winter feed source.

Driving this will be the continuing development of baling and wrapping technologies – the now almost common use of inoculant applicators on baler/wrappers illustrates this perfectly.

Grass bale weights are also increasing, with 750kg now commonly achieved on Irish farms. Significantly, this weight of bale can still be obtained after a 24-hour grass wilt.

The reality is that well-made grass bales are probably the highest quality winter forage source now available on Irish livestock farms.

Chopping, inoculant application, and the enhanced compaction capacity of modern balers combine to deliver optimal fermentation conditions while also delivering a ‘zero waste’ scenario.

Silage research

Significant investment and research into the development of bale wrapping materials has also helped to secure the enhanced quality forage that baled silages now represent.

Sales director for Berry Global’s Silotite brand in the UK, Ireland, Pacific, and Asia, Lloyd Dawson told Agriland: “Recent years have been marked by a step forward in the development of bale wrap films that deliver enhanced silage quality. This is a 100% recyclable polythene film.”

Another example of innovation driving the quality of baled silage, is the growing use of film-on-film technologies.

“Using film, instead of netting, to initially bind the bale has many advantages. In the first instance, the applied film is creating an oxygen barrier from the very outset,” Dawson continued.

“This has an immediate and beneficial impact on the fermentation processes taking places within the bale. Subsequently, a lower number of film layers [is] required to provide the totally anaerobic conditions required within the bale.

“Finally, baler net cannot be recycled; in contrast the bale wrap films manufactured by Berry Global are 100% recyclable,” he said.

According to Dawson, the introduction of Silotite to the British and Irish market helped revolutionise bale wrapping, pushing forward the market for sustainable products.

By engaging directly with the farming community and working closely with key research establishments to undertake commercial scale trials, Berry claims that its product developments are both scientifically grounded and closely aligned with the sector’s needs.

Approximately 16,000t of bale wrap is used across the island of Ireland on an annual basis.

Dawson continued: “Silotite is now sold in 75 countries around the world, however, Ireland has always been synonymous with the use of baled silage at farm level.

“Future developments regarding the size of silage bales and the range of forages ensiled within them are on the horizon.

“These breakthroughs will help to make livestock production a more sustainable option in countries around the world.”

Every tonne of polythene recycled saves 1.8t of crude oil, reduces energy usage by two thirds, entails 90% less water and cuts sulphur dioxide emissions by 33%, according to Berry.

Useful products manufactured from recycled bale wrap include agricultural slats, farm fencing, and garden furniture.

“We remain committed to providing farmers with cutting-edge solutions that enhance efficiency, promote sustainability, and contribute to their success,” Dawson added.

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Fertiliser use in 2024 will exceed last year, but farmers will be buying supplies more often and in smaller quantities, according to Liam Woulfe.

The managing director of Grassland Agro said that there had been “an absolute collapse in volumes” of fertiliser sold between January and March 2024, which is quarter two (Q2) of the fertiliser season.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) fertiliser database previously showed that sales of nitrogen (N) fertiliser in Q1 2024 (October 1 to December 31, 2023) were down 83% compared to the same period the previous year.

Woulfe told Agriland that he believes that fertiliser activity was around just 30-40% of what would normally be expected by the end of March.

“That’s not necessarily confirming a disaster, because we must also remember that oftentimes in the past that farmers would have material that would carry them through for many more months than just the month on hand,” he said.

Fertiliser

Woulfe said that the high fertiliser prices seen over the past two years has led to “a lot of resistance” among farmers.

“Now, we have the added problem of cashflow and getting credit. There is a consciousness at farm level that they want to keep their credit nice and tight because the co-ops and merchants give a lot of credit,” he said.

He added that the cost of borrowing money for farmers is “much more expensive than normal”.

Despite this, the Grassland Agro managing director believes there will be “a big awakening” over the next month as farmers start to buy fertiliser as weather and ground conditions improve.

“I think what you’re going to have is a lot longer level of demand at somewhat lower level, but you will probably have a bigger consumption for the year,” he said.

Woulfe believes farmers will make “more frequent purchases this year, but the volume might be a little smaller per time”. He said this is a “natural and sensible thing to do”.

“Eventually, they’ll have the same amount as normal with less credit or the least amount of credit they can possibly cope with,” he said.

As a lot of land could take another two weeks to dry out, Woulfe believes that first cut silage will be “a little bit late” this year, which will in turn impact fertiliser application.

Late April and May will be busier than normal as “we gradually catch up on the total consumption of fertiliser” by the end of the year, he said.

Woulfe expects overall average fertiliser prices to be relatively stable over the coming months.

“I don’t see buying fertiliser today as a big risk from our point of view with a view to having it for the months of May and June because I think the prices are going to be level,” he said.

He also said that an application for a derogation on hauliers’ driving hours has been lodged with the Department of Transport on behalf of the fertiliser and feed industry.

The National Fodder and Feed Security Committee (NFFSC) recently heard that transport is a big issue and is limiting deliveries for farmers.

“We must be very respectful of any use of that derogation from a safety point of view, that’s a very, very important thing and we’re conscious of that. The whole industry is part of it because it’s all part of a semi-emergency type of support,” he said.

Soil fertility

Woulfe believes that farmers have not being using enough phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), relative to their usage allowance.

“If we were going to make sure we get the best nitrogen use efficiency and indeed the phosphate use efficiency right, we do have to have the farms at the right level and they are slipping,” he said.

“I do feel that people are in the groove now of being more cognisant of soil optimisation, fertility optimisation.

“Now that fertiliser pricing is back to the normal levels that they would have experienced two or three years ago, I would say that there’ll be a bit more consciousness of using the fertiliser more prudently, more regularly and more to the plan that the farm requires,” he added.

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The Fertilizer Association of Ireland has this month issued its guidance on the best strategy to employ ahead of the first cut of silage.

According to the association, silage reserves are running low due to poor weather, extending the housing/feeding period and therefore there is a real need to replenish quality silage stocks for winter 2024/2025. 

“The requirement of having a good yield of a high quality first-cut crop for cutting in mid-May is essential,” the Fertilizer Association has stated.

This cutting date will ensure subsequent cuts are not delayed therefore maximising annual yield.

The advice is not to aim for a ‘bulky’ first-cut which will ultimately not only reduce the quality of the feed available, but also the subsequent yield from a second-cut crop and also eliminate the possibility of a third cut where forage deficits are identified.

“Cutting date should not be delayed in light of poor conditions in February or March, this will only add to any forage shortages next winter,” the association said.

Grass silage has a large nutrient demand and adequate nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) is essential for maximising grass yield and producing sufficient winter feed.

Nutrients for first-cut silage

Nitrogen (N) is the key driver of grass yield. Grass swards with high levels of perennial rye grass will use N more efficiently than older swards.

The Fertilizer Association of Ireland has said that recently reseeded swards (0-3 years) will have 25% higher N demand, especially when reseeded after a tillage rotation.

A crop of grass silage (5t/ha of DM) will require 125kg N/ha (100units/ac).

Grass silage will take up on average 2.5kg/ha/day of N (2units/day), therefore apply N at least 50 days before cutting to ensure full crop N utilisation.

Adjust N rates depending on target cutting date, e.g., 40 days growth requires 80units N/ac (40 x 2units/day).

P and K are essential to maximise grass yields therefore adequate supply of these nutrients in the soil is critical.

The advice is to consult the most recent (3-5 years) soil test reports to determine the P and K requirements (in organic manure and fertiliser) for silage fields.

A crop of grass silage will remove approximately 4kg P and 25kg K/t of grass DM. Fertiliser silage crops based on targeted grass yield.

Organic manures

Cattle slurry is the most common manure applied to silage fields and can vary in nutrient content depending on its dry matter (DM) content.

Diluting cattle slurry with water is beneficial for ease of agitation and can help to improve the N availability in the slurry, however it will also dilute the P and K content of the slurry (i.e., a larger quantity of diluted slurry will be needed to supply the same levels of P and K as undiluted slurry).

The Fertilizer Association has said that the slurry hydrometer is a useful tool than can be used to assess the DM percentage of slurry helping farmers to predict the nutrient content more accurately and adjusting application rates.

In 2024 due to ungrazed silage fields, the association is advising farmers to aim to supply crop N, P, K and sulphur (S) requirements by selecting a suitable fertiliser and apply cattle slurry after the first cut.

E.g., 3,000gal/ac of good quality cattle slurry (6% DM) will replenish soil P and K reserves.

The table below shows the recommended rates of N, P and K at different soil P and K indexes (1-4) required for 5t/ha grass DM (10t fresh grass / ac).

Maximum K application

Luxury amounts of K may be taken up by grass where more than 90kg/ha K are applied.

This can reduce fertiliser K efficiency and may upset the K:Mg:Na balance in herbage, the association has said.

Where more than 90kg/ha K is advised, only 90 kg/ha should be applied in spring, and the remainder to the aftermath or in late autumn.

Timing of silage strategy

The Fertilizer Association has advised to apply crop N, P and K requirements when closing silage fields.

In wetter soil conditions, fertiliser N can be split 50:50, e.g., 50% in early April and the remainder 7 to 10 days later to reduce the risk of N losses.

Meanwhile, sulphur (S) deficiency is most lightly on light sandy / free-draining soils with low soil organic matter.

Current research shows that S deficiency is not just confined to light textured soils and S deficiencies are occurring on heavy textured soils in early spring.

Grass silage crops have a requirement of 20kg S/ha per cut. The application of S to soils where it is required will improve grass DM yields and quality as it helps to maintain an optimum N:S ratio and N to be used more efficiency, the association stated.

The advice is to apply S with main N split as N+S (e.g., CAN+S / protected urea+S).

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Teagasc is advising farmers to aim for a silage harvesting date of around mid-May, and to close up fields now where possible for harvesting.

John Galvin, Teagasc drystock advisor in the Galway/Clare area, said that, with the challenges faced by farmers due to excessive rainfall impacting silage making, planning silage harvesting becomes even more important.

“It is questionable if it is either sane or appropriate to be discussing the topic of silage making. Yes, there are still large numbers of stock still in sheds and grazing has not gotten into second gear, and indeed it is a common sight to see large trailers of bales being transported on our roads with the winter feeding period going long into extra time,” Galvin acknowledged.

However, he added: “However, plans must be put in place immediately to replenish the much depleted silage stocks on many farms.”

“Every farmer should carry out a simple fodder budget to work out the silage requirements for their farm based on planned stock type, numbers to be wintered and the number of months housed.”

According to Galvin, suckler cows, zero-to-one-year-olds, and one-to-two-year-olds consume 1.4t, 0.7t and 1.3t of silage per month respectively.

A 20-cow farm plus followers housed on November 1 and let to grass on the March 1 gives a silage demand of 272t or 340 bales.

“Quality silage is key in reducing the feed costs associated with cattle rearing in a suckler beef system. Dry matter digestibility (DMD) is one of the key measures of quality, with protein also being very important especially in growing cattle,” the Teagasc advisor said.

The silage quality guidelines for different types of livestock are as follows:

• Autumn calving cows – 75% DMD;
• Finishing cattle – 74% DMD;
• Weanlings and store cattle – 72% DMD;
• Suckler cow in milk – 70% DMD;
• Dry suckler cows – 65%-70%.

Galvin said that, ideally, silage should be cut and harvested in the first half of May as grass digestibility decreases by 2% to 3% units per week from mid-May onwards.

“A leafy sward with little or no stem will typically give 75%-80% DMD silage, while a grass crop with seed heads emerged will normally be as low as 65% DMD. Silage crops need to be walked regularly to monitor growth stage and ground conditions,” he said.

Galvin added: “In my experience, farmers can get too hung up about the requirement to have a crop closed for a minimum of seven weeks due to nitrogen (N) levels.

“There needs to be a greater focus on bringing the harvest date forward to the second or third week of May.”

As the weather is also impacting grass growth, Galvin also advised how fertiliser should be used as a result.

“First cut silage has a requirement of 80 units of nitrogen (N), 16 units of phosphorous (P), 80-90 units of potassium (K) and 15 units of sulphur(S) per acre. I

“Ideally, 3,000gal/acre of cattle slurry would fulfil most of these needs with only 1.4 bags of pro-urea plus S/ac required in chemical fertiliser,” he explained.

“However, this year, with little or no pre-grazing carried out, poor ground conditions and high grass covers, the time for achieving all of the pre-closing best practice measures is quickly diminishing,” he added.

“In this scenario, the crop requirements will have to be supplied by chemical fertilisers in agreement with the farm P allowances depending on soil analysis results.

“If there is no P allowance just spread the required N + S + K and put out the slurry after harvest.”

Some key points Galvin outlined for farmers to remember are:

• Pasture quality;
• Stage of growth of grass at time of cutting (just before seed heads start to appear);
• Do not overload the crop with N, especially old pastures with limited yield potential and un-grazed fields – it delays cutting date and causes lodging risk;
• Ensure not to mow too bare – this risks bacterial contamination;
• Try to mow in late afternoon, when both the sugars and dry matter levels of the grass are at their peak;
• A fast wilt of 24-48 hours depending on mower type and weather conditions is best;
• Avoid delay in harvest especially as there is a 7%-9% quality penalty associated with lodged crops.

“Aiming for the big June cut is false economy. It costs the same to harvest poor quality silage as good quality silage, and this combined with a performance penalty of 50kg-60kg/weanling in the absence of meal supplementation [further increases] wintering costs,” Galvin said.

The advisor added: “Anecdotal evidence from previous fodder shortage surveys suggests that the farmers that delayed their first cut the longest had the largest fodder shortages. Remember late first cut silage means losing out on the May/early June growth rates for second cut crops.”

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At Lough Funshinagh in Co. Roscommon, concerns over fodder are similar to those in many areas across the country.

With ground conditions being unsuitable to turn out livestock to graze on, and supplies of fodder running scarce, these are issues faced by farmers at present.

However, farmers at Lough Funshinagh have the added concern of the water levels of the lake rising to flood their farmyards and fields.

For Padraig Beattie, the weather over the coming weeks will be critical for both his farm and his own home.

While calving and lambing are almost finished on his farm, Beattie has been unable to let any of his livestock out to graze due to the weather.

His crop of lambs this year are still housed, and with no other shed to move them to, Beattie is monitoring his supply of fodder closely.

He estimated that he will have enough silage for another 10 days for his housed animals.

Beattie said that he is “hoping” that this weekend he will be able to start letting out some of the “lighter stock” on his farm to graze.

This way, he said, his supply of silage may be stretched to 15 or 16 days.

Beattie’s sheep shed, built in 2020, is a concern for him, as if it floods, he still has to pay back a loan for its construction.

The flooding is currently being prevented by pumps that are operating 24/7.

The pumps are preventing the surrounding homes and farmyards from being flooded, but they recently failed for a brief 30 minute period.

Earlier this week, Beattie explained that when the pump failed, it quickly caused the water from Lough Funshinagh to begin to enter a field and approach the house.

A second standby pump was switched back on by nearby county council workers, as Beattie explained the situation is “that bad” that these workers are around “nearly all the time” building up the defenses.

Deputy Denis Naughten raised the issues facing the residents around Lough Funshinagh in the Dáil yesterday (Tuesday, April 9) during the appointment of Taoiseach Simon Harris.

The Roscommon–Galway TD also detailed the story of the failure of the water pump for the 30 minute period, which he said caused the water to reach the doorstep of one of the families.

He described the situation as “critical” at the moment.

Deputy Naughten said: “I want to commend Roscommon County Council, the minister, Deputy [Patrick] O’Donovan, and the team at the Office of Public Works on the efforts they have been making to defend those properties.

“The difficulty is that defence cannot continue for another 12 months. Without intervention it is anticipated that four homes will be permanently lost next winter.

“Emergency legislation must be brought through this house to allow for the implementation of an immediate temporary solution, involving the controlled removal of water from Lough Funshinagh into the River Shannon.

” I hope the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the Tánaiste will ensure that is delivered. It is critically important that we get such action before those four homes are lost,” Deputy Naughten added.

Flood outlook at Lough Funshinagh

​Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) has been monitoring flood levels at Lough Funshinagh, Co Roscommon since 2016.

Recent work commissioned by the geological survey has focused on analysing possible future flood behaviours at the Lough.

This work was carried out by consultants MKO Ireland based on models previously developed by South-East Technological University (SETU).

Lough Funshinagh has been rising steadily since September 2023 and as of early March 2024, the lough has reached record high flood levels of 69.03m above sea level.

The potential future flood behaviour at Lough Funshinagh has been estimated by assessing historic rainfall trends.

It should be noted that this assessment is not a forecast. Instead, it is an assessment of historic rainfall trends and how Funshinagh would respond to them based on its current water level.

The assessment indicates the following:

In 2024 there is a:

• 95% probability that water levels will reach approx. 69.09m (6cm above the current level).
• 50% probability that water levels will reach approx. 69.15m (12cm above the current level).
• 5% probability that water levels will reach approx. 69.35m (32cm above the current level).

