Fodder Crisis

_Brian

Had test yesterday and read tomorrow.
Some stock have been out all winter, will move them to better grazing once test is done, they will still get some meal. There’s enough out for light stock for a few weeks and by that time growth should be moving and heavier fields fit for traffic too.

If we had feeding they would probably stay as is for a few more weeks but it will be grand.

This spring is an example of why we got out of cows here, with awfully heavy land we couldn’t expect to let a cow out until late April or May usually, but lighter stock allow us later and earlier grazing which reduces costs.

gozunda

blacklilly wrote: »

Hi All,

I know some areas are worse hit than others in terms of fodder availability but am hoping someone may be able to help.

My Lovely Horse is an entirely voluntary charity who rescue, rehabilitate and re home the countries abused and abandoned equine. They do trojan work all year round. They were out night and day during storm Emma to tend to equine who had no access to food and water around the country.

They are currently under sever pressure on their fodder reserves and are close to running out. They've farms in south Meath and Kildare and can arrange collection if needs be.

If anyone is in a position to donate hay it would be so appreciated. Unfortunately our own farm is running into severe shortages and we are unable to donate any ourselves.

They can be contacted at:
www.mylovelyhorserescue.com
info@mylovelyhorserescue.com

Fair play for the chatities work - but I'll think you'll find many here are struggling. Might be an idea for the charity to fundraise and try and buy in some fodder ...just saying.

blacklilly

gozunda wrote: »

Fair play for the chatities work - but I'll think you'll find many here are struggling. Might be an idea for the charity to fundraise and try and buy in some fodder ...just saying.

Totally appreciate many here are struggling, as is my own family.

The charity actively fundraises itself and as far as I am aware would be willing to pay for any hay that may be available.

Muckit

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Well, he has the money to buy back in when he wants to!! Does a good bit of rearing heifers for dairy now so might go full time at that.
I wouldn't be able to do that that, generations of cows here and lineage goes back in some of them to when my grandfather was farming so would be very difficult to sell them all.

Twas done here and never looked back. Only sorry didnt do it sooner. Haven't time to bless myself let alone have to face into calving cows!!

Water John

The pretend fodder scheme has had only about 6 successful applications.

whelan2

Water John wrote: »

The pretend fodder scheme has had only about 6 successful applications.

How much money was allocated to it?

lakill Farm

Last load of silage away first thing this morning. 2 bales left in the corner. They were made the day before the hurricane. Turned out grand stuff and kept bellies full

cute geoge

Water John wrote: »

The pretend fodder scheme has had only about 6 successful applications.

Imo the dept. of ag. have turned in to a crowd of scrooges.Every scheme has so much red tape as well farmers end up having to get professional help to apply for most schemes, a bit of a joke really

Reggie.

cute geoge wrote: »

Imo the dept. of ag. have turned in to a crowd of scrooges.Every scheme has so much red tape as well farmers end up having to get professional help to apply for most schemes, a bit of a joke really

+1

grassroot1

cute geoge wrote: »

Imo the dept. of ag. have turned in to a crowd of scrooges.Every scheme has so much red tape as well farmers end up having to get professional help to apply for most schemes, a bit of a joke really

How is your sick cow? did she improve

cute geoge

grassroot1 wrote: »

How is your sick cow? did she improve

My cow is slowly but surely improving ,all i did was let her in and out and she would ramble out and pick a bit and come in and pick a bit of silage and she would pick a small bit more every day ,hopefully she will keep improving

darragh_haven

lakill Farm wrote: »

Last load of silage away first thing this morning. 2 bales left in the corner. They were made the day before the hurricane. Turned out grand stuff and kept bellies full

Are they heading west or staying local to you

Lady Haywire

Used our bought in stuff for the first time this evening to see what it's like (had seen it being fed to sellers cows but wanted to see a fresh bale)
Very hay-like, smells great though. Cows a bit miffed at the change from wetter, chopped stuff. Few rushes throughout but sure won't they do as a bit of bedding in the calving pens Plus definitely an extra feed in each bale, will be having a chat with our current baler man.
Can take as many as we need to tide us over so happy out.

lakill Farm

darragh_haven wrote: »

Are they heading west or staying local to you

Headed to lady haywires parish but not to her.

So about 50 mile west

Lady Haywire

lakill Farm wrote: »

Headed to lady haywires parish but not to her.

