In response to a “challenging period for Irish farming,” Keenan is keen (no pun intended!) to rent diet feeders (mixer wagons) to farmers who do not own or have access to such a machine.
This, claims the company, may help some to “deal with the difficulties in feeding their livestock”.
A spokesperson explained: “Summer 2018 has proved very challenging for Irish farmers.
“Unforeseen drought conditions have resulted in extreme difficulties for farmers feeding their livestock; many have been forced to incorporate a range of different forages and concentrates into their animals’ diets.
Recent traded-in machines
“In response to this, we are giving farmers who do not own or have access to a mixer wagon the opportunity to rent a Keenan machine. The rentals are from a stock of recent traded-in machines.”
Matt Higgins, Keenan’s commercial director, explained: “Livestock farmers are facing a severe fodder crisis this winter, due to a drought-induced absence of grass.
“The current situation is unprecedented and is causing significant financial pressures on farms and huge stress for farmers.
We were prompted to take action as we have been inundated with calls from across the country – from farmers who are actively looking for support during this crisis.
The Keenan mixer wagon rental proposal gives farmers the opportunity to rent a machine for three months.
Three-month rental
“Although there are some changes predicted in the weather forecast, the extreme impact of the last two months of dry conditions will continue to affect farmers for the coming months,” added Higgins.
“To assist farmers in evaluating their feeding options and to generate a feed budget for the coming months, the rental scheme also includes the opportunity for farmers to benefit from an InTouch on-farm visit, paired with continual support from a team of nutritionists.
“By providing farmers with an option to rent a mixer wagon and utilise the InTouch nutrition support service for three months, we hope this will instill some control back to farmers. In turn, this will get them back on track for the winter ahead,” he said.
For farmers who may be interested, Keenan is asking them to contact their local Keenan representative.