In 2025 there is a:

• 95% probability that water levels will reach approx. 68.15m (88cm below the current level).
• 50% probability that water levels will reach approx. 69m (3cm below the current level)
• 5% probability that water levels will reach approx. 70m (97cm above the current level)

It should be noted that work on the Lough Funshinagh model is ongoing. Results are subject to change and should be interpreted with caution.

The assessment involved sequences of historic Met Eireann data being inputted into a hydrological model of the lough and was used to produce a statistical analysis of how flood patterns may evolve in the lough over the next eighteen months.

The technique assumes that rainfall tends over the next eighteen months will be broadly similar to rainfall trends from the last 30 years.

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Depending on the current diet, cows are being fed additional feed costs could be as high as €250/day for a 100-cow herd because of ongoing wet weather conditions.

Met Éireann has said that there will be another 10 days of rain before high pressure is expected to set in over Ireland later this month.

The current weather pattern will mean that feed costs on dairy farms are continuing to rise.

Additional concentrates are now being fed and straights in the form of soya hulls or beet pulps are also commonly used on farms.

If grass is not currently in the diet these additional feds will likely be needed to maintain producing and energy levels in cows – however they do drive up the cost of production.

Feed costs

On many farms, up to 50% of the dry matter (DM) intakes are coming from imported feed onto the farm in the form of concentrates such as soya hulls or beet pulp.

This has a significant additional cost associated with it, which is driving up the cost of production and hampering cash flow.

Figures from Teagasc state that 1kg of grass DM costs 11c, compared to 22c/kg of pit silage and 24c/kg of bale silage.

If we look at a normal year, the feed cost of cows eating 18kg of DM would be €1.65 for 15kg of grass and €1.26 for 3kg of concentrates.

This is based of a dairy ration costing €420/t.

This would mean feed cost of €2.91/cow/day, for the average 100-cow herd this would be €291/day.

However, the situation on farms is very far from this and on many farms, concentrates feed is as high as 8-9kg/day.

Taking the example of a herd that is feed 6kg of concentrates, 3kg of soya hulls and the remaining 9kg of DM is coming from silage.

E.g., soya hulls have been given a cost of €318t of DM.

Concentrates cost rise to €2.52, soya hulls cost 0.95c and pit silage has a cost of €1.98.

This means that the cost of feed a cow on this day is €5.45/day, for the average 100-cow herd, this would be €545/day.

If the 9kg of forage DM is half grass and half silage, this would reduce cost of feed/cow to €4.96/cow or €496 for the 100-cow herd.

If the diet consists of 6kg of concentrates costing €2.52, 6kg of grass DM costing €0.66 and 6kg of silage DM costing €1.32.

The total cost of feeding €4.50/cow or €450 for a 100-cow herd.

Grass

Many farmers have expressed frustration at some of the advice that has been offered recently, with much of this focusing around getting cows to grass.

But, the figures on the cost of the extra concentrates underline why this line of advice has been given.

It is also important to factor in that the cost of feeding not only includes additional concentrates but also labour, fuel and more.

Although it may not be possible to get grass into the diet every day, every extra kilo of DM of grass vs. silage reduces feed cost by 0.11c/kg.

If grass in the diet increases further and soya hulls can be removed, this will save 0.84c/kg of DM.

There are going to be situations where grazing is not possible, so unfortunately feed costs for some are going to remain high.

But, farmers have been advised that they should also look at using feeds that are cost effective and only feed to the required levels.

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The National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) has heard that some drystock farmers in the west and northwest of the country are coming under pressure for silage.

Alan Dillon, from the Teagasc drystock team, said as stocks tighten there has been more silage moving between farms over the past 10 days.

He said that the fodder situation was already “getting fairly bad” in parts of the south, but added that problems are localised.

The committee heard that there are still silage stocks available in some areas of the country.

Fodder

The comments came as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue today (Tuesday, April 9) announced the introduction of a new Fodder Transport Support Measure.

The minister said that the new scheme would be operated through the co-op network around the country as it is needed by farmers from today.

Differing subsidy rates will apply for hay, fodder beet, straw and silage for feeding, which has to be transported over 75km to come to a co-op for distribution to farmers.

Dillon said that on/off grazing is not an option for many drystock farmers, especially where holdings are fragmented.

He said that “some significant damage” has been done to some fields which will impact on grass supplies in the second grazing rotation.

He also told the NFFSC that slurry storage is becoming “a big problem” on a lot of farms.

“If we don’t get a significant dry spell very soon now there’ll be big questions to be answered as to how we’re going to handle this,” Dillon said.

Grazing

Dr. Joe Patton, the head of the Dairy Knowledge Transfer Department at Teagasc, said that some dairy farmers “have pushed through” and made grazing happen in “less than ideal circumstances”.

He urged farmers to try “some bit of grazing” during the day, if possible.

“Not everyone might believe that’s possible or that’s something we should be saying but at the same time the farms that have done have been benefiting from it,” he said.

He noted that some farmers have been hampered by infrastructure and not being able to access paddocks for grazing.

Patton said where dairy farmers are managing to get to grass it is adding around 0.1% in protein which is a cash benefit to farms.

He said that paddocks grazed in February have “recovered relatively well”.

Grass

Prof. Michael O’Donovan, head of Grassland Science at Teagasc, told the meeting that it is the first time he has seen average grass covers of over 2,000kg DM/ha in April in Ireland.

He said that a lack of grazing on farms due to poor ground conditions has impacted grass growth, which he would expect to be higher for this time of year.

According to data from PastureBase, he said that the average area grazed stands at 65%.

When farmers have got an opportunity to spread nitrogen (N) rates are back around 50% compared to normal.

O’Donovan said that many farms are attempting on/off grazing currently with cows getting 9-10kgs of grass, where possible.

He said that silage is getting short on farms, particularly in Kerry, Cork, Wexford and Waterford where some locations got 100mm of rainfall more than other parts of the country.

When conditions allow for grazing he advised farmers to target lower covers (1,400kg DM/ha) first to “get some control of the grass wedge”.

He reiterated that farmers should be aiming for an early harvest (May 15-20) for first cut silage.

O’Donovan told the NFFSC that the industry will have to target a second and even a third cut of silage this year.

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The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) has said that agricultural contractors will be facing fuel bills in the region of €30,000/week once silage season gets underway.

Michael Moroney, research director with the FCI, told the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) today (Tuesday, April 9) that its members have only one third of the work they would normally have done at this time of the year.

He said this is leading to “huge cash flow restrictions” for some contractors.

Contractors

Teagasc is currently advising farmers to target the third week of May for first cut silage, where possible.

Moroney said that oil companies are concerned that contractors will not be able to afford large fuel bills when work picks up.

“In many cases, contractors may not have the funding or the working capital to allow them to provide contracting services this year,” he told the NFFSC meeting.

Moroney also said that farmers may become very impatient and anxious to get field work underway once the weather improves.

“So we’re urging department advisors, farmer organisations to show some patience and understanding and understand that the commitment of the contractor has always been to get the work done in the best possible conditions.

“We understand that machines have the capacity for high workrates, but humans will not survive exceptionally long workdays.

“Farmers need to manage their expectations now from the contractors with due consideration and considering the safety of our operators, which is our top priority,” he said.

Finance

The FCI has written to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue calling for a Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI) finance programme to allow cash flow from farmers to contractors.

“That needs to be specifically designed for farmers to pay their contractors.

“Then we need working capital funding from SBCI through the pillar banks to be available as well, specifically for the sector.

“Without working capital, the kind of funds that are required and the lack of cash flow because two thirds of the work has been lost, are huge impacts in terms of ability to continue to deliver services,” Moroney said.

Data from Teagasc for 2022 shows that the average spend by farmers on contractor services was over €7,000/farm.

The FCI called on the minister to develop a contractor compensation scheme based on work completed this year compared to last year.

“The industry has never had it so difficult, survival is an issue for many people. Cash flow and funding is going to be a priority,” Moroney said.

The post FCI: Contractors facing fuel bills of €30,000/week appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The disastrous start to the grazing season brings home the reality that all Irish livestock farmers should should plan for a six-month winter, in my opinion.

In truth, the above figure should be pushed up to seven, in order to guarantee that the ‘madness’ that is a spring fodder crisis is relegated to the history books.

The reality is, that all Irish dairy and livestock farms can grow oceans of grass, irrespective of how much rain falls throughout the spring, summer and autumn months.

There will always be an opportunity at some stage to get silage made in a clamp or as bales.

The current scenario of farmers making enough to get through to an early spring turnout date is just too big a risk to take.

Recent years have proven repeatedly that wet autumns will enforce an early start to the housing season, while late springs can put back turnout dates by a significant number of weeks.

Of course, the reality is that poor autumns and late springs are taken for granted the further north one travels in Ireland.

In parts of Co. Tyrone, for example, the beginning of May would be regarded as a normal start to the grazing season, with stock housed again by mid-October or even the end of September.

When operating under these circumstances, planning for a seven-month winter becomes a normal part of the annual routine for these farming business.

Relying on bought-in fodder at any time reduces the independence of the farms concerned. It also increases the cost of production in a meaningful way.

However, the biggest impact that bought-in fodder will have is on animal performance.

Buying in bales of silage is a very risky business. This is because the purchaser has no idea as to the quality of the silage that will be unveiled, prior to the bale being opened.

As a general rule of thumb, it has to be assumed that farmers selling silage will always keep the best forage available on the farm for own use purposes.

There will always be a balancing point, where these matters are concerned. Making more silage on farms may have implications for the number of stock carried within a business.

In truth, reducing cattle numbers may make perfect economic sense for many Irish farmers.

It may well be better to keep fewer head and get through a longer winter unscathed, as opposed to paying crazy money for bought-in silages that may just about keep stock ticking over.

The post Opinion: Time to start planning for a six-month winter appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is currently examining a scheme to facilitate the long-distance movement of fodder.

As the wet weather persists, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has asked his officials to work on a scheme similar to 2018 which brought fodder to farmers in need.

It is understood that a new scheme, which will be rolled out by the department if needed, could also involve co-ops around the country.

Fodder

The minister said that he is “acutely aware of the pressure farmers are under right now”.

“I have already mobilised Teagasc to provide advice and assistance through its local services, and I know that co-ops will also be doing everything they can to support their suppliers.

“I have also asked my department to explore the operationalising of a scheme to support long distance fodder movements on the island of Ireland, along the lines of that which operated in 2018, should that prove necessary.

“I am working with stakeholders through the National Fodder and food Security Committee (NFFSC), who will assess the most up to date situation at their next meeting this coming Tuesday (April 9) .

“This meeting will also receive an updated position from Teagasc on the situation around the country,” he said.

The NFFSC will convene again at 11:00a.m next Tuesday to discuss the solutions currently being implemented across the country to help farmers in a fodder shortage.

Met Éireann have also been invited to provide an update on the weather outlook for the days ahead.

The meeting will highlight the range of supports and assistance that are available to farmers that are experiencing difficulties.

Inspections

Earlier this week, Minister McConalogue announced a pause to all non-essential agricultural inspections until April 22 due to the current weather conditions.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has confirmed that it has rescheduled the start of a farm safety inspection campaign that it announced this week.

The minister has also said that he has spoken to banks to ask them to ensure access to short term finance and overdraft facilities where needed, to deal with the pressure arising from the current “exceptional weather conditions”.

As well as that, the minister said that he has tasked Teagasc with the “coordination of support to farmers under fodder pressure”.

Financial supports

Meanwhile, Independent Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae has written to Minister McConalogue asking the government to seek emergency funding for Irish farmers from the European Union.

“It is time that the minister for agriculture and the government act on behalf of all farmers who are suffering immensely because of the continuous incessant rain.

“Many farmers are suffering cash flow problems and can’t afford to buy bales of silage which are costing up to €60 a bale,” Deputy Healy-Rae said.

The TD said that the EU funding would help farmers who are struggling mentally “to continue”.

Former minister for agriculture Barry Cowen has also called for emergency supports for farmers.

The Fianna Fáil candidate in the Midlands North West European constituency said that DAFM should fast-track any outstanding scheme payments and financial institutions should show leniency to farmers in these trying times.

Deputy Cowen said that a new funding provision needs to be brought forward to help farmers tackle prolonged periods of adverse and unpredictable weather amid worsening ground conditions.

“We’re well aware that climate change is making conditions for farming more challenging, which presents a severe threat to food security.

“We need to enact emergency and longer term sustained funding model,” he said.

Deputy Cowen said that he has contacted the ministers for agriculture, finance and public expenditure to ask for this emergency funding to be made available to farmers and food producers urgently.

The post Minister: DAFM exploring long-distance fodder movement scheme appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Rural TDs have issued calls for the government to step in and offer supports to farmers with a shortage of fodder on their farms.

Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath, leader of the Rural Independent Group, has urgently called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, to establish a new national fodder support scheme 2024 without delay.

McGrath highlighted that of farmers have had to house their cattle since last autumn due to an “extraordinarily harsh and prolonged winter”.

He said this has led to a spike in feed demand, thrusting many farmers into a state of acute financial distress.

McGrath said: “The situation is dire. My office is overwhelmed with calls from farmers out of silage, a number that’s set to rise if the wet weather persists.

With some families on the brink of financial collapse and alternative fodder sources scarce, the need for intervention is critical.

“Despite the national fodder and food security committee meeting last week, no action to support farmers emerged from the meeting, leaving farmers under continued pressure,” he added.

Today, Minister McConalogue announced a pause to all non-essential agricultural inspections until April 22.

“As an immediate step I have asked my department to pause farm inspections not specifically required to support payments until April 22. In considering this matter, I was conscious of the need to avoid any action that might affect payments to farmers,” the minister said.

“This step is a proportionate and necessary one in the current circumstances,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cork South-West TD and Independent Ireland leader Michael Collins has criticized the department’s focus on farm inspections rather than providing much-needed support.

Collins said: “The mental toll this winter has exacted on our farmers is immense, both financially and personally.

“It’s time for the minister and his officials to acknowledge the severity of the situation and respond accordingly.

“The minister must announce a fodder support scheme without delay, demonstrating the government’s recognition of the unforeseen trials facing our farmers.

“The scheme should extend to every farmer—dairy, beef, sheep, or tillage—each facing their own unique set of pressures,” Collins added.

The post Renewed calls from TDs for aid for farmers with fodder shortage appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Silage remains in the diets of many herds at the moment, with grazing conditions continuing to pose a significant challenge.

The focus now needs to be placed on getting first cut silage for 2024 growing on farms and supplies in silage pits replenished.

Speaking during a Teagasc webinar earlier this week, research officer with Teagasc, Michael Egan outlined the recommendation for farmers.

He highlighted the impact that delaying first cut and allowing the crop to ‘bulk up’ has on overall silage yields.

Fertiliser

Speaking on the webinar, Egan said: “There is a lot of empty silage pits and we need to get a good yield of silage back into the yard to build reserves.”

He said that this is a year where we need to get an increased yield and a high nitrogen (N) response.

Egan said somewhere between 80kg and 100kg (80units) of total N to grow a first cut crop.

This N can be made up by a combination of slurry and chemical fertilisers.

He said it is important to get as much fertiliser out as soon as possible to get high growth rates and capture some of that April growth when it arrives.

For phosphorus (P) you will need 3kg/expected tonnes of dry matter (DM), so a 6t crop will required 18kg of P – some of this will be met by slurry. Potassium (K) 25kg/t of DM expected to be harvested.

First cut silage

On blocks of land used for silage with heavy covers currently on them, Egan said to be careful spreading slurry on them now.

He said that too much damage may be caused to the sward and that the requires of this fields will have to be met by chemical fertiliser – depending on the P allowance.

He said if you have no P allowance, you will have to just get the N and K spread and put the slurry out after the first cut to grow the second cut crop.

Egan said we can not compromise timings at this point and we can’t not compromise yields either.

Although with grazing ground you can manipulate your fertiliser spreading dates and strategies, he can we cannot with silage ground and farmers need to get it closed off as soon as possible to get an early first cut.

Egan said: “By bulking up your first cut, it hugely compromises the yield from second cut.”

Egan advised farmers to get the fertiliser spread and your first cut crop growing, conditions allowing.

He told farmers they should be aiming to harvest their first cut in the third week of May: “Try and get our first cut silage in the first week of May, so we can get a good second cut.”

He also highlighted the impact of delaying first cut has on the quality of feed, with good quality silage need for milking cows during the shoulders of the year.

Covers on fields should allow for a targeted harvest date of May 25, according to Egan and this will have the added benefit of getting May growth rates into second cut growth.

“We need to get May growth rates into second cut silage, so waiting until early June to cut it – means we are not getting May growth rates and that is going to reduce our second cut yields.”

When closing up silage ground slurry should be spread first, followed by chemical N – according to Egan around four days of break between the two should be sufficient in current weather conditions.