So about 50 mile west

*pokes nose in*

Giz his initials there Lakill boy!

annubis

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Used our bought in stuff for the first time this evening to see what it's like (had seen it being fed to sellers cows but wanted to see a fresh bale)
Very hay-like, smells great though. Cows a bit miffed at the change from wetter, chopped stuff. Few rushes throughout but sure won't they do as a bit of bedding in the calving pens Plus definitely an extra feed in each bale, will be having a chat with our current baler man.
Can take as many as we need to tide us over so happy out.

when its that dry you would have more in the bale usually regardless of who baled, bought similar stuff a few years back, smelled so nice you would nearly chance a bit yourself,the bales were huge like your story, anyway my cows hated it..not sure if it was a bitter or what but they would nearly starve before they eat it. it worked out great at the time as it took them an age to get thru it and saved me from buying more

Buford T. Justice XIX

I was lucky I bought in 20 acres of second cut this Autumn.

I had a friend call in while it was being drawn and told me I should be ashamed to be buying in feed, that every farmer should have enough feed for his stock and it was a poor reflection on my farming that I needed to be buying in feed.

I was a fair but annoyed, I must admit, but decided to say nothing to him at the time.

Guess who called into me today looking for about a weeks silage as he was starting to run short?:pac:

L1985

Group of 5 of us yesterday and out of the group, 4 had only 2 weeks silage left before they were out. 2were already feeding nuts to lengthen it....I honestly don't know if it will be fit for cattle to go out as growth is v slow around here....they are west Waterford thou so might be better there! Stressful situation to be in....
Actually Buford I had to laugh. Rang a friend of my dads few weeks back as I needed a calf and didn't want to spend half the day in the Mart.he said he'd none to sell only to rock up to the Mart the following week with 15!! I left him off and said nothing-his choice. He rang looking for bales asked to pay 23€ a bale-as "we always help each other out" I had to laugh. Some people have absolutely no shame(no he didn't get bales off us!!!)

Reggie.

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

I was lucky I bought in 20 acres of second cut this Autumn.

I had a friend call in while it was being drawn and told me I should be ashamed to be buying in feed, that every farmer should have enough feed for his stock and it was a poor reflection on my farming that I needed to be buying in feed.

I was a fair but annoyed, I must admit, but decided to say nothing to him at the time.

Guess who called into me today looking for about a weeks silage as he was starting to run short?:pac:

Karma is a bitch

Buford T. Justice XIX

L1985 wrote: »

Group of 5 of us yesterday and out of the group, 4 had only 2 weeks silage left before they were out. 2were already feeding nuts to lengthen it....I honestly don't know if it will be fit for cattle to go out as growth is v slow around here....they are west Waterford thou so might be better there! Stressful situation to be in....
Actually Buford I had to laugh. Rang a friend of my dads few weeks back as I needed a calf and didn't want to spend half the day in the Mart.he said he'd none to sell only to rock up to the Mart the following week with 15!! I left him off and said nothing-his choice. He rang looking for bales asked to pay 23€ a bale-as "we always help each other out" I had to laugh. Some people have absolutely no shame(no he didn't get bales off us!!!)

You'd have to wonder what goes on in lads heads at times, wouldn't you?

I didn't refuse him but it was very tempting. I'd hate to see a lad short though. I know my place takes off after two warm dry days and I'm stretching it out with a bit of ration so I'm not too worried as yet. But there are lads in trouble and facing big feed bills for this spring. The ration rep called last week and told me he was in two places with 12k and 15k bills and was offered cheques of 500 euro in both places. That's not a good place to be right now:(

jaymla627

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

L1985 wrote: »

Group of 5 of us yesterday and out of the group, 4 had only 2 weeks silage left before they were out. 2were already feeding nuts to lengthen it....I honestly don't know if it will be fit for cattle to go out as growth is v slow around here....they are west Waterford thou so might be better there! Stressful situation to be in....
Actually Buford I had to laugh. Rang a friend of my dads few weeks back as I needed a calf and didn't want to spend half the day in the Mart.he said he'd none to sell only to rock up to the Mart the following week with 15!! I left him off and said nothing-his choice. He rang looking for bales asked to pay 23€ a bale-as "we always help each other out" I had to laugh. Some people have absolutely no shame(no he didn't get bales off us!!!)

You'd have to wonder what goes on in lads heads at times, wouldn't you?

