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.