The post Farmers advised to target third week of May for first cut silage appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) has voiced concern over the level of workload facing agricultural contractors.

Michael Moroney, research director with the FCI, said that due to the current weather conditions a lot of contractors are currently zero grazing silage ground which they would not have done in the past.

He told a recent meeting of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) that slurry spreading has “come to a halt” in many places as farmers do not want slurry spread on silage ground.

“Up to now they’ve [contractors] been spreading small amounts of slurry like three to five loads per farm just in the driest fields.

“So that means for them they have to come back a number of times onto the farm and repeated agitation and there’s huge additional costs associated with that,” he said.

Contractors

Teagasc has advised farmers unable to graze heavy covers on silage ground to apply a small amount of nitrogen (N) and cut in early May, if possible.

However, Michael Moroney voiced concern to the committee about the associated workload for contractors.

“The thought among a lot of contractors is who’s going to do it? Who will be available to do it because there’s going to be so much work that has to be put into a short period between now and then.

“That’s going to be very difficult and put huge pressure on contractors.

“The second part of that pressure will be that everybody will want slurry spread the following day. So how is that going to be done? That’s an issue that has to be looked at as well,” he said.

Moroney said the increase in excise duty on fuel will add €40 million in additional costs for contractors as silage season looms which is “difficult to pass on”.

He said that many contractors are “considering their future” because of the impact of the weather, high machinery and operating costs

Moroney said that very few contractors have done any ploughing for spring tillage crops.

“They’ve lost a lot of income and revenue because winter cereals are back and very little topdressing has been done so far at this stage,” he said.

Contractors in the south and southeast have reported that only 10% of the spring cereal crops have been sown.

When it comes to potatoes, less than 10% of the early crops have been sown to date in Co. Wexford. There has also been an issue with destoning fields which will have an impact at harvesting.

Moroney added that hedge management has been impacted on many farms due to weather conditions with less than half of hedges in fields being trimmed which is causing issues with electric fences unearthing.

Under the Wildlife Act, the cutting, grubbing, burning or other destruction of “vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch” is illegal between March 1 and August 31.

The FCI said that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has not offered any leniency around cutting of these hedges in the closed period.

“We feel this is not appropriate at the moment,” Moroney said.

The post FCI raises concern over workload facing contractors appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has told the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) that there is “no money” for a fodder support scheme.

During an online meeting today (Friday, March 29), the committee heard that there are currently silage stocks in the country but that farmers in some areas are experiencing shortages.

Members of the committee outlined the mental and physical stress currently on farmers, not just as a result of poor weather and fodder shortages, but also from workload and cash flow issues.

While noting that some farmers are facing difficulties, Louise Byrne, deputy chief inspector with DAFM, said that there is an “availability of fodder” in the country.

She said that there is “no money for subsidising feed purchases or for having a fodder support scheme for 2024”.

However, she appealed to any farmer who has run out of silage to contact the department in confidence.

There were also repeated calls by members of the committee for a temporary suspension of DAFM and Bord Bia farm inspections to help ease the burden on farmers.

In response, the department’s deputy chief inspector said that “any delay in inspections will mean delay in payments”.

Byrne said that she would relay the concerns raised about the additional stress caused to farmers by a farm inspection with her colleagues in the department.

Fodder

Pearse Kelly, head of drystock with Teagasc, told the meeting that 784 drystock farmers responded to a survey carried out by Teagasc this week, the majority of whom were based in Leinster and Munster.

Half of respondents said that they would run out of silage in the next three weeks, with 29% of those having silage stocks of between 0-10 days.

35% (217) of farmers said that they were currently buying silage and 44% of those reported that bales were costing €30-40 each.

Only around a quarter of drystock farmers said they had some cattle at grass, while 66% said that slurry storage was becoming an issue on their yards.

The survey also showed that 89% of respondents had not spread any fertiliser so far this year.

Based on feedback from Teagasc advisors, Kelly said that most livestock farms are at least 7-10 days away from turning out large numbers of stock.

He advised farmers unable to graze heavy covers on silage ground to apply a small amount of nitrogen (N) and cut in early May, if possible.

Dairy

Joe Patton, head of Teagasc’s dairy knowledge transfer department, said that advisors were reporting that 51% of dairy farmers were behind on their grazing rotation, 39% have little or no grazing done and 10% are on target.

47% of dairy farmers said that animals were fully housed, while 49% were getting out to grass by day.

Around 7% of advisors reported that more than a quarter of their dairy farmer clients had run out of silage, with the majority of these in Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny.

Patton said that the number of dairy farmers who are “definitively out” of silage is “relatively small at this point” but this could increase if weather and ground conditions do not improve.

66% said that silage was available to buy locally, but stocks were limited.

58% have applied some fertiliser and slurry, 35% have only spread slurry and 7% have not applied fertiliser or slurry.

The committee heard that farmers should not rule out grazing for the next week.

Patton said that even two dry days could make a big difference on some farms which would allow for daytime grazing, particularly for early calved cows approaching peak milk production.

Chair of the NFFSC Mike Magan appealed to farmers to look out for their friends and neighbours during this challenging time.

The post DAFM: ‘No money’ for fodder support scheme appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Farmers have been hit with additional feed costs of up to €2,500 based on a 130-cow herd because of ongoing wet weather conditions.

Feed costs have escalated significantly because farmers are unable to get their cows out, leaving them with no option but to purchase fodder in many instances.

Analysis of the current countrywide position by Agriland has found that on farms where cows have not yet had access to grass, the cost of dry matter (DM) intakes from forage and concentrates could be as high as €134.72/cow.

This is based on an average additional cost to a 114-cow milking herd of €2,534.22 incurred during the first eight weeks of lactation.

This has been calculated on an average basis over the last eight weeks – with cows that are longer calved going to have higher feed costs compared to a cow calved in the last week.

In a normal year, grass, silage and concentrates would make up the majority of dairy herd diets at this time of year – but in many cases, silage and concentrates remain the main feeds.

On many farms, grazing has been hampered and in a large number of cases there has been little or no grass in the diet.

Feed costs – case study

In this case study we take a 130-cow herd, which started calving on January 29, 2024 with 114 cows calved in the first eight weeks of calving or an average of 14.2 cows/week.

Based on this, around 114 of the 130 cows are now calved and producing milk.

The feed costs of cows not calved is not included in this analysis, as they would likely have remained in the shed at a somewhat fixed feed cost.

For freshly calved cows, they will require 13kg of DM, including forage and concentrates.

Each week, the DM intake will increase by around 0.8kg, until intakes reach a maximum 10 weeks post-calving.

This means that for the 114 cows calved, the DM intake is between 18.6-13kg; for this analysis 4kg of DM comes from concentrates and the remainder comes from forage.

This would result in a cow that is only freshly calved is consuming 13kg of DM total, her diet would consist of 4kg of concentrates and 9kg of forage, while a cow that is eight weeks calved is consuming 18.6kg of DM total, with the diet consisting of 4kg of concentrates and 14.6kg of forage DM.

Over the eight-week period, a total of 38,931kg of forage DM will be consumed on farm, while the total concentrates fed would be 14,314kg.

At a cost of €420/t for a dairy ration, that equates to a total cost €6,014.40 or €52.76/cow.

Figures from Teagasc state that 1kg of grass DM costs 11c, compared to 22c/kg of pit silage and 24c/kg of bale silage.

Based on this, the total cost incurred on the farm feeding pit silage is €8,564.68 or €75.13/cow – with the addition of concentrates, this rises to €127.89/cow.

If the farm is feeding bale silage, the cost for feeding the 114 cows is €9,343.28 or €81.96/cow – with the addition of concentrates, this rises to €134.72/cow.

Grazing

We then took the example of a farm where grazing has occurred and half the forage DM intake has come from grass or 19,456.5kg of DM.

This would result in a cost of €2,140.22 for the grass and €4,280.43 for pit silage, based off the Teagasc figures above – which is a cost of €56.32/cow on pit silage or €59.73/cow on bale silage.

Adding in concentrates, these costs would rise to €109.08 for concentrates and pit silage, and to €112.49 for concentrates and bale silage.

This means additional costs and other costs associated with having cows in the shed is between €18.81 and €22.23/cow.

For the 114 cows calved in this case study, this equates to €2,144.34 or €2,534.22 in additional feed cost incurred during the first eight weeks of lactation.

On farm impact

Speaking to Agriland, Irish Farmers’ Associations (IFA) dairy chair Stephen Arthur, said there are a number of issue developing on the ground – with feed cost mounting, quality of fodder being low and cows not milking as well.

Arthur said poor quality feed is having a knock-on effect, with cows not milking as well and he has warned that with the peak supply month of April around the corner, farmers are not going to recover.

“This will leave farmers with a watered down peak,” he said.

As farmers currently have to purchase extra feed, corresponding milk volume and constituents are also down. According to Arthur this will have a knock-on effect on the cashflow of farms.

He also said there are some reports of farmers who are finding it challenging to make contact with bank staff who would be able to support them with cashflow issues.

Arthur has called on banks to “step-up and communicate” with farmers.

In contrast he said that many of the co-ops are engaging with farmers and reducing the cost of feed.

Arthur also highlighted that many farmers are heading towards the start of the breeding season with cows in poorer condition than they would like and this could have an impact on the fertility performance.

He has also warned that some of the fall-out from the wet weather will not be apparent until the summer, while some of the other impacts might not be seen until calving 2025.

The post Farmers hit with €2,500 extra feed costs due to wet weather appeared first on Agriland.ie.

There is now evidence that Irish dairy farmers have used both the Tillage Incentive Scheme and Protein Aid Scheme as means of boosting their overall feed self-sufficiency levels.

Both 2022 and 2023 saw a significant increase in the area of forage crops, including red clover and maize, grown on both owned and rented land.

It is an approach that is helping to reduce the quantities of bought-in compounds, from both an energy and protein perspective.

Red clover on Tipperary farm

Denis Bergin milks 170 spring cows with his wife Teresa and son David at Kilbragh, Cashel, Co Tipperary.

Last year the cows averaged 580kg of milk solids (ms) per cow.

12 months ago, the family committed to establishing a red clover / perennial ryegrass sward. The legume grows well under Irish conditions, producing large overall and bespoke protein yields.

“We used 15ac of ground for the project with the grass/clover crop sown out on 28 April, Denis explained.

“No bagged nitrogen was applied; cattle slurry was the only fertiliser source throughout the season.

“Red clover swards are capable of delivering four cuts in a full season. Last year, we managed to get three cuts ensiled,” he said.

The seed mix sown out comprised 7.5kg of perennial ryegrass; 4kg of red clover and 0.5kg of white clover per hectare.

Last year’s cutting dates were July 11, September 4 and October 16.

David Bergin further explained:

“We baled each of the three crops. Our plan was to give the cut forage as close to a 24-hour wilt as possible,” David Bergin added.

“That proved difficult enough, given last year’s weather conditions.

“We also took the decision to use an inoculant on each crop. To make that happen, we attached a sprayer to the back of a quad and, literally, went up and down the swathes of cut forage in the field. And we got tremendous results by taking this approach.”

According to Denis and David, the red clover swards yielded the equivalent of 18-20t of dry matter (DM) per hectare last year.

He commented: “Opting to make baled silage gave us the flexibility we needed when it came to feed out. It’s also an approach that offers a better fermentation process with a sensitive crop, such as red clover.   

“Our plan was to buffer feed the silage to the cows in the late autumn and early spring. And we were truly delighted with the results.

“We opened up the bales at the beginning of October, feeding them at a rate of two per day to the milking group.”

Denis said the effect was immediate, finding that the cows retained a healthy milk output well into the autumn, despite the very wet weather and challenging conditions.

“We also buffer fed the red clover silage to the early spring calvers this year, again with equally encouraging results. We had no waste at all from any of the bales,” Denis explained.

Forage maize feed

Stephen Farrell milks 280 spring calving Holstein Friesian cows at Mount Congreve, near Kilmeaden in Co. Waterford.  He farms with his wife Catherine. The herd was established in 2020.

Last year the Farrell herd produced 1.4 million litres of milk. Stephen’s plan is to produce more milk per cow using home-produced feed.

“With the farm being effectively landlocked, the decision was taken to grow forage maize for the first time last year,” he explained.

“Maize is a high energy feed source that can deliver improved dry matter intakes and milk out in early lactation.

“Ground used to grow maize is also a very effective sump for the slurry that we have on the farm.”

Following a late spring establishment, Stephen managed to harvest 32ac of forage maize, grown under plastic, at the beginning November last year.

The first of two silos was opened for the 2024 fresh calvers on January 24.

“We are already seeing a major difference in cow performance, possibly up by 2L per cow day, relative to 2023,” Stephen confirmed.

The fresh calvers at Mount Congreve are currently receiving a total mixed ration comprising equal parts grass and maize silage. Each component is fed at an equal rate of 20kg freshweight per head per day.

Straw is added to the mix at the rate of 1kg/head/day. The cows are also receiving 6kg/head of concentrates per day, fed in parlour.

“The current diet is delivering 21kg of dry matter per head per day. As grass becomes more available, the plan is to have it replace the concentrates fed on a progressive basis,” Stephen continued.

“There is enough forage maize ensiled to keep this feeding regime maintained until the beginning of May.”

Seed

Both the seed and agronomy required to progress both these forage crop options were provided by Clonmel-based Star Fuels.

The company’s Ray Connolly was a recent visitor to both the Bergin and Farrell farms.

“Red clover has tremendous potential in terms of its ability to increase home-produced protein supplies on dairy and livestock farms,” Ray Connolly said.

“It is also a legume, which means that it can fix nitrogen from the air and deliver it direct to a growing crop.

“However, making this work requires soil pH values to be on or above 6.5. Making red clover bales is the most effective way of producing silage from the crop. However, it is critically important to use an effective inoculant.”

The only fertiliser required by red clover swards is phosphate and potash, which can be delivered in the form of slurry.

“One downside to red clover is the fact that it will retain optimal output for four years. Following red clover with another crop of red clover is not recommended because of the associated disease risks,” Ray added.

“However forage maize represents a very effective follow-on crop after red clover within an overall rotation.”

Turning to maize, the Star Fuels representative stressed the need to ensile crops properly. This includes the use of an oxygen barrier, a heavy gauge silage cover and a bird protection cover.

“Using an effective inoculant is also very important, from the perspective of both the initial fermentation secured and the need to prevent heating at the clamp face, once feed-out begins,” he stated.

Bio-Sil inoculant was used on both the red clover silages made by the Bergin family and the forage maize now available at Mount Congreve.

Frank Foster, from Bio-Sil, also took part in the recent farm visits.

“It is crucially important that an inoculant delivers an almost instant pH drop, as soon as forages have been ensiled,” he explained.

“And this is exactly what Bio-Sil has been developed to achieve.  It promotes the rapid production of lactic acid in fresh forage to quickly produce a low pH and stable ensiled forage across a range of crops.

“This rapid pH drop is achieved quickly, thus eliminating the growth of yeasts and moulds – which lead to the wastage of silage.”

The post Focus: Improving feed self-sufficiency on 2 Munster dairy farms appeared first on Agriland.ie.

From the age of 11, Kylie Walsh from Duagh, Co. Kerry, started taking an interest in contracting, especially in tractors and taking them for spins around the yard.

“Bit by bit, I started getting the odd few jobs like rolling fields, drawing bales and spreading slurry. From there I got hooked,” she told Agriland.

The 25-year-old features in the new series of ‘Contractors’ which is on TG4 on Thursday nights.

“I grew up on a suckler farm and my uncle next door has a dairy farm. I was always going between the two places growing up, on evenings, weekends and school holidays,” Kylie explained.

“I spent two years in Pallaskenry Agricultural College. On the second year, studying the machinery course really drove on the interest I had in tractors. I went on to doing an apprenticeship in toolmaking which I’m now qualified in.

“I began working with Paddy Lane of Lane Agri in 2017/2018, working weekends, holidays and evenings if needed.

“I started drawing pig slurry for a few weeks, went onto agitating, pumping, mowing, raking, drawing grass, power harrowing and land levelling,” she added.

Contracting

Kylie explained that she was joined by Amy Brouder and Ellie Lyons in contracting a few years later.

“The first year the three of us were together all the farmers were getting confused. They knew it was a woman driving, it took them a while to figure out who was who,” Kylie continued.

“Sharon O’Donoghue draws grass and comes on when she gets a chance. It’s lovely to be able to work alongside women in such a male-dominated job.

“Paddy’s jobs would range in the north Kerry and west Limerick areas mainly,” she said.

Her favourite tractor when she is working with Paddy is a Valtra t191.

“The t191 does a lot of pumping and hauling slurry in the spring and mowing, drawing grass as well as tilling ground later on in the year,” she said.

“There is a variety of Valtras in the yard, any of which you could be driving, depending on the job.