I didn't refuse him but it was very tempting. I'd hate to see a lad short though. I know my place takes off after two warm dry days and I'm stretching it out with a bit of ration so I'm not too worried as yet. But there are lads in trouble and facing big feed bills for this spring. The ration rep called last week and told me he was in two places with 12k and 15k bills and was offered cheques of 500 euro in both places. That's not a good place to be right now:(

That would only be the tip of it, you'd have big units at the minute feeding 50 plus odd ton a month that might only be a quarter of that in a normal year, they have no way factored this into their budgets going forward and if a small fortune is after been spent on expansion that already takes up a nice chunk of outgoings things get fairly into the red and quick

Lady Haywire

annubis wrote: »

when its that dry you would have more in the bale usually regardless of who baled, bought similar stuff a few years back, smelled so nice you would nearly chance a bit yourself,the bales were huge like your story, anyway my cows hated it..not sure if it was a bitter or what but they would nearly starve before they eat it. it worked out great at the time as it took them an age to get thru it and saved me from buying more

Calves are mad for it which is one thing at least. Prob no harm to the cows too for them to pick a bit less cause our own stuff was too good. They'd horse through it all and have nothing to mooch through so spent the rest of the time roaring at people they seen through the door:pac:
Our fodder stretcher ration was €450 for the pallet too, we'd be up shít creek if we hadn't bought it!

mf240

jaymla627 wrote: »

That would only be the tip of it, you'd have big units at the minute feeding 50 plus odd ton a month that might only be a quarter of that in a normal year, they have no way factored this into their budgets going forward and if a small fortune is after been spent on expansion that already takes up a nice chunk of outgoings things get fairly into the red and quick

Ah those feed reps never leave home without a sad story.

lakill Farm

Lady Haywire wrote: »

*pokes nose in*

Giz his initials there Lakill boy!

I don’t know. Davy the undertaker drew them

TITANIUM.

I can imagine there must be allot of merchant credit built up alright, it ain't easy.
Thanks be to God that's one thing that I don't have to worry about. I still have 48% of the silage I started with left to feed. An elderly neighbour came calling today, I've been worried about his fodder situation all winter although he did offload a good few cattle, he's still short. He brought in bales from his nephew but there pure ****e so he was looking for bales to feed with um.
He's always around so it's handy when I'm at work to give the place the once over. Nice to be able to give a little back.

yewtree

feeding more than expected here but it wont break us. cows out by day and in by night, silage is only average for milking cows at 72DMD. feeding 8 kg in total of meal, 6 in parlour and 2kg of pulp nuts at the barrier. cows are in good order bulling strong. silage is tight enough have enough to get me to the 12th of april. Place starting to turn a bit here over last few days, a bit of warm weather and we will be up and away.

mengele

What date do lads normally hope to be finished up with feeding silage and have everything outdoors. Mid April?

Fort Knox

mengele wrote: »

What date do lads normally hope to be finished up with feeding silage and have everything outdoors. Mid April?

Normally have all silage eating animals out by march 20th. All animals back in at the moment and it'll be at least 4 days before they are out again. Cows might get a few hours here and there if the sun makes an appearance
I have plenty of silage as I'm under stocked, mainly due to havin a day job.

Bass Reeves

It is amazing what lads pay for ration and so called fodder stretchers. At 400/pallet it is 258/ton. Buying a decent ration at 220/ton blown into bin. Most fodder stretchers are poor quality feeds.

Feed reps talk the talk in general they will get paid and most charge interest now.Yes there are some chickens coming home to roost in the milk game as lads that expanded too fast are under pressure but most are not in that boat, short of feed but surviving. Most dairy lads will have spec'ed a ration/nut or be buying straights they know exactly what they are feeding. Better than buying lucky bags.

Have 35 inside getting 2.5 kgs to store and 1.5 to weanling and limited silage. amount fed has dropped from over 200kgs/day down to 70kg/day. Had a discussion with a lad buying silage. My cost are still sub 1 euro/day in feeding he was not sure what his were costing him

annubis

Lady Haywire wrote: »

Calves are mad for it which is one thing at least. Prob no harm to the cows too for them to pick a bit less cause our own stuff was too good. They'd horse through it all and have nothing to mooch through so spent the rest of the time roaring at people they seen through the door:pac:
Our fodder stretcher ration was €450 for the pallet too, we'd be up shít creek if we hadn't bought it!

i bought a load of hay in feb, quality was fairly mixed but to be fair it has dragged out silage a good bit, was feeding to it cows that hadnt calved and they odd time would throw it into the others as well, some of it is fairly strong stuff and they would be a while munching thru it..made another flood here last night and not a bad of fert out yet..winters just seem to be getting longer, there will need to be alot of fodder gathered up this summer to fill up reserves again

Morris Moss

jaymla627 wrote: »

That would only be the tip of it, you'd have big units at the minute feeding 50 plus odd ton a month that might only be a quarter of that in a normal year, they have no way factored this into their budgets going forward and if a small fortune is after been spent on expansion that already takes up a nice chunk of outgoings things get fairly into the red and quick

Know of a lad spending 3.5k a day at the minute, spent a huge amount of money expanding the last few years on top of that.

