LacPatrick Dairies is running a fodder budgeting workshop tonight (Thursday, August 2) at 8:00pm in the Four Seasons Hotel in Co. Monaghan.

Paul Crossan, a member of LacPatrick’s farm advisory team, will chair the meeting.

The topics to be covered on the night will include:
  • Minding the farm and the farmer – Finola Colgan, Mental Health Ireland;
  • Options to stretch fodder supplies – Gerry Giggins, Nutrilink;
  • Economics of supplementary feeds – Ciaran Mc Cabe, IFAC;
  • Fodder budgeting – Majella McCafferty, LacPatrick.

Commenting on the purpose of the meeting, the head of communications and business affairs at LacPatrick Dairies, Patrick Donohoe, outlined that – with regards to fodder – farmers in the LacPatrick region are not as acutely affected as farmers in other parts of the country.

But he did outline that there are LacPatrick suppliers who, even after the rain, still have cows in by night and are feeding silage. He also noted that a lot of silage ground has been grazed.

Donohue concluded by saying that LacPatrick “is encouraging farmers to take measures now, to reduce the risk of issues come the winter time”.

Cork fodder shortage

Meanwhile in Co. Cork, an emergency meeting has been called by the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) to address the drought and the potential fodder shortage this winter.

Speaking to AgriLand, Maurice Walsh – who previously appeared in the RTE One television show ‘Farmer in Charge’ – stressed that all farmers are welcome to attend the meeting.

The meeting will take place tonight (Thursday, August 2) in the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, Co. Cork, at 8:30pm.