“My favourite tractor would have to be Fendt. They’re such a comfortable machine and easy to operate.”

Seasonal

Right now slurry is providing the work, with the weather being very challenging, Kylie said. “A lot of rain has fallen this spring, making ground conditions tacky.

“Once the weather gets better there’ll be a variety to the work.

“What I like most would have to be working at silage. The weather is good and there’s a gang of us together having the craic.”

The Kerry woman explained that what she least likes is when something goes wrong – usually slurry related – or ‘getting destroyed’ in slurry.

“I’ll stick to the day job as a toolmaker and giving Paddy help with the contracting,” Kylie joked.

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This week, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) celebrated Northern Ireland’s top silage makers of last year (2023).

UFU and sponsor, United Feeds, hosted its annual silage makers’ competition awards ceremony at the Dunsilly Hotel, Co. Antrim.

Robert Macauley, Robert and Ross Bradley, Sean and Ciaran McNaughton and Clifton and Jonathan Dickson took first place in their sectors in the competition.

UFU deputy president, John McLenaghan said:

“The UFU’s annual silage competition has always encouraged farmers to produce silage to exceptional levels and once again, this year’s competition entries were to the highest standard.

“Good silage making has always been a key element of farming in Northern Ireland, where we rely heavily on our ability to grow forage for our livestock sector. With increases to input costs, it’s more important now than ever.”

Full list of winners:

Dairy

• 1st: Robert Macauley, Mid Down group;
• 2nd: D and A Wallace, South Antrim group;
• 3rd: Beattie and Reggie Lilburn, Lagan group.

Beef and sheep

• 1st: Robert and Ross Bradley, North East Derry group;
• 2nd: Billy and John Martin, Ards group;
• 3rd: Linton Brothers, Mid Antrim group.

Alternative forage

• 1st: Clifton and Jonathan Dickson, North East Armagh group;
• 2nd: Jonny Hutchinson, South Londonderry group;
• 3rd: Andrew and Thomas Jamison, North Antrim group.

Bales

• 1st: Sean and Ciaran McNaughton, North Antrim group;
• 2nd: G R Gilmore and Son, Ards group;
• 3rd: David Hylands, North West Derry group.

Clarence Calderwood from United Feeds added that high quality forage is a “key element” for all ruminant farms and that its importance has never been as high.

He then congratulated the winners of the competition and said that he was “delighted” with the number of entries for the competition.

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A recent webinar hosted by AgriSearch has confirmed the role for red clover in improving the quality of grass silages.

The event was hosted under the auspices of the ongoing ZeroNSile project in Northern Ireland.

Courtesy of his opening comments, AgriSearch general manager, Jason Rankin, highlighted the key role that high quality silages play within all ruminant production systems.

He added that recent years have seen increased costs and greater volatility where the price of chemical fertilisers is concerned.

“Fertiliser use accounts for approximately 20% of greenhouse gas (GHG) production on farms across Northern Ireland,” Rankin said.

“Significantly, trials carried out by Agri-Food and Biosciences’ Institute (AFBI) scientists have confirmed that red-clover-based swards can deliver high yields, and equally high levels of protein without the use of chemical nitrogen (N).

“However, there has been a low uptake of this production option up to now,” he added.

The ZeroNSile project has seen red clover swards established on 11 farms over the last 12 months.

According to Rankin, 2024 will be the first year in which intensive monitoring of the swards will take place, and “a smaller scale lucerne project has also been established on three farms in Co. Down”.

Red clover

According to the AgriSearch representative, red clover varieties have the potential to fix 200kg/ha of nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere on an annual basis.

Trial work carried out by AFBI has confirmed that pure strands of of this variety can produce up to 13t of dry matter (DM)/ha/annum.

“As a consequence, farmers growing silage swards containing significant quantities of red clover need only add the required levels of potash and phosphate to ensure that high levels of productivity are secured,” Rankin continued.

“In addition, the protein in red clover is of an exceptionally high quality. This then allows livestock farmers to reduce the levels of additional protein they offer stock in concentrate feeds.”

However, Rankin is also acknowledging that this particular type of clover is a complicated crop to grow.

“Soil pH, phosphate and potash levels must be correct in order to optimise crop growth,” he explained.

“Red clover grows from a single point within the plant. If this crown is damaged, issues relating to persistency within a silage sward will arise,” he explained.

“As a general rule of thumb, it is now envisaged that red clover will persist within silage swards for a maximum of four years.

“It is generally recommended that a mix of red clover, white clover and perennial ryegrass should form the main constituents of a 10-year silage sward.”

The AgriSearch manager said that red clover will generate its impact during the first four years, post-establishment.

Thereafter, the ryegrass and white clover can maintain the high levels of output and forage quality until such times as the ground is reseeded again.

The post Research: Red clover can act to deliver improved silage quality appeared first on Agriland.ie.

As fodder supplies tighten around the country due to persisting wet weather, the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has received multiple calls from farmers about cost concerns in the future.

Vice-president of the ICMSA, Eamon Carroll from Templemore, Co. Tipperary said for the first time ever on his farm this year, he has ran out of fodder.

Carroll described the situation as “unusual” and said the situation is not down to an increase in stock numbers, but “predominantly” caused by weather events.

He told Agriland that normally in Co. Tipperary, cattle would be out until about November 20 or even later, but in 2023, Carroll had taken all his cattle in by the end of October.

With a slight break in downpours for the county last weekend, Carroll let his cattle out, but said that if rain continues then he will have to bring them back in.

He added that reflecting on last year, while June saw dry weather, it had been “raining nearly constantly” since then.

“The long-term ramifications are going to be felt through the year,” Carroll said.

He said he heard of farmers buying in fodder from the beginning of the year, with the south-east one of the most impacted areas.

Fodder funding

Carroll said that government financial support is needed for the ongoing situation.

However, he added that one thing he does not want to see from government is funding supporting one sector over another.

Carroll said that the tillage sector has also been impacted, with “anything in between 10% to 90% of winter crops not sown”.

Speaking to ICMSA farm business chair, Pat O’Brien, he said he is hearing farmers with land down the south of the country are “really feeling the pinch”.

He said there needs to be funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), but that “it should have been organised sooner”.

Along with fodder concerns, Carroll said that there is also “pressure” on farmers due to EU regulation.

“Water quality is going in the wrong direction. It’s not stabilising enough in the way that it should be and we understand that, but there comes a point in time when you can over-regulate any business,” Carroll said.

He said this over-regulation will have “knock-on effects” for younger generations.

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Red clover has the potential to fix up to 250kg of nitrogen (N)/ha from the air on an annual basis. This figure is based on swards containing up to 5t of clover dry matter (DM)/ha.

The N fixed from the atmosphere is translocated throughout the growing season to the soil, where it is available to all the plants making up the sward.

Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) grassland agronomist, Dr. David Patterson, discussed the best ways to manage red clover swards during his presentation to a recent AgriSearch webinar.

Specifically, he confirmed that clover will not fix atmospheric N at all if soil pH values are below 5.0.

He said: “Current research is pointing to a soil pH value of 7.0 being optimal when it comes to optimising clover’s ability to take N in from the atmosphere.”

Managing red clover

According to Patterson, weed control is critically important when it comes to establishing and managing red clover swards.

“Weeds can be an issue in the early phases of red clover establishment, particularly if there is a carryover of docks and chickweed from the previous crop.

“The ideal scenario is to have the ground well and truly cleaned prior to sowing. A dock-infested grass field, for example, is not the best starting point from which to establish any kind of red clover sward.

“There is a real limitation on the suitability of post-emergence herbicides. The bottom line that any product used must be red clover safe.”

The AFBI agronomist confirmed that, assuming an effective post-emergent herbicide becomes available in 2024, it should be used between six to eight weeks after the new crop has been sown out.

“The majority of the clover plants must be at the trifoliate leaf stage with docks at a small enough size to be dealt with efficiently,” he said.

“Spraying too early will kill clover seedlings, and spraying too late means that the canopy has closed over,” he said.

Where the management of chickweed is concerned, effective control can be secured by grazing newly established swards with sheep or calves. This must be for a short period of time only.

“Spot spraying of weeds is also feasible in certain circumstances,” he added.

“Another option is to take a very early cut of silage, which will remove a lot of the competition pressure caused by the likes of chickweed,” he said.

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Harvesting high quality silage is vital for farms that will be milking cows in the shed next winter, and now is the time to place a focus on this.

The quality of silage or forage can have a significant impact on the cost of production during the housed period or on farms where cows are fed using a total mixed ration (TMR).

Lorna MacPherson, a dairy expert with SAC Consulting, says now is the time to look ahead to managing this year’s silage quality to reduce input costs as well as the farm’s environmental footprint.

MacPherson is part of the Farming for a Better Climate initiative run by SAC Consulting – part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

SRUC uses on-farm trials and industry expertise to help farmers across Scotland to introduce pragmatic and cost-effective measures to reduce the environmental impact of their enterprises, as well as improving profit.

Silage

Commenting on the importance of harvesting high quality silage, McPherson said: “With feed costs still relatively high this year, it makes sense to maximise the potential of homegrown forage, which is the cheapest and often largest part of the ration.

“This is a good time of year to decide how you will manage your silage.

“By making some small, considered changes, you can reduce bought-in concentrates and fertiliser but produce the same or more milk through higher quality silage, you offset both costs and related emissions.”

Silage cut and harvested earlier will have an improved digestibility and energy value.

MacPherson noted that while overall yield will be lower with earlier cutting, it is a good option for those who currently have ample forage stocks or cereals to wholecrop.

She also recommend that farmers know the nutrient value and indexes or their soil and slurry.

She said: “Silage cut even a week earlier can improve the digestibility (D-value) by 3.5% points and increase the energy.

“An uplift of around 0.5 megajoules (MJ)/kg of dry matter (DM) can increase the milk yield by one litre/cow/day (assuming a 12kg DM intake from silage).

“In addition, raising crude protein in silage from 13% to 14% would save 0.4kg of rapeseed meal.

“This could see an overall saving of 72kg concentrate/cow over a six-month period for the same level of milk output.”

MacPherson said that reducing bought-in feeds, including soya, helps reduce the farm’s carbon footprint, and focusing on nutrient management to maximise soil health and productivity locks carbon into the farm to help offset emissions, as well as improving grass yields and helping to extend the grazing season.

Slurry

MacPherson advises that farmers get their slurry test prior applying on silage fields, as chemical fertiliser levels could be reduced.

“By getting the slurry also analysed, you can adapt slurry applications appropriately and save unnecessary spend on buying in artificial inputs.

“For early cut silage, adding sulphur, which is not naturally available in the soil at this time of year, can boost yields by 10-15%, as well as its nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) which will improve the protein level.”

Continuing, MacPherson said: “We’ve seen through the trials we’ve run with the project’s Climate Change Focus Farms that making changes to reduce the farm’s environmental impact usually positively correlates with improving financial gains for the business.

“In the case of improving silage quality, this directly translates to economic benefits for farmers, as it enhances animal nutrition, reduces feed costs and increases productivity.

“In turn, increasing production efficiency by producing more milk from fewer and more targeted inputs will lead to less emissions per kilo of milk output.”

Longer-term factors for achieving good silage quality include ensuring good drainage and reducing compaction, and considering newer grass varieties which will benefit grass crop quality without compromising yield.

Improvements in feeding management, along with better fertility, genetics and herd health, can also play a part in improving both profit margins and environmental efficiencies.

The post Focus on silage quality for better milk margins – dairy expert appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Fat cows need to be closely monitored, as they are high risk for issues around calving.

Over conditioned or ‘fat’ cows pose a risk as the calving season progresses – this is due to them having a longer dry period and thus, taking a longer time to build condition.

Metabolic issues in cows are generally seen in cows that are over or under conditioned prior to or during calving.

The problem with a cow having a metabolic issue, is that it acts as a gateway for other issues – including milk fever, retained placenta, or displaced abomasum.

Fat cows

Calving is now in full swing on most dairy farms, and a significant amount of focus is going to be placed on freshly calved cows and cows close to calving.

But, those cows that are a number of weeks away from calving, do pose a risk for potential issues if they are not monitored closely.

Again, fat or over conditioned cows are the ones that pose the biggest risk for metabolic issues.

They are also likely going to be the ones that require assistance during calving. It is advised that you continue to monitor the condition of these cows in the lead up to them calving.

Fixing an issue with them now is unlikely, and instead you will just be trying to stay ahead of potential problems.

Silage

On most farms, the cows remain housed with conditions not suitable for grazing, which means that the majority of the diet is currently made up of silage.

Although it was a challenge to harvest quality silage on many farms this year, there is still going to be some good quality stuff in many yards.

The higher quality silage is going to be used for feeding the cows that have reduced to milk production, and should not be fed to dry cows.

The lower quality silage should be offered to dry cows to prevent them building excess condition and being fat.

It is important that you continue to monitor the condition of these cows as they wait to calf.

Although you don’t want to restrict feed from them and prevent rumen fill, you also don’t want them over eating.

The post Dairy advice: Monitor fat cows closely ahead of calving appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The importance of red clover in silage swards has been highlighted by AgriSearch general manager, Jason Rankin.

“Grassland farmers are under pressure to reduce fertiliser costs, while still maintaining optimal levels of output from forage,” he said.

“Red clover has the potential to meet both these requirements.”

According to the AgriSearch representative, red clover varieties have the potential to fix 200kg/ha of nitrogen (N) from the atmosphere on an annual basis.

Trial work carried out by Agri-Food and Bisosciences Institute (AFBI) scientists has confirmed that pure stands of red clover can produce up to 13t of dry matter (DM)/ha/annum.

“As a consequence, farmers growing silage swards containing significant quantities of red clover need only add the required levels of potash and phosphate to ensure that high levels of productivity are secured,” Rankin continued.

“In addition, the protein in red clover is of an exceptionally high quality. This then allows livestock farmers to reduce the levels of additional protein they offer stock in concentrate feeds.”

However AgrSearch has acknowledged that red clover is a complicated crop to grow.

“Soil pH, phosphate and potash levels must be correct in order to optimise crop growth,” Rankin explained.

“Red clover grows from a single point within the plant. If this crown is damaged, issues relating to persistency within a silage sward will arise.”

Red clover in silage

As a general rule of thumb, it is now envisaged that red clover will persist within silage swards for a maximum of four years.

“It is generally recommended that a mix of red clover, white clover and perennial ryegrass should form the main constituents of a 10-year silage sward,” Rankin continued.

“The red clover will generate its impact during the first four years, post-establishment. Thereafter, the ryegrass and white clover can maintain the high levels of output and forage quality until such times as the ground is re-seeded again.”

AgriSearch will be holding a webinar on Wednesday, February 28 at 8:00p.m on how to successfully establish red clover silage swards.

Dr. David Patterson, a grassland agronomist from AFBI, will outline the key steps needed to successfully establish red clover swards.

Issues include include soil fertility, nutrient management, seed selection and reseeding methods.

Two farmers from the ZeroNsile project – Stephen Maguire, a beef farmer from Co. Fermanagh and David Clarke, a dairy farmer from Co. Tyrone – will discuss their experiences of establishing red clover silage swards on their farms as part of the ZeroNsile Project.

The ZeroNsile project was established in 2023 to examine the feasibility and practicalities of producing silage without the use of manufactured N fertiliser, focusing primarily on red clover swards.

The post Silage: The importance of red clover appeared first on Agriland.ie.

A webinar with advice on how to successfully establish red clover silage swards will take place later this month.

It has been organised by AgriSearch as part of the ZeroNsile project and will take place on Wednesday, February 28 at 8:00p.m.

Dr. David Patterson, grassland agronomist at Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) will outline the key steps required to successfully establish red clover swards, including soil fertility, nutrient management, seed selection and reseeding methods.

Farmers to discuss red clover

Two farmers from the ZeroNsile project, Stephen Maguire, a beef farmer from Co. Fermanagh and David Clarke, a dairy farmer from Co. Tyrone will discuss their experiences of establishing red clover silage swards on their farms.

The ZeroNsile project was established in 2023 to examine the practicalities of producing silage without the use of manufactured nitrogen (N) fertiliser, focusing primarily on red clover swards. 

12 farmers from the Beacon Farm Network and GrassCheck programmes were selected from right across Northern Ireland to establish red clover swards on their farms. 

There is also a smaller Lucerne component in the study which will investigate the practicality of growing and utilising Lucerne on three farms in Co. Down.

AgriSearch

AgriSearch, the Northern Ireland Agricultural Research and Development Council is an independent charity, registered with the Charities Commission for Northern Ireland.

It was established in 1997. The aims of the charity are to advance education, for the public benefit, by conducting and commissioning research into the improvement and development of sheep, beef and dairy farming.

They aim to provide practical benefit for primary producers to reduce costs, improve performance, drive innovation and improve welfare. 