Reggie.

Morris Moss wrote: »

Know of a lad spending 3.5k a day at the minute, spent a huge amount of money expanding the last few years on top of that.

**** me

mengele

All the lads who cut around the 15th of may are well out of silage around here. I think that's the biggest problem. I know quality is important but what's more important is to have !enough. They didn't have half enough in the pit and should have waited another 2 weeks to cut

White Clover

mengele wrote: »

All the lads who cut around the 15th of may are well out of silage around here. I think that's the biggest problem. I know quality is important but what's more important is to have !enough. They didn't have half enough in the pit and should have waited another 2 weeks to cut

Rubbish. Three cuts of quality silage is superior to 2 cuts of bulky silage. I baled on the 8th of may I think, and still not out of silage. We started feeding silage in September.
There is no justification to making a big pit of rubbish just so you have "enough".

Bass Reeves

mengele wrote: »

All the lads who cut around the 15th of may are well out of silage around here. I think that's the biggest problem. I know quality is important but what's more important is to have !enough. They didn't have half enough in the pit and should have waited another 2 weeks to cut

White Clover wrote: »

Rubbish. Three cuts of quality silage is superior to 2 cuts of bulky silage. I baled on the 8th of may I think, and still not out of silage. We started feeding silage in September.
There is no justification to making a big pit of rubbish just so you have "enough".

There is an element of truth in what both of you claim. Yes there is no need to have a pit of rubbish but there is a huge push towards quality at present at the expense of a crop. It takes grass to grow grass and in some systems a three cut option in parts of the country is highly risky. As well cost involved is an issue. Delaying cutting by 10-14 days from early/mid may is not leaving you with a pit of rubbish. However it will push you towards a two cut system which may have less weather risks involved

_Brian

Bass Reeves wrote: »

There is an element of truth in what both of you claim. Yes there is no need to have a pit of rubbish but there is a huge push towards quality at present at the expense of a crop. It takes grass to grow grass and in some systems a three cut option in parts of the country is highly risky. As well cost involved is an issue. Delaying cutting by 10-14 days from early/mid may is not leaving you with a pit of rubbish. However it will push you towards a two cut system which may have less weather risks involved

As with everything in life, balance is the key.

K.G.

Noticed the last week cows are eating more silage as more cows come out of the period around calving.thought cross my mind that the boys up west could get into a lot of trouble soon as fellas closer to the areas where fodder was are now buying heavy.i d be surprised if any feed leaving cork county now.

mengele

White Clover wrote: »

Rubbish. Three cuts of quality silage is superior to 2 cuts of bulky silage. I baled on the 8th of may I think, and still not out of silage. We started feeding silage in September.
There is no justification to making a big pit of rubbish just so you have "enough".

But is that all from the same ground. I'm just talking about this area. All the lads who cut their pit early are out. Worse than that is that there buying bales which are way worse than pit that might have been cut early June.

Paddocks with bales are a different study they can be cut earlier to get back in to rotation but you need to have some bit of bulk in your main crop to see you through a long winter

Mooooo

Take two cuts here off the same ground, if it was let run late id have no aftergrass in the autumn or one cut of lower volume poorer silage in the pit if one cut was done as opposed to two

mahoney_j

mengele wrote: »

All the lads who cut around the 15th of may are well out of silage around here. I think that's the biggest problem. I know quality is important but what's more important is to have !enough. They didn't have half enough in the pit and should have waited another 2 weeks to cut

Then you’d have a pit of average dry cow feed that’ll require more meal to balance .quality always trumps bulk as dose knowing what feed is in yard and reacting quickly to shortages .big problem a lot of lads have is there too quick expanding,too much stock and banking on late autumn and early spring yearly

mahoney_j

Bass Reeves wrote: »

There is an element of truth in what both of you claim. Yes there is no need to have a pit of rubbish but there is a huge push towards quality at present at the expense of a crop. It takes grass to grow grass and in some systems a three cut option in parts of the country is highly risky. As well cost involved is an issue. Delaying cutting by 10-14 days from early/mid may is not leaving you with a pit of rubbish. However it will push you towards a two cut system which may have less weather risks involved

2 week delay from mid to late may is in a lot of cases going from rocket fuel to laundered diesel

CHOPS01

Bass Reeves wrote: »

It is amazing what lads pay for ration and so called fodder stretchers. At 400/pallet it is 258/ton. Buying a decent ration at 220/ton blown into bin. Most fodder stretchers are poor quality feeds.