AgriSearch also disseminates and publishes the results of such research and promotes the improvement of animal health and welfare in sheep, beef and dairy farming in Northern Ireland.

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The National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) has heard how farmers around the country have been struggling to secure straw.

Due to challenging weather conditions impacting yields, straw is in short supply in many areas.

The committee, chaired by Longford-based dairy farmer Mike Magan, heard that stocks are being imported from the UK to make up the deficit.

Straw

Vincent Roddy, president of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) told the meeting that access to straw is becoming “a massive problem” in the west and northwest of the country.

Roddy said that prices are currently running at €50/bale and above as farmers try to secure supplies ahead of calving and lambing.

Hugh Farrell from the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) added that organic farmers are also having issues securing the additional bedding they are required to have for stock.

“We don’t want to see welfare issues over the cost and scarcity, so we have to look at alternatives of what can be used,” he said.

Chair of the Irish Grain Growers’ Group (IGGG) Bobby Miller said that the majority of tillage farmers have done their best to supply their regular customers with straw.

Kieran McEvoy, chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Grain Committee, urged caution around biosecurity measures for imported straw due to the prevalence of black grass in the UK.

He added that “nobody is cashing in” on the scarcity of straw as tillage farmers “didn’t have the volume in the first place”.

McEvoy said that a forecasted decline in the tillage area will impact the availability of straw next year.

Pearse Kelly, head of drystock with Teagasc, said that straw needs to be prioritised on farms for calving and lambing. He stressed the importance of keeping calves warm in the first 3-4 weeks of life.

Fodder

Joe Patton, head of knowledge transfer with Teagasc, told the committee that the current picture for fodder stocks on suckler farmers is “relatively normal”, with the majority having adequate supplies.

However, a quarter of farms could be tight if all stock are still indoors by the end of March.

Over 80% of the calf-to-beef farms surveyed had adequate stock or had already planned to buy-in silage.

Patton said there is nothing to currently indicate very significant fodder shortages on dairy farms, apart from some queries from dairy farmers in the southeast.

He noted an emerging trend on profit monitor farms where there was a 14% year-on-year increase in purchased forage, albeit from a relatively low base, and pointed to the need for increased pasture utilisation.

He said that a late spring would cause a risk of fodder shortages on 10-15% farms.

Patton said that there is no significant reduction in the amount of round bales available for sale, although there may be some concerns over quality.

He said that prices have dropped from €33-35/bale on average coming into winter to €31-32/bale currently, supplies of bales are good in the west and northwest.

Patton added that feed compounders are not reporting a significant increase in “stretcher rations”.

Several members of the committee noted that fodder supplies are low in parts of the country where cattle where housed early due to the poor weather.

Cash flow concerns on some farms has also impacted on farmers’ ability to buy in extra feed.

Committee

Head of grassland science in Teagasc Moorepark, Michael O’Donovan told the meeting that there is a high supply of grass on farms.

An average growth rate of 4kg dry matter (DM)/day was reported on farms from December to January, following good grass growth from July to the end of last year.

However, he noted that there has been less grass grown overall on farms over the past two years, on the back of a drop in nitrogen (N) use due to increased cost.

O’Donovan said that slurry and chemical nitrogen (N) applications should proceed as normal on farms, with increased awareness around the effective use of N in the March-April period.

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The National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) is to meet this week following a request from Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue.

One third of 2,356 farmers who took part in a snap Agriland survey over a 24-hour period earlier this month have said they are now running short of fodder.

769 farmers said they are running short on fodder, while 1,560 said have sufficient supplies.

Meanwhile, 769 farmers indicated that they would need to buy-in fodder, while 1,587 respondents said they would not.

Farmers who have bought or who are currently looking for silage indicated in the survey that are very concerned about the quality of silage for sale and also the price being asked.

Committee

Minister Charlie McConalogue told Agriland that he closely monitors the fodder situation across the country.

He asked the NFFSC to meet to assess the current position and communicate where farmers are at when it comes to fodder stocks.

The committee, established by government in March 2022 in response to high input price inflation and potential supply pressures, is chaired by Longford-based dairy farmer Mike Magan.

The committee meeting will be held online on Wednesday afternoon (January 24) to discuss “some emerging concerns around the availability of fodder stocks on some farms over the coming months”.

The meeting will hear from Teagasc experts about the fodder situation on dairy and drystock farms, along with grass supplies and grass growth patterns.

The committee will also discuss the current picture on tillage farms, following a very difficult 2023 growing and harvesting season.

A survey undertaken by Teagasc on behalf of the NFFSC last July, showed that on average, dairy and drystock farms were on target to have adequate winter fodder supplies after first silage cuts.

However, the data shows that around 15% of dairy and drystock farms had less than 40% of their winter feed requirement on hand in July and would need to make up this deficit with second cuts.

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The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has been urged to outline his response to a survey conducted by Agriland which showed that farmers in some parts of the country are running short of fodder.

The Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture, Claire Kerrane, has called on Minister Charlie McConalogue to “respond” to the results of the survey which showed that one third of farmers who took part said they are now running short of fodder.

The Roscommon Galway described the results of the snap survey, which took place over a 24 hour period last week – as “alarming”.

At least 33% of farmers who took part in the survey stated that at some stage they will have to purchase fodder, which could result in cash flow difficulties and that may also have to sell some of their livestock earlier than planned.

The Roscommon Galway TD said that it was “really concerning” that farmers are facing a fodder shortage and in turn a significant financial burden.

Deputy Kerrane said: “I appreciate that a fodder shortage is largely due to the weather we experienced in 2023, and that the poor second cut of silage and early housing of animals are knock-on consequences of that.

“However, considering a significant number of family farmers could face serious challenges over the coming months, it is clear that action is needed from Minister McConalogue and his department on this matter.”

The Sinn Féin spokesperson for agriculture said she has submitted a query to the minister to ask what his response is to the Agriland survey results, and what measures his department “is taking to mitigate and alleviate the pressures farmers are facing as a result of a fodder shortage”.

Deputy Kerrane added: “I would ask him to outline this response as soon as possible and provide reassurance to affected family farmers”.

Minister Charlie McConalogue has warned farmers to ensure that livestock, particularly including younger stock, have plenty of fodder, feed and shelter because of the current low temperatures.

The post Kerrane: Action needed from minister on Agriland fodder survey results appeared first on Agriland.ie.

There is now growing concern on many dairy farms across Northern Ireland that silage stocks are running low.

This issue was addressed by the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) senior dairy advisor, Alan Hopps, at a farmers’ meeting held in Co. Armagh earlier this week.

According to Hopps: “With half the winter feeding season now complete, now is an appropriate time for farmers to assess their forage stocks.

“If they think they might not have enough in store to get them through to the start of the next silage season, then they should take steps to secure the additional forage they need now.”

Making best use of the silage stocks available on farms now should also be a priority for farmers.

“Selling animals that are not contributing significantly to the overall performance of the business should be considered,” he continued.

“Cows with chronic health problems come into this category, as do cows that are 200 days plus in-milk, but are not back in-calf. Selling stock also boosts a farm’s cash flow,” the dairy advisor added.

Silage quality

According to Hopps, silage quality is also an issue on many farms at the present time.

“This is particularly the case, where mycotoxins are concerned,” he said.

“Many milk producers are now conscious that changes in animal performance, or health changes across a herd, could be attributed to the presence of mycotoxins in silages.

“As a result, they are putting toxin binders into rations as a matter of routine.

“It’s very much an insurance policy approach. But once the binders go in, they are maintained as an integral part of the ration specification.”

Hopps added that beef farmers are also adding mycotoxins binders to cattle rations at the present time.

He attributes the mycotoxins challenge to a number of factors, one of them being the challenging weather conditions that characterised most of the 2023 silage making season.

“There is evidence to indicate that soil contamination does increase the risks associated with mycotoxins contamination of silages,” he said.

During his presentation, Alan Hopps also confirmed that recent milk price increases are acting to help improve the margins generated on dairy farms.

In turn, this is opening up opportunities for farmers to push the performance of cows, as a result of additional concentrate feeding.

He based this assertion on an average milk price of 34p/L.  

“Fresh calving cows are best placed to respond in the most efficient manner to enhanced feeding levels,” he said.

“Cow groups within a herd must be continuously adapted to reflect this requirement. Total mixed rations should be formulated to meet the need of the lowest performing cow within a group,” Hopps said.

Recognising that concentrate feeds remain extremely expensive, the CAFRE representative strongly advised dairy farmers to regularly check the accuracy of weigh cells on feeder wagons and in-parlour feeders.

The post Silage stocks running low on dairy farms in NI – CAFRE appeared first on Agriland.ie.

One third of farmers who took part in a snap Agriland survey over a 24-hour period have said they are now running short of fodder.

At least 33% of farmers who took part in the survey will at some stage have to purchase fodder.

The swift all-island survey was open to respondents for a 24-hour period until 4:00p.m yesterday (Wednesday, January 10) and attracted 2,356 responses in total.

We asked our audience three simple questions in the survey:

• Are you running short on fodder?
• Will you have to purchase more fodder?
• What county are you from?

769 farmers said they are running short on fodder, while 1,560 said have sufficient supplies. Meanwhile, 769 farmers indicated that they would need to buy-in fodder, while 1,587 respondents said they would not.

Feedback from farmers who participated in the survey shows that many are now facing a critical shortage of fodder on their farms which has forced some of them to buy-in more silage.

This option is costly, with some farmers stating that the prices are too high, and some are considering the possibility of selling off some of their livestock earlier than planned.

Nearly 770 farmers who took part in the survey said they would have to purchase additional fodder supplies.

Quality of fodder – silage

Farmers who have bought or who are currently looking for silage indicated in the survey that are very concerned about the quality of silage for sale and also the price being asked.

Some farmers highlighted how difficult it was to get bales – with prices averaging up to €40, and said that they “need support to buy them”.

“It’s hard being a small farmer,” said one respondent to the Agriland survey, while others said they had already purchased bales but they were “poor quality”.

“It is very expensive, is there any hope the government would subsidise the price?” was just one of the comments in the survey.

“I am buying round bales of hay for €50 delivered,” one farmer also stated.

Farmers in the south-west of the country including Kerry, Cork, Clare and Limerick who indicated that they were running short of fodder told Agriland that the reason for their fodder shortage was because:

• Cattle were housed early;
• There had been adverse weather conditions, including flooding;
• There were poor second-cut yields.

In the midlands, farmers who indicated that they will have to purchase additional fodder said weather conditions were a key factor behind this, while some also warned that they would have to sell cattle because silage prices were currently unaffordable for them.

TB breakdown

Meanwhile across the south-east of the country, farmers also said poor weather conditions were to blame for a shortage of fodder and for some, their problems had been exacerbated because of a tuberculosis (TB) breakdown in their herd.

Many in the region also had to “house cows too early”, which put further pressure on fodder stocks.

Across the country, many farmers who took part in the survey said they were now having to stretch their silage supplies with “soya hulls or barley”, some had also introduced magnum fodder beet, which they said “saved a lot on silage and was cheaper”.

Shortage of fodder in other regions

In the north-east, the results of the Agriland Fodder Survey showed that poor weather had also played a key role for farmers who need to purchase additional fodder at this stage and that the second cut failed to deliver for many.

Feedback also pointed to the impact of a TB breakdown which had left them “overstocked” and over reliant on their own fodder supplies.

One farmer told Agriland that his feed was “going fast” as they had been forced “to use bale reserve last August due to bad weather”.

Overall they estimated that they “will be short about six weeks of fodder going forward”.

In the north-west of the country flooding was one of the major reasons why some farmers are now battling a fodder shortage.

In the survey, one farmer told Agriland that they “had to put cattle in sheds five weeks early because grazing ground was flooded”.

This farmer said that a further prolonged spell of wet weather would result in cattle “being in sheds longer than usual”.

“I will have to sell most of the stores by end of January or buy silage which is in short supply around here,” the farmer said.

Farmers also said they had lost livestock in the floods and had been unable to cut silage because of the very wet conditions.

Others who said they previously had “never ran out” also warned that their silage stocks were running low and “would be gone by mid-March”.

Demand for straw

One key trend that was highlighted in the Agriland snap survey is that straw is in big demand throughout the country and that many farmers have a major problem finding good supplies.

“Sourcing straw is a major problem” was a repeated complaint voiced by farmers in many parts of the country.

Many farmers said they blamed the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) for the apparent shortage of straw in many areas.

The SIM is a scheme under Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan 2023-2027, which pays tillage farmers for chopping straw and incorporating it into the soil.

In the Agriland Fodder Survey some farmers called for the SIM to be “scrapped”.

“Getting straw for bedding is a problem,” one farmer said, while another stated: “We have no straw at the moment – it’s a worry”.

The majority of farmers who took part in the survey also said there was one key element that they are hoping for in 2024 – “an early spring”.

The post Agriland Fodder Survey: One third of farmers facing a shortage appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Mycotoxins are natural substances produced by moulds and fungi. They cannot be seen with the naked eye, and they cannot be tasted — but they are toxic.

More than 500 different mycotoxins have been identified to date, and most animal feedstuffs are likely to be contaminated to some degree, including grazed grass, conserved forages (silage, wholecrop, maize, straw), plus home-grown and bought-in concentrate feeds.

One example of a harmful mycotoxin is penicillic acid, which, according to silage specialist Dr. Dave Davies, is now one of the most common forms of mycotoxins produced in Irish grass silages.

Dr. Davies attributed the increased threat posed by this, at least in part, to the impacts of climate change – adding that the issue of mycotoxins would not even have been on his radar a decade ago.

“Today, we find that the threat of both in-field and in-store mycotoxins represent a major challenge for farmers, and the entire feed industry.

“Management decisions taken by farmers while crops are growing and being harvested will have a major impact on the development or otherwise of in-store mycotoxins subsequent to harvest,” Davies said.

Davies spoke at a recent mycotoxins workshop which was hosted by Alltech. The event was attended by farmers and feed industry representatives from across Northern Ireland.

He went on to say that silage that is free of mould, is not necessarily free of mycotoxins. Fungal attack in the field can led to the production of mycotoxins at that stage, which are subsequently brought into the silage.

Conversely, silages containing moulds may not contain mycotoxins. Dr. Davies gave the example of Co. Tipperary blue cheese, which is inoculated with a microorganism that does not generate mycotoxins.

“This is a complex story, one which we are learning about as scientists,” he said.

He went on to point out that mycotoxins are secondary metabolites, produced by moulds, but not yeasts.

Moreover, they are toxic at very low concentrations, and are hard to denature in a physical sense – e.g., mycotoxins are very resistant to both chemical attack and the impact of heat.

Moulds

Dr. Davies attributed the onset of milder winters as being a core reason behind the growth in the threat posed by mycotoxins.

“As a consequence, there is a lower kill-off of the moulds and yeasts that live in the decaying material found at the bottom of all grass swards.

“Extremes of temperature, and the increased threat of drought throughout the growing season are creating the conditions that facilitate the growth of Penicillium fungi in all feedstuffs. So, the reality is that much lower levels of fungi are being killed in the field.

“Yeasts, on the other hand, do not produce mycotoxins. However, they do initiate aerobic spoilage within forages. The onset of aerobic conditions will facilitate the growth of moulds that produce in-store mycotoxins,” he said.

The forage specialist outlined several steps that can be taken, both in the field and while ensiling a clamp, to minimise the threat of mould growth and subsequent mycotoxin production.

The key driver in-field is to secure the required level of wilting as quickly as possible, while minimising soil contamination of the subsequent silage – which is a key source of both fungal and clostridial inoculation.

Dr. Davies recommended a grass cutting height of 10cm, saying: “This provides the cut grass with a cushion of stubble to lie on, which facilitates the circulation of air around it.

“Cut grass should also be kicked out as quickly as possible, again to hasten the wilting process. Cutting to 10cm also encourages subsequent sward re-growth.”

“It is also important to ensure that all cut grass is lifted. Forage that is left in the field will start to decay, thereby representing a possible fungal source for second-cut crops,” he added.

Where the ensiling process is concerned, Dr. Davies recommends the use of side sheets, an oxygen barrier film and a top cover. Tyres and/or gravel will further aid this process.

In this way, it is possible to secure an extremely effective seal along the top and sides of the silage clamp. In addition, grass should be consolidated in 15cm layers.

“Providing totally anaerobic conditions within the silo is critical,” Dr. Davies explained.

“The introduction of air, no matter in how small a quantity, will encourage the growth of moulds and yeasts.”

Limiting the amount of time that forage is exposed to oxygen at feed-out reduces the chance of mycotoxin development as well.

According to Davies, silage covers should only be removed at point of feeding, with the aim to move across the face as quickly as possible and, if needed, to take half blocks.

“A sharp shear grab or block cutter should be used to keep the face as clean and even as possible,” he added.

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The scale of the mycotoxin challenges in Irish silages is higher than in previous years and will need to be managed in order to maintain performance.

This was the key assertion made by Alltech’s Aislínn Campbell in her presentation to a recent mycotoxins workshop.

Alltech’s European Harvest Analysis Programme for 2023 has highlighted testing results from grass silage, straw and total mixed ration (TMR) samples, taken throughout Ireland over recent weeks.

All of the work was carried out at the Alltech laboratory, based at Dunboyne in Co. Meath.

The facility provides a comprehensive overview of the mycotoxin risk in animal feeds by testing for 54 individual mycotoxins.

Mycotoxin challenge in silage

The results this year confirmed that 63% of grass silage samples, 15% of straw samples, and 76% of TMR samples were at high risk for mycotoxins.

To better understand the link between mycotoxins and animal performance, Alltech’s mycotoxin management team has developed the risk equivalent quantity (REQ).

This figure represents the overall mycotoxin risk associated with a sample and a particular species’ health and performance, based on the cumulative effect of the groups of mycotoxins present in a feed sample.

“Of the Irish grass silages assessed, 62.9% posed a high mycotoxin risk, 5.7% a moderate risk, and 31.4% a low risk,” Campbell explained.

“Penicillium compounds represented the highest mycotoxin grouping identified. The average REQ value measured across all the samples analysed was 322.8.”

“These numbers represent a worst-case scenario when considering a cumulative effect of various mycotoxins.”

Dairy cow performance

So what could all this mean for dairy cow performance?

According to Campbell, an REQ figure of 323 could impair milk production by up to 0.74L/cow/day while increasing cell count by a factor of 107.2%.

“Where 2023 straw analyses are concerned, 14.3% of samples posed a high mycotoxin risk, 14.3% a moderate risk, and 71.4% a low risk. The average straw REQ value was 286,” she said.

 “Straw included within a TMR with an REQ value of 286 could have a negative on somatic cell count.

“However, when included in a TMR, it is important to consider the effects of straw in relation to mycotoxin risk, something that is often overlooked.”

Mycotoxins and animal health

The global director of Alltech’s mycotoxin management team, Nick Adams, also spoke at the workshop.

He confirmed that mycotoxins can affect any animal at any stage of production.

Problems can be ongoing or flare up suddenly, even on the same pit of silage. This may be due to hitting pockets of mycotoxins in the clamp.

Animals may exhibit one symptom or several. Mycotoxins can reduce appetite, gut integrity and rumen function, decreasing the animal’s ability to absorb nutrients from feed, resulting in performance losses.

Symptoms may include reduced or fluctuating milk yield, poor milk solids or reduced daily live weight gain (DLWG).

Fluctuating forage intakes, variable dung consistency across a batch of animals, or loose dung consistency can also be signs of gut problems.

Mycotoxins suppress the immune system, a problem which can manifest itself in multiple ways, including cell count problems such as raised somatic cell count (SCC), often leading to increased cases of mastitis or E. coli, swollen hocks, lameness and rough coats.

Fertility problems caused by mycotoxins can range from irregular heats to cysts, lower conception rates and abortions.

The post Scale of mycotoxin challenge in silage higher in 2023 appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Silage pits on many farms have now been open for a numbers of months in most cases, and it is now time to ensure that there is enough fodder in the pit.

2023 will be remembered as a challenging year for farms, particularly when it comes to grazing and the harvesting of fodder.

With fodder having to be introduced much earlier than planned in many cases, it is important to check that there is adequate supplies for the winter ahead.

Knowing that supplies may run short now allows for measures to be put in place, rather than waiting until it is too late.

Fodder budget

To complete a fodder budget, measure all silage pits (length x width x average height in metres), and include any silage bales that may be present.

Once this has been completed, you need to determine the silage requirement of animals housed on the farm.

Typical dry matter (DM) intakes requirements/day:

• Dry dairy cows: 11-12kg of DM;
• Dairy cows: 16-21kg of DM (depending on yield/stage of lactation);
• Weanlings: 4-5kg of DM.

You should add on an additional month to ensure that fodder supplies on the farm are sufficient for the farm, as a precaution for potential weather delays in spring.

If fodder supplies are sufficient, you must ensure that there is no excessive loss.

Management of the silage pit during the winter can impact on the amount of waste that is produced from the pit.

Shortage

There are a couple of solutions for farms that have a fodder shortage:

The first option is to look at purchasing additional fodder from a farm that has a surplus of supply.

Straw is generally another good option, but limited supplies of high-quality straw might make it difficult to access this year.

Concentrates in some situations can help stretch feed reserves, according to Tirlán a good rule of thumb is for every kilo of concentrates or soya hulls fed, it will save 4-5kg of silage/head/day.

This option is expensive and will likely not be suitable for many.

Another option, is looking at reducing stock numbers on the farm or getting some animals out to grass earlier.

Keeping excess stock on farm will eat into fodder reserves, and with many farms potentially facing issues with nitrates they should be moved off farm.

There is also the option of looking to get stock out to grass earlier in the year – weanling heifers could potentially be turned out to grass earlier in the year.

It is important that you explore all options that are available, and determine what is going to work best for you.

The post Dairy advice: Managing fodder supplies on farms appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Cattle have been housed for some time now on many farms across the country, and with the early housing date this year, it is essential that farmers know both the quantity and quality of their silage.

ABP Food Group’s Advantage Beef Programme farm liaison team leader, Amie Coonan, has said that now is the time for farmers to do a fodder budget and take a silage sample, and that the advantage farm liaisons are available to help farmers with both.

She said that the first step is for farmers to complete a fodder budget. Where using bales, if they cannot be weighed, farmers should assume a weight of 700-800kg fresh weight/bale.

E.g., 120 bales weighing 700kg would have 84 tonnes of silage available.

Where farmers have a silage pit, they can multiply the length, width and height of their silage pit, and divide the answer by 1.4, assuming a dry matter of of 22%.

E.g.,: 25m x 14m x 4m = 1,400m3/1.4=1,000 tonnes.

The table below will help farmers to estimate silage required:

Coonan said: “Cattle that are receiving concentrates will eat less silage, but this table provides as a good estimate. For a more tailored plan, contact your ABP Farm Liaison officer.”

Understanding silage test results

“A silage analysis will cost less than €40 which is a very small cost when you consider the thousands of euros worth of feeding in your silage slab.

“Without knowing the quality of your silage, you could be over or under feeding your animals. Testing silage ensures the right silage is being allocated to each group with adequate concentrates to ensure optimum performance,” she added.

The table below will help farmers to understand what some of the key figures in their silage test actually means:

According to Coonan, sample results are coming back “very varied” this year.

“Silage cut in early May is showing excellent results, with high dry matter digestibility (DMD) and energy. Late May and early June silage is average quality, a lot of farmers got delayed with the wet weather which meant grass had gone strong. Similar results are being seen with second cut.”

The post Advice: Fodder budgets and interpreting silage test results appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Silage slippage is a major challenge on many dairy and beef farms throughout Northern Ireland at the present time, according to John Thompson and Sons nutritionist, Mary-Jane Robinson.

She confirmed the trend courtesy of her presentation to Ulster Grassland Society (UGS) members, who recently visited Drayne’s Farm.

Robinson attributed the slippage issue to a combination of factors. Two of these include the ensiling of wet forages and poor clamp consolidation.

Turning to the information available to farmers in silage analysis reports, the nutritionist highlighted two specific forage quality characteristics – AD lignin and ash percentage.

“The AD lignin value reflects the amount of totally indigestible fibre within a forage. This becomes an issue in terms of a silage’s intake potential if this value goes above 40g/kg.

“Ash percentage is an indicator of soil contamination within a silage; if the value exceeds 10.0. Again, forage intakes can be reduced under these circumstances.

“These figures reflect the impact that silages can have on rumen function. So we need to be mindful of this information when it comes to balancing cow diets,” Robinson said.

Wholecrop forage in Northern Ireland

Turning to spring wholecrop forages made in Northern Ireland this year, the nutritionist pointed to a trend of lower dry matter (DM) and starch values this year relative to what would be normally expected.

There is some expectation, however, that winter whole crops may be of a higher nutritive value.

Currently three cuts of silage are made at Drayne’s Farm.

“The plan is to push this up to four cuts annually. Research has confirmed that taking this approach consistently improves D values throughout the year, Robinson continued.

“Achieving this will have a direct and positive impact on milk components,” she said.

Where the concentrate component of rations fed to dairy cows is concerned, the nutritionist highlighted the value of feeding cereals at the present time.

This works at two levels – cereals have a high energy density and they are also relatively cheap at the moment. 

The nutritionist also confirmed the enhanced risk of mycotoxins in silages this year: “This trend has become increasingly apparent over the past number of years.

“Where the feeding of high merit dairy cows is concerned, the inclusion of a binder in diets is strongly recommended.”

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With the majority of cattle now housed on farms across the country, attention is now turning to winter diets and what level of concentrate feed is needed to maintain acceptable levels of growth in livestock.

On dairy calf-to-beef farms, about 30% of the total feed costs goes towards making silage.

In the video below, Teagasc’s DairyBeef500 programme advisor, Fergal Maguire, explained that in some cases, farmers are under the illusion that allowing silage to ‘bulk up’ will reduce the cost of rearing and finishing cattle, but said that this is not the case.

He said “the old saying ‘penny wise and pound foolish’ comes to mind” when farmers follow the practice of focusing on silage bulk rather than silage quality.

“Studies carried out by Teagasc Grange, show there could be a difference of 48kg in live weight gain between cattle fed high-quality silage versus cattle fed low-quality silage” during winter housing.

In the example used in the video, there is a farm with two-different types of silage. There is good-quality silage with a dry matter digestibility (DMD) of 72% and poor-quality silage with a DMD of 62%.

“Cattle fed the 62% DMD silage will require 2kg of extra meal/day over a four-month period compared to the cattle that are on the 72% DMD silage.”

He explained that the cattle that were offered the lower DMD silage will need an additional 250kg of meal supplementation over the winter to maintain adequate growth rates.

“With a meal price of €350/t, that amounts to an extra €88/head in feed costs over the winter,” he explained.

He acknowledged that there is nothing farmers can do about their silage quality at this stage of the year but advised farmers “the first thing you have to do is get your silage analysed”.

“If [silage quality] is average or poor-quality DMD, then there’s still a good return on investment in feeding the extra meal as additional live weight gain over the winter will cover the extra cost of feeding.

“Going forward, the target should be to make top-quality silage,” he said.

The post Video: How much meal should I feed cattle this winter? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Most dairy farmers in Northern Ireland will have sufficient silage stocks built up by this stage to get them through the coming winter, according to United Feeds nutritionist, Matt Bourne.

“The GrassCheck figures indicate that there was sufficient grass growth achieved up to this point to allow farmers make the quantities of silage they need,” he commented.

“The decent spell of weather in September was a genuine boost in this regard.

“In addition, an increasing number of milk producers throughout Northern Ireland are strategically committing to a four-cut silage regime.

“A survey carried out in 2021 confirmed that a four-cut silage system, when incorporated into a TMR [total mixed ration] feeding regime, relative to a three-cut option, improved the gross margin achieved by 32p/cow/day.

“The actual figures recorded were £5.50 and £5.18/head,” he explained.

Silage quality in Northern Ireland

The United Feeds nutritionist went on to confirm a significant variation in the quality of silages made in Northern Ireland this year.

He also pointed to a new ‘ash’ category within the quality criteria referenced in the silage analysis reports received by farmers this year.

According to Bourne, this is a development that has been specifically requested by farmers.

“The ‘ash’ value refers to the total mineral content of the forage analysed. The figure relates to the grams of ash per kg of forage on a dry matter basis,” he explained.

“So a value of 89 relates to an ‘ash’ value of 89g/kg of forage dry matter, or 8.9%.

“The threshold value that farmers should be mindful of is 90. Figures above this level would indicate that the silages submitted contain relatively high levels of soil contamination.”

Analysis

The United Feeds nutritionist also pointed out that high levels of soil in silages can increase the risk of mycotoxins contamination.

“Many mycotoxins are totally invisible to the naked eye,” he commented.

“The confirmation of high values in a silage would be a clear indicator of adding a mycoxtin binder within rations fed to cows and other stock.”

United Feeds has now analysed a significant number of first- and second-cut silages made throughout Northern Ireland in 2023.

On average, first-cut dry matters are up compared with 2022 – 28.0% versus 24.6%. Meanwhile,  pH values have remained pretty constant – 4.1 in 2023 compared with 4.0 in 2022.

The same principle holds where ME (metabolisable energy) values are concerned – 10.9 in 2023 versus 10.8 last year. Average D-values in 2023 are coming in at 66.5. The equivalent value for the previous year was 65.5.

Lactic acid values were no different, year-on-year. The figure has remained the same at 8.5.

However, there have been significant differences in a number of other quality criteria between 2022 and 2023.

Intake values have risen from 91 last year to 97.1 in 2023 while NDF (fibre in silage) values have fallen back from 53.6 in 2022 to 49.4 this year.

Matt Bourne has specifically highlighted the year-on-year differences in crude protein values.

“Crude protein values for this year’s first-cut silages are averaging 14.6. The equivalent figure for 2022 was 13.2,” he said.

“In addition, free ammonia values have dropped during the same period, from 7.7 in 2022 to 4.91 this year.

“Taken together, these trends point to the possibility of farmers feeding less protein in the concentrate fraction of dairy cow rations over the coming months.”

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Teagasc have recently updated the national fodder survey across dairy and drystock farms nationwide.

It comes as a follow-up to a provisional survey completed in late June after first-cut silage completion, and forms part of an ongoing advisory programme to promote better planning of feed security on livestock farms.

The updated October Fodder Survey results now include second-cut silage crops, and account for silage used to date, due to poor autumn weather conditions.

The regions were defined as:

• Midlands / North East – Cavan; Dublin; Kildare; Laois; Longford; Louth; Meath; Monaghan; Offaly; Westmeath;
• South East – Carlow; Kilkenny; Tipperary; Waterford; Wexford; Wicklow;
• South West – Clare; Cork; Kerry; Limerick;
• North West – Donegal; Galway; Leitrim; Mayo; Roscommon; Sligo.

The national results show that 75% of farms surveyed have a surplus of winter feed in stock.

The proportion of farms short of silage ranged from 9% to 15% depending on region, with the North West region tighter for feed supply than average.

The survey also identified a cohort of 10-20% of farms (depending on region) that are at risk of being tight for winter feed.

The key risk factor is a possible extended duration of winter feeding. The data is consistent across enterprise type within region and tallies well with the provisional survey outcomes.  

¹Based on planned winter feed demand and current feed stocks.

²At risk = supplies may be inadequate for an extended duration of winter

Other results from the survey showed that 16% of farms (predominantly drystock) had fewer animals this year, and approximately 17% had less silage on hand compared to last year.

Of the farms identified as being short or at risk of being short of feed, 53% intended to purchase silage, 25% intended to reduce stock, and 23% were planning a combination of both.

Just over 5% of farms have tested silage quality to date.

Fodder

According to Teagasc, overall, the national picture for winter feed availability is relatively secure, with a requirement for close monitoring on 10-20% of farms, and corrective action needed on 10-15% of farms.

These farms are advised to act early to balance feed budgets and seek advice if needed.

Farmers are also advised to consider how silage quality may have been affected by challenging weather conditions during 2023, particularly for later cuts. 

Previous survey

The provisional data contained in the previous survey from June had shown dairy and drystock farms were, on average, on target for winter feed.

This was contingent on achieving normal second-cut yields and grazing season length.

The results in June also showed, however, that approximately 15% of Teagasc farmer clients were at significant risk of feed deficits, which was consistent across the regions and enterprise type.  

Commenting on the results of the latest survey, Kate McCarthy , Teagasc survey coordinator said: ”The updated fodder survey shows that most farms are in a relatively good position for winter feed, despite the challenging weather in late summer and autumn.

“However, a higher proportion of farms in regions such as the North West may be at risk of feed shortages due to a combination of difficult second cuts and an earlier start to silage feeding.

“These issues could surface next spring if left unchecked, so we encourage farmers to assess their own situation promptly and take action.”    

Tom Curran, head of advisory services Teagasc added: ”While our client farms are broadly on target for winter feed, a significant proportion of farms need to be watchful of winter feed stocks in the coming weeks and months.

“As always, the options to fix shortages are better value and more plentiful, if early action is taken.

“We would like to thank again all the farmers who completed the survey, and I encourage any farmer with concerns on this issue to contact our local offices for independent advice.

“We encourage all farmers to do their own individual fodder budget to assess the situation on their own farm, and to assess appropriate diet formulations based on silage quality and feeding value.”

The post Fodder Survey: ‘North West’ farms tight for winter feed appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The weather conditions over the last few weeks are now really impacting on farms and it may be time to move cull cows on.

The wet weather over the last number of weeks has made grazing a challenge for many, with most forced to house cows for at least a few days.