Feed reps talk the talk in general they will get paid and most charge interest now.Yes there are some chickens coming home to roost in the milk game as lads that expanded too fast are under pressure but most are not in that boat, short of feed but surviving. Most dairy lads will have spec'ed a ration/nut or be buying straights they know exactly what they are feeding. Better than buying lucky bags.

Have 35 inside getting 2.5 kgs to store and 1.5 to weanling and limited silage. amount fed has dropped from over 200kgs/day down to 70kg/day. Had a discussion with a lad buying silage. My cost are still sub 1 euro/day in feeding he was not sure what his were costing him

What have you been feeding to the stores ?

FeelTheBern

Bass Reeves wrote: »

It is amazing what lads pay for ration and so called fodder stretchers. At 400/pallet it is 258/ton. Buying a decent ration at 220/ton blown into bin. Most fodder stretchers are poor quality feeds.

Feed reps talk the talk in general they will get paid and most charge interest now.Yes there are some chickens coming home to roost in the milk game as lads that expanded too fast are under pressure but most are not in that boat, short of feed but surviving. Most dairy lads will have spec'ed a ration/nut or be buying straights they know exactly what they are feeding. Better than buying lucky bags.

Have 35 inside getting 2.5 kgs to store and 1.5 to weanling and limited silage. amount fed has dropped from over 200kgs/day down to 70kg/day. Had a discussion with a lad buying silage. My cost are still sub 1 euro/day in feeding he was not sure what his were costing him

How do you measure how much less silage to feed if you are adding in ration to diet? Do you do your calculations with estimated weight and dm of bale and then ration out a bale over x number of days for x number of cattle?

lakill Farm

Morris Moss wrote: »

Know of a lad spending 3.5k a day at the minute, spent a huge amount of money expanding the last few years on top of that.

that seems a serious bill in fairness. Over 100K a month?

yewtree

lakill Farm wrote: »

that seems a serious bill in fairness. Over 100K a month?

Id say its a typo, farmer would need North of 1000 cattle and have to have run out completely to be spending that kind of money.

Morris Moss

yewtree wrote: »

Id say its a typo, farmer would need North of 1000 cattle and have to have run out completely to be spending that kind of money.

No typo, has over 500 cows, replacements and cattle, buying in everything at the minute, built a rotary parlour last year and lots of work around the yard as well, rents a lot of ground too.

This has happened at a bad time for him, in a few years time he might have had more silage built up etc, he's under serious pressure mentally.

jaymla627

Morris Moss wrote: »

yewtree wrote: »

Id say its a typo, farmer would need North of 1000 cattle and have to have run out completely to be spending that kind of money.

No typo, has over 500 cows, replacements and cattle, buying in everything at the minute, built a rotary parlour last year and lots of work around the yard as well, rents a lot of ground too.

This has happened at a bad time for him, in a few years time he might have had more silage built up etc, he's under serious pressure mentally.

Probably not would just of milked even more cows, we are usually blessed in Ireland a lot of the time in we don't have the need to carry 9-12 months conserved feed in stock to cover extremes weather events....
Buts it's a fools errand too as not a lot of lads see the need to carry extra feed because sure the grass will grow and I'll be 300 odd plus days out at grass, it's all gone tits up this spring though and the above lad may just fall on his sword

yewtree

Morris Moss wrote: »

No typo, has over 500 cows, replacements and cattle, buying in everything at the minute, built a rotary parlour last year and lots of work around the yard as well, rents a lot of ground too.

This has happened at a bad time for him, in a few years time he might have had more silage built up etc, he's under serious pressure mentally.

Fair enough my mistake, hopefully it works out for him and his family not nice to hear of anyone in that position.
Every farm that expands goes through a few years where they are vulnerable to these types of shocks.

Mtx

The weather is getting worse, what are the solutions to this? Less stock? Rent silage ground for more crop? Cut earlier?

_Brian

Saw this online earlier.

http://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/ireland-the-wettest-the-country-has-been-in-over-300-years/?utm_content=buffer2df01&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Last 10 years wettest in previous 300,

Definitely feels like it, things will change on marginal land as it’s such an uphill expensive battle.