With silage now in the diet on many farms, in order to preserve supplies and reduce costs, it is now a good idea to move cull cows on for the year.

Cull cows

In years when milk price is good there can be a temptation to milk cows on for as long as possible, but that is not the case this year.

Milk price is on the border line for cost of production on many farms and you would have to question the reasoning for keeping these cows within the herd.

Milk production in spring-calving cows is naturally falling; between now and the end of the year milk sales are going to be quite low compared to earlier in the year.

It has been a challenging year for farmers, especially when it comes to harvesting silage crops, which has meant that some farms have lower quantities of silage in the pit than they would like and could be potentially tight for fodder this year.

So if silage is now in the diet it is advisable to reduce stock numbers to the level that you will be keeping over the winter months.

Keeping cows that are going to leave the herd in the coming weeks, is low-margin milk and could actually be costing more than it is making.

Mart or factory?

Usually cull cow price shouldn’t have an impact on how cull cows are dealt with, but with milk prices being low this year it may be something to consider.

Farmers should have a look at local mart sales and get quotes from the factories to determine which is the best option for you.

Unless farmers are in a position where they have more than enough silage, keeping cull cows and feeding them on is not advised.

Even if farmers are able to feed them on, they should ask dies it pay to do that? Silage costs money to make – so would the extra weight pay for the silage needed to feed them?

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The Rural TDs group has acknowledged the recent one-week extension to the slurry spreading deadline but added that it is “insufficient”.

On Thursday (September 21), Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue announced that he had agreed with Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien to extend the deadline for spreading slurry by seven days.

The closed period for slurry spreading will commence from October 8.

Slurry spreading

However, the leader of the Rural TDs, Deputy Mattie McGrath believes this extension is not enough.

“The ministers for agriculture and housing should recognise that, even with this extension, numerous farmers will still be unable to spread organic manures on their fields before October 8.

“This is primarily due to the urgent need for another round of silage cutting and the worsening ground conditions, rendering them unsuitable for slurry spreading,” the independent Tipperary TD said.

“Therefore, we urgently call upon the agriculture minister to re-evaluate this decision and extend the slurry spreading window until at least October 14.

“This additional week, well within the existing regulatory framework which allows for such an extension is supported by scientific criteria,” he added.

The leader of the Rural TDs warned that failing to further extend the deadline may cause “significant slurry management challenges during the winter months”.

Deputy McGrath said it is “unfortunate” that the minister had not opted for “the full extension period” due to the “unique circumstances of this year”.

“The minister should also acknowledge that many of these farmers lack the necessary slurry storage facilities to accommodate the additional slurry produced on dairy and beef farms.

“This predicament arises from the early housing requirements due to poor ground conditions, where grazing animals are affecting good grass crops,” he said.

“Silage harvesting has also come to a halt due to the persistent wet weather over the past three weeks.

“Notably, this issue is particularly critical in areas such as the minister’s own county of Donegal, where recent rainfall records have been shattered,” McGrath added.

“We feel this request is reasonable and proportionate, and essential for the sustainable management of Irish farms.

“It is crucial for meeting environmental targets and supporting the pivotal role of agricultural contractors in the agricultural sector,” the TD said.

The post One-week extension for slurry spreading ‘insufficient’ – Rural TDs appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Farmers keen to ensure that their cows will get the best out of the silage they have harvested in recent months should think about getting their silage analysed.

Silage analysis will be important coming into the winter as farmers will be soon begin to close paddocks and house stock.

The challenging weather conditions made the harvesting of silage tough for farmers in many areas, and therefore, ensuring that the fodder is high quality is essential.

Bruce Forshaw, product manager at ForFarmers in the UK said that insight into silage quality can help reduce expenses while maintaining productivity.

Forshaw said: “Our analysis of customers’ silage [stocks] has shown that overall there is more energy and protein compared to 2022.

“This may mean you can reduce the amount of protein you buy in, therefore lowering bills while also helping towards sustainability targets.”

Silage analysis

The benefits of getting silage analysed can not only identify the ways costs can be lowered, but can also be helpful in preventing sickness in cows.

In their silage analysis, Forshaw said that ForFarmers has discovered some results that “give cause for concern”.

“We have noticed some high DCAB (dietary cation-anion balance) silages which was caused by higher than normal potassium levels and lower chloride levels.

“This may not make a huge difference to cows in the milking herd, but can pose a problem for dry cows and can result in milk fever.

“It’s unclear why this year’s silage is showing raised levels.”

Second and later cuts this year, according to Forshaw, indicated an increased risk of aerobic spoilage and heating once silage pits are opened.

Analysis from ForFarmers indicated that this is, in part, due to lower lactic and acetic acids and higher butyric acid.

“The best advice is to get full nutritional and mineral analysis of your silage and ration exactly what your cows need to help them perform at their best while minimising waste,” he said.

“Mineral content of silage can catch you out if there is a change, so we recommend that all farms take at least one sample at the beginning of the season, especially when rationing dry cows.”

Forshaw stated that a full nutritional and mineral analysis of silage will help cows to perform to their best.

The post Getting silage analysed before winter housing appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has reminded farmers that the closing date to amend applications for the 2023 Fodder Support Scheme is fast approaching.

The €30 million scheme aims to incentivise farmers to grow more silage and/or hay during the year to prevent shortages and protect animal welfare in the winter.

It was first introduced in 2022 as the costs of key inputs in fodder production, such as fertiliser, diesel and plastic, increased significantly as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

67,451 farmers applied for this year’s scheme which has a payment rate is up to €100 per eligible hectare, on up to a maximum of 10ha.

Last December, these farmers received an advance payment of 57% of their total payment due in 2023, balancing payments are due before the end of this year.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue previously said that if the cost of key inputs remains high in 2023, and in the absence of offsetting developments, additional financing on top of the €30 million may be provided later in the year.

Fodder Support Scheme

As part of the terms and conditions of the scheme, farmers must confirm and agree to cut and conserve the declared area for silage and or hay by September 12, 2023.

“The system to allow 2023 Fodder Scheme applicants amend the area they intend to cut in the scheme opened on 17 July 2023 and will close at midnight on September 12, 2023,” a DAFM spokesperson told Agriland.

The reopening of the scheme allows applicants to amend downwards the area they entered for scheme to reflect the land the participant has claimed on their 2023 Basic Income Support Scheme (BISS) application, if required.

Farmers who fail to make the necessary amendments may incur a penalty on their 2023 Fodder Support Scheme advance payment.

Where a farmer intends to cut the same area in hectares as 2022 and their BISS application is the same as their 2022 Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), no action is required.

DAFM said that farmers who want to reduce their declared cuts on their scheme application should log on to agfood.ie and select the “exceptional aid measures” option where the 2023 Fodder Scheme can be found.

If farmers wish to review what was previously submitted they can click on “view application”, however no edits can be made from this screen.

Only in cases where an amendment is required, farmers should select “Fodder Support Scheme 2023 Proposal” and then click “edit application”.

This will allow farmers to revise downwards the amount of silage and/or hay in first and second cuts.

The department reminded farmers that applications will remain in draft status until all declarations are agreed to before submitting the application.

The post Less than 2 weeks to make Fodder Support Scheme changes appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Kuhn Farm Machinery has launched a 13m mounted tedder which, the company claims, is the largest of its type on the market.

Being mounted, rather than trailed, it will allow farmers to access hard to reach fields with a wider working width machine, due to a design which strives to reduce overall dimensions when folded.

Increased traction

The GF 13003 joins the trailed version which was launched last year.

This new version places the weight of the tedder over the rear of the tractor, to avoid the implement slipping when working on hillsides, helping to increase accuracy and stability.

Rhodri Jenkins, Kuhn’s grassland product specialist said: “For users after increased output from a mounted tedder, the GF 13003 offers improved manoeuvrability and the ability reach fields through narrow lanes and gateways.

“The clever design means all 12 rotors fold into a 2.99m transport width and a 2.67m transport height, while the tedder features just one gearbox and two hydraulic valves for simple operation.”

In a bid to maintain forage quality and prevent losses on field margins, Kuhn’s oblique setting pivots the two outer rotors rearwards when tedding on headlands, to ensure all tedded grass is thrown back on to the cut area.

The system requires no additional hydraulic supply.

Lift control for mounted tedder

Existing Kuhn features are available, such as the Headland Lift Control, which raises the two outermost rotors higher on headland turns to achieve maximum ground clearance and ensure forage is tedded only once.

Uprated arms and heavy-duty tines accompany a new Optitedd rotor, which is said to improve longevity of the GF 13003 and reduce its servicing and maintenance costs.

The company suggests that the asymmetrical tines are expected to last twice as long than previous tines and will improve tedding between neighbouring rotors.

A reduced distance between the wheels and tines helps reduce contamination due to closer ground following.

Other features on the GF 13003 mounted tedder include the fitting of rotor wheel deflectors as standard to prevent grass build-up around the wheels and column.

This is said to be especially useful in long crops and young high-sugar crops that tend to wrap around the wheels during operation.

The post Kuhn’s 13m mounted tedder aids stability and access appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The seventh Ahiohill Vintage Harvest Day will take place in Lisnacuanna, Co. Cork on Sunday, September 3, with gates opening from 11:00a.m, showcasing an eye-catching line up of kit from yesteryear and modern times.

Ahiohill is a village in west Cork, located between the towns of Bandon, Clonakilty and Enniskean.

“It will be a huge vintage day with combine cutting, threshing, a static display of vintage cars and tractors, ploughing, and one of the biggest displays of vintage silage-cutting in the county,” said Walter Helen, the main organiser.

“The tractor pulling competition which draws huge crowds and interest, is back this year.

“This year we are coupled with Farm Power Ltd. which is using the event to celebrate 40 years in business. They promise to have a display of John Deere unmatched by any machinery show or ploughing match in Ireland.

“We have huge interest this year from vintage machinery owners and this year will be our biggest yet. Other events will include a dog show, music and dancing, food stalls and fun train rides.

“We have very worthy causes, with funds raised going to the creation of a school unit in Dunmanway specifically for autistic children as well as Knockskeagh School astro pitch and the PJ Coffey rehabilitation fund,” said Walter.

Last year the Ahiohill event raised over €20,000 for Clonakilty Hospital, West Cork Rapid Response and local charities.

“The day saw over 30ac of silage cutting, with single, double, precision chop and self-propelled harvesters working and 10ac of oats to harvest with reaper blinders, bagging combines and a mixture of old school combines,” Walter said.

“There was also a static display of vintage cars and tractors and old-time threshing. The vintage ploughing also attracted a good entry.”

Admission to the colourful event is €10/adult and €5 for OAPs. Children go free.

The post Ahiohill Vintage Harvest Day geared up for the crowds appeared first on Agriland.ie.

From using calving cameras for CCTV, to creating physical barriers at gates, coming up with ways to prevent the theft of bales has become a necessity for many farmers.

And this extends to bale recovery too; solutions to tracking bales once they have been stolen can range from marking bales with a coloured dye in order to identify them once they have been taken, to putting GPS trackers inside the bales.

These may not be the most practical solutions, as the chances of recovering the bales would be slim, but prevention of the theft of bales is an important aspect of protecting your fodder.

According to the crime prevention executive of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Barry Carey, there should not be a shortage of bales. “The first cut for silage was pretty light this year, the second cut was very good,” he said.

But while many Irish farmers have harvested their fodder for the winter, there are farmers who have suffered losses to their harvest this year, whether through suspected criminal damage or through severe flooding.

Therefore, as farmers have paid for contractors to harvest their fodder, great care must now be taken to ensure they retain the maximum amount of feed for the winter.

Preventing bale theft

The biggest thing for farmers to do, Carey said, is where they have the bales, to “at least put a lock on the gate”.

Carey said that “proactive steps” are key to achieving solutions to theft prevention, and investing in, and using existing technology, is one such step.

“We’re all the time looking at modern and proactive devices. There are devices out there that will notify farmers on the opening of gates.

“If you’re getting a notification at 2:00a.m in the morning that there’s somebody in your yard, or there’s somebody in a field, that does the trick.

“You’re getting advanced notice on if there’s activity in the location, and farmers are very good at using modern technology, like getting an early warning device.”

Using existing technology on some farms is a further ‘proactive step’, as farmers that have lambing and calving cameras on their farms should use this equipment all year round by repurposing it.

“Farmers are very good at CCTV for lambing and for calving, and then that’s only for certain times of the year,” Carey added.

By “turning the CCTV into a proactive device” Carey said, this can be used to better monitor areas where the goods of farmers are being stored, including the storage of their bales.

“Whether its a sensor, or lighting in particular in and around outbuildings, sheds, and barns, ‘light up, lock up’. That’s a message we deliver all year long,” he said.

Protecting your fodder

Carey said: “We’re always telling farmers to be aware of burglary, from farm machinery, tools, but now there’s another side to it, out in the fields.”

If farmers are unable to immediately remove their fodder from the fields, as is often the case on Irish farms, preventing access to the field may be the only solution for farmers to protect their bales from theft.

Carey said: “You can come along with a JCB and create a mound behind a disused gate, or concrete blocks that you put in front of the gate.

“That’s it, they can never be opened, and you’ve reduced the risk of people using them and getting access to areas, including the theft of sheep and cattle.”

If bales are being left in isolated fields for a short period, farmers are encouraged to keep them far away from gates to make their theft more difficult.

However, the most practical solution to prevent the theft of bales is to remove them from the fields in which they were made, and securely store them away.

Carey said: “Get them out of the fields, get them into an area that is close to lighting, close to a secure area, and leave a physical barrier in front of the gate so they can’t come in.”

The post CCTV and coloured dye – protecting bales from theft appeared first on Agriland.ie.

A certain level of silage effluent is expected when harvesting crops, but this year due to the very wet weather, larger volumes are likely to be seen.

The wet and challenging conditions have resulted in many describing the harvesting of second-cut crops as a ‘smash and grab’ operation.

While many now have crops in the pit or made into bales, it is important the effluent from the crop is managed.

Silage effluent

According to the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (Cafre), grass harvested at 18% dry matter (DM) will produce approximately 150L of effluent/t.

While grass harvested at 25% DM will produce around 25L of effluent/t.

On some farms, plastic piping is used to help remove the effluent, but all pits should have effluent channels.

Once the silage has been put into the pit and covered, farmers should ensure that these channels are clear of obstructions.

This will allow the effluent to flow to a suitable storage tank.

Farmers should continue to check these channels on a regular basis for obstructions.  Each year before silage pits are used they should be inspected to ensure that the walls and floor are free from cracks so no effluent can escape and if needs be, any necessary repairs should be completed.

Bale storage

Silage bales, including high dry matter silage or haylage, can only be stored a maximum of two bales high, in the absence of adequate facilities for the collection and storage of any effluent that may arise.

Bales must continue to be stored at least 20m from surface water or a drinking water abstraction point.

Where bales are being stored in fields there are a number of other factors other than the Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters Regulations (GAP regulations).

Ideally, they should be stored in a part of the field that is close to an entrance or near a track so that excessive damage is not caused to fields and bales can be retrieved.

Pits

One of the major advantages of bales is that once they are wrapped they are wrapped until you open them.

Silage pits require some further management – a pit will usually sink after a number of days so the covers will need to be tightened to ensure the best seal is achieved.

You should continue to inspect the pit regularly to ensure an airtight seal is achieved and maintained – increasing you chances of having a high quality forage.

The post Managing silage effluent on farms in a very wet year appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Lightweight butterfly mower sets have been gaining attention this season, yet that does not mean to say that more robust and sophisticated machines, such as those built by McHale, have gone out of fashion.

To get the best from premium mowers, premium tractors are called for and those produced by Valtra fit the bill exactly, according to Kilkenny Agri Machinery, which happens to sell both.

McHale is back

The company recently held a demonstration day a few miles from its base in Kilkenny city at which it laid on a display of the whole ensiling process, from mowing to stacking using McHale equipment paired with Valtra tractors.

McHale has not been chasing the limelight over the last couple of years so any developments or new products have tended to slip out quietly rather than with a fanfare of publicity, although the latest Fusion 4 was a notable exception.

Yet it has not been standing still and this new enthusiasm to show its product could well be due to there being plenty of new product to show.

It was refreshing to see the company back out promoting itself and catch up with what it is now offering, and much more to the point, see it working rather than sitting on a show stand.

The three companies, Kilkenny Agri Machinery, McHale and Valtra, had arranged for each process in the baling operation to be demonstrated in sequence, starting with the mowing.

No nonsense mower

McHale has made its name producing the sort of equipment that can cope with the heavy crops grown in Ireland and nowhere is this more obvious than on its mowers; they are, unashamedly, built to last

It was the rear-mounted Proglide 89000 butterfly set, in conjunction with a front Proglide F3100, which was tasked with the initial cutting and what was immediately apparent was that these are not lightweight units designed for part-time use.

The solidity of build in these mowers is their most striking feature, along with the telescopic arms which allow a variation in working width, useful in odd-shaped fields or on corners.

The company likes to highlight the ground-following features of these machines and the suspension system has clearly undergone some careful design work, but the field chosen for the event left it unchallenged and the wet grass fell effortlessly to the blades.

New McHale Tedder now available

Following the mower was the new M6-770 mounted tedder which has yet to be officially launched, although there are around 30 units already working in Ireland.

As the name suggests, this has six rotors and a working width of 7.7m and is the smallest of this new range. Two trailed units of greater width will also become available for next season.

Once again it is the robustness of the construction that immediately stands out, the joints being of cast steel rather than pins running through sheet metal with reinforced holes.

Hooked tines are standard as is a curtain, on the right-hand end, to prevent grass being flicked into the hedge. A neat touch that is controllable from the cab.

Raking it in

Swath forming was left to a R 62-72 centre delivery rake which is already familiar to customers, although it does represent another step in the company’s recent expansion into the whole grassland machinery market.

Like the rest of the range this is not built as a one-season wonder, but is, instead, engineered to perform in all conditions over many years.

Working width, as indicated in the name, is between 6.2m and 7.2m, this being adjustable from the cab and the set width clearly displayed on a gauge mounted in the drivers view, as is the rotors height.

The tine cam setting can also be adjusted, altering the point at which the tine engages with, and then lifts away from the swath.

McHale Fusion balers updated

Refining the Fusion baler wrapper concept is an ongoing project and in this, its latest iteration, McHale claims to have increased the intake rate considerably over the Fusion 3.

This has been accomplished by a slightly wider pick up and a redesign to the augers at its edges, both helping to not only bale faster, but also improve the shape of the bale by squaring up the shoulders.

There is also a new control panel at the rear of the machine to enable the operator to activate the functions from the rear. This is tucked well away from the moving parts.

ISOBUS has come to the Fusion with this latest model and either the McHale screen or the tractors own screen can be used to operate the baler and keep the driver informed of what is happening behind him.

Baling is not all about combination balers, the standard fixed-chamber models, which make up the bulk of sales by volume, have undergone some TLC as well, with much the same improvements being made to increase work rate.

Wrapping and handling

There was little new in the way of the Orbital wrapper although McHale is making much of the load-sensing function which only takes oil from the tractor’s circuit when it is actually wrapping, offering a saving on fuel.

However, it was also pointed out that one Orbital wrapper should be able to keep up with two standard balers in the field which opens the question as to the relative costings of having one combination baler, or two balers and a wrapper.

With two balers, there is more flexibility and a higher work rate, with the safety net of having two machines working rather than relying on just the one of greater complexity.

On the downside it will require three tractors, although they may be smaller, and operators. Requirements which may well outweigh any gain in productivity. It would be an interesting equation for many contractors.

Full line for baled silage

With the new tedder being demonstrated for the first time in public, this event signalled an important milestone.

Over the last few years the company has been enlarging upon its range of popular balers by applying the same engineering ethos to a range of grassland machinery, leading to it now being able to supply machinery for every stage of the baled silage process.

Although the company was not trumpeting the fact, this demonstration day was the first occasion on which all the machinery, from mowing to stacking, could be seen working together, and that makes it a day worth remembering.

The post Plenty of new product to show at McHale’s silage demo day appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The last few days have seen many farmers move to harvest second-cut silage as there was a brief break from the rainy weather.

The harvesting of silage crops has been a challenge this year, with first cut delayed by drought conditions and then second cut by drought, then rain.

At this point, farmers need to determine whether a third cut is needed to ensure that fodder supplies are sufficient for the winter months.

Weather

The challenging weather conditions experienced this year have resulted in many farms feeding more silage than expected and making less.

The amount of bales made from surplus grass supplies on farms is going to be significantly lower compared to other years.

This will mean that for many farms, the amount of fodder currently in the yard is going to be less than other years.

The likelihood of harvesting surplus bales in paddocks from now on is low, as grass growth will naturally start to tail off towards the autumn months.

The changing weather patterns that we are seeing more commonly now means that having excess silage in the yard is a must.

Weather has a significant impact on the Irish production system and having fodder available when grass is not accessible due to wet or dry conditions is vital.

Assessment

An assessment of current fodder supplies needs to be carried out over the coming days to determine the total amount of silage on every farm.

Once this has been done, farmers can then determine if there is enough for the winter or if a third cut is needed to ensure supplies are sufficient.

While there may be sufficient fodder supplies after the second cut, it is important to also ensure there is at least an extra month’s worth of silage in reserve.

It has been a challenging year for silage for everyone across the country, and purchasing fodder may be difficult this year.

Third cut

If a third cut is needed, farmers should determine how much is required and the area that is needed to grow this crop.

It is unlikely that the same amount of area used for first and second cut is needed, but for a small number that may be the case.

Ideally, land that is away from the milking platform should be used, as it is also time to start building average farm cover (AFC) moving into the autumn months and land around the yard may be needed to do this.

Farmers also need to consider when they may be harvesting this crop and if the land will be accessible at that time for machinery.

Moving into September, land in some areas can become tender, and heavy machinery can cause damage.

The drier the fields used the better, with cutting ideally in mid to early September.

The post Silage: Deciding if a third cut is needed this year appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The wet weather conditions experienced this July “have been nearly as bad as the wet summer of 1985,” one farmer from Co. Leitrim has told Agriland.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) sheep committee chairperson and north Leitrim farmer Kevin Comiskey said: “I remember in the summer of 1985, land was so wet we had to bring the silage out and bale it on the roads.

“We brought it out on buck rakes and baled it on the roads. That’s how wet it was.”

While Comiskey admitted “it hasn’t come to that yet”, he said “it’s not far off it”.

Commenting on the situation in the north-western part of the country, he explained that the requirement not to cut meadows until July 1 as part of the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) has caused “serious bother”.

“There’s a lot of fields very wet and an awful lot of fields not cut across the country. Because of the ACRES measures, some farmers weren’t able to cut meadows until July 1 and now they’re in serious bother because the meadows are gone brown and the quality will be low,” he said.

The Leitrim farmer said that there is a lot of rain forecast for many regions this weekend but added “there’s nothing farmers can do about the weather”.

He explained that farmers who are waiting to cut silage have two options: “If ground is dry enough they will cut it and if it’s not dry enough they have to leave it. Simple as.”

The IFA sheep committee chair added: “It’s bad enough that lamb prices are falling at the minute but the prolonged rainfall will reduce the thrive on lambs too.”

Comiskey said the matter of getting silage crops secured without causing excessive damage to fields is currently one of the more pressing farming issues in his region.

“There’s a good bit of fodder made already but there’s a lot more silage still waiting to be cut.

“It’s a farm-by-farm decision. If farmers see a dry day and ground is okay they will chance it but the contractors will all be under pressure.

“There’s a lot of silage still to be made everywhere but ground conditions are not good in general.”

The post Relentless rain – ‘this July has nearly been as bad as 1985’ appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Something that needs to be completed on farms over the coming days, if not already done, is a fodder budget.

This will help you to determine how much silage is on the farm currently and may also help in determining how much more silage is required to be harvested.

To complete a fodder budget, here are the steps to take:

1. Measure silage pits (length x width x average height in metres) plus count bale stock;
2. Make an estimate of potential second-cut area and yield;
3. Estimate likely stock numbers for the coming winter.

When you are completing your fodder budget you should also include a fodder reserve of between four to six weeks.

This should be based of an average year, to offer you some protection for possible adverse weather conditions, such as in 2018, or the wet spring this year.

Many farms are yet to harvest second-cut silage so the standing crop should also be included in the calculations.

Once you have completed that you can then see if a third cut is needed or if feed will have to be purchased in.

Fodder stock in the country is lower compared to last year, so you should ideally not be relying on purchasing the fodder you need.

Silage

2023 has been a challenging year for grass growth and management on farms.

Although fairly good first-cut crops were harvested on farms, significant amounts of silage have also been fed on farms this year.

Silage is vital on farms during the winter months and in some areas is also important during the more frequent drought conditions we are getting.

Ideally, farmers should be producing enough silage to feed their stock for the winter months.

But you need to know the stocks versus the requirement and purchase feed if it is required.

In a normal year, most farms would harvest a first and second cut, along with bales from surplus paddocks.

For most this year, first cut has been harvested and second cut is still in the fields.

But very few silage bales have been made and in some areas a lot has been fed to cows.

The post Dairy advice: Fodder budget needs to be completed appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Contractors around the country have reported that 15% less first-cut silage was harvested on average this year compared to 2022.

It was one of the main results of a survey of 350 members of the Association of Farm and Forestry Contractors in Ireland (FCI) presented to a meeting of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) today (Wednesday, July 19).

The output of these FCI contractors is about 35,000ha which accounts about 10% of the total silage area of the country.

Silage

Michael Moroney, national chair of the FCI, noted that first-cut silage harvests varied widely depending on location.

In some areas, harvests were up by 10%, while in other places there was around 66% less.

“A lot of that 66% less would be in the western areas and a lot of it is weather impacted as well,” he said.

Contractors reported that drystock farms, particularly in the west of the country, showed a decrease in silage acres harvested which included bale silage numbers and volumes of pit silage.

“What our members have noted is that stock numbers seem to have fallen, particularly in the western region. As a result of that there was a lower demand for silage among their customers this year.

“That’s also been reflected in less cattle slurry being spread in the spring of this year, which indicates lower stock numbers on some of these drystock farms,” Moroney told the NFFSC.

The FCI survey found that less fertiliser was being spread on those drystock farms in the spring.

Contractors noted that “quite a few” of these farms are converting to organic production, which the farmers said was “a better financial option”.

On intensive dairy farming areas, in the south and southeast in particular, FCI members said there was very little carryover of silage from 2022.

“That has resulted in a bit of a deficit of about 20% in some of those firms, relative to last year when there would have been about 20% carryover from 2021 into 2022,” Moroney said.

Chair of the NFFSC Mike Magan said that the committee may return to the issue of lower stocking rates in the west of the country when it meets again in September.

Following the rain in recent days, contractors also said that second cuts are “bulking well”.

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A survey undertaken Teagasc has shown that on average, dairy and drystock farms are on target to have adequate winter fodder supplies after first silage cuts.

However, the data shows that around 15% of dairy and drystock farms had less than 40% of their winter feed requirement on hand in July and will need to make up this deficit with second cuts.

The results of the survey were presented to members of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) today (Wednesday, July 19).

The committee, established by government in March 2022 in response to high input price inflation and potential supply pressures, carried similar surveys last year.

Fodder

In recent weeks, Teagasc advisors completed almost 500 preliminary winter fodder budgets for drystock and dairy farmer clients.

The data was collected on farms from mid-June to early July, after completion of first silage cuts.

Teagasc said that average grass growth rates nationally are close to the five-year average.

To date in 2023, total grass growth stands at 6,515kg dry matter per hectare (DM/ha). Of that, 5,529kg DM/ha was grazed and 986kg DM/ha has been saved as silage.

The current “working targets” for fodder at this point of the year is for dairy herds to have at least 70% of their silage requirement on hand.

While for drystock farmers they should have at least 75-80% of silage on hand.

The survey shows that dairy farms in the midlands-northeast region had 74% of their winter fodder requirements; it was 68% in the northwest, 71% in the southeast and 75% in the southwest of the country.

Teagasc found that drystock farms in the southwest had around 83% of their fodder requirements; the figure was 82% in the midlands northeast, 82% in the northwest and 80% in the southeast.

Teagasc said that if grass growth is normal to average between July and September and there are adequate yields of second-cut silage, the majority of livestock farms will be in a relatively secure position.

The authority said that there was no clear pattern when it came to the 15% of farms surveyed who currently have significant winter feed deficits.

Those farmers were urged to carry out a fodder budget and put measures in place to make up the shortfall before the winter, including reducing stock numbers if required.

Commenting on the data, Joe Patton, Teagasc survey co-ordinator, said: ”The survey shows all regions are in a good position for this time of year.

“There were some regional issues with growth rate in early summer but overall farmers have managed to build silage stocks quite well so far.

“Of course, the situation could change depending on second-cut yields and autumn weather, but for the most part the situation is good.

“Teagasc recommends carrying a rolling silage surplus of 25-30% as a buffer. Many farms should be able to reach that level this year with correct management,” he said.

Farmers were also advised to begin planning to extend the grazing season by starting to build grass covers in August to help reduce overall winter feed demand.

Chair of the NFFSC, Mike Magan said that the committee would meet again in September when second-cut silage crops and other additional forage stocks will be added to final fodder budgets.

The post 15% of farms need to make up fodder deficit – survey appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Sodium has been recommended as an integral component of all grassland (grazing and silage) fertiliser programmes.

The benefits of the nutrient in improving palatability and mineral balances are relevant at all times of the season.

According to Origin Fertilisers, the inclusion of sodium is particularly relevant during periods of hot, dry weather.

It should be included as part of a tailored nutrient management plan to alleviate heat stress on grass and livestock.

Driving this approach is the fact that grass with access to good levels of sodium can withstand extended periods without rainfall.

Use of sodium

Grass uses salts such as potassium and sodium to regulate the movement of water and sugars.

The availability and balance of these salts is particularly important in dry conditions. If the ratio of potassium to sodium is high, there is an increased risk of hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers).

However, applying sodium in grassland fertiliser helps optimise the key potassium to sodium ratio.

In turn, this reduces the risk of staggers. Peter Scott, technical director at Origin Fertilisers, says sodium is a vital nutrient to prevent crops becoming stressed.

“A greater percentage of sodium taken up by the crop will increase digestibility and improve sugar content, making grass more palatable to livestock, even as it starts to become fibrous,” he said.

“Sodium encourages a greater percentage of live herbage, which will help livestock increase dry matter intake and get more from grass.”

In addition, where grass is being supplemented with concentrated feed, sodium can
help reduce the risk of acidosis by helping to buffer the pH in the rumen.

It also reduces the risk of pica which has been highlighted as a common sign of sodium deficiency.

Application

Fertiliser applications of sodium can continue even in drought conditions. Peter Scott recommends farmers should get the advice they need when using sodium.

This will ensure that nutrient performance is maximised from the application rates that farmers are using.

“Even in soils with a moisture deficit, a heavy overnight dew can deposit up to 0.5mm moisture,” he explained.

“This has been proven to be sufficient to start dissolving fertiliser. Where grass is visibly green, and there have been signs of growth, it is also possible to apply small amounts of fertiliser and see a response.”

As a guide, sodium should be applied at 5-6kg/ha to help alleviate stress in both grass and livestock.

So could sodium become the new sulphur? 20 years ago, sulphur was deemed not to be required as a component – at all – within grassland fertiliser programmes.

Now the nutrient is widely regarded as a key contributor of growth and forage quality, particularly within silage scenarios.

The post Sodium recommended in grassland fertiliser scenarios appeared first on Agriland.ie.

For those that may run short on silage, a fodder crop may be a solution.

Although last winter was quite good and cows got to grass quite early, the spring quickly turned and silage was back in diets.

This continued well past previous years and meant that on many farms the silage pit was empty when cows went to grass full time.

A fodder budget needs to be completed on farms to determine the outlook for fodder moving into the winter months.

Silage

Silage has once again been reintroduced into the diet on many farms and is likely to continue to be fed for a number of weeks to come.

The dry weather came at the right time for harvesting of first-cut silage and for the breeding of cows, but it has hung around for too long now.

Some farms are now is a position whereby growth is behind demand and average farm cover has dropped.

This means that for many farms that already used extra silage or have eaten into their surplus silage supplies, they now have also started to feed silage during recent weeks.

The hope would be that the feeding of silage can stop in the next few days or weeks and that the harvesting of second-cut silage can take place.

However, there is also the option of putting in a fodder crop to reduce the demand placed on the silage supplies during the upcoming winter.

Fodder crop

On some farms, the sowing of a fodder crop could be an effective way of ensuring that fodder supplies are adequate for the winter ahead.

A fodder crop can also be incorporated into a reseeding programme, with grazed fodder crops offering an ideal seed bed for an early spring reseed.

But before farmers consider planting a fodder crop there are a number of questions they should ask themselves, such as:

• Is the land suitable to grow and graze forage crops?
• When do you plan to graze the crop?
• When will the land for the potential crop become free for cultivation and sowing?
• What type of stock and how many do you plan to graze on the crop?

Farmers also need a field that has a good soil pH of 6.0-6.5 and a field that is flat, if possible.

Although the fodder crop will be the majority of the animals’ diet, they still require a roughage in the form of hay or silage to make up about 30% of their diet.

Generally, bales are placed in the field around the crop and access is given to a fresh bales regularly.

If you are considering a fodder crop you should seek advice and determine what crop will suit you best and which animals should be used to graze it.

The post Could a fodder crop be an option for your farm? appeared first on Agriland.ie.