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Farmers in the west and northwest continue to push for measures to alleviate fodder shortage concerns.
As revealed by the Irish Farmers Journal, the Department of Agriculture is actively pursuing the establishment of a fodder relief fund.
However, such a plan is yet in its infancy and farmers in some of the worst affected areas continue to deal with cattle housed months early and depleting fodder stocks.
IFA president Joe Healy said the association has sought a meeting with Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed to make the case for an aid package, including additional ANC funds for those farmers in difficulty.
“The incessant wet weather conditions have placed huge pressure on farmers, driving up their costs and depleting feed stocks. It is inevitable that shortages will exist over winter unless measures are put in place.
"We need to see urgent action by the Minister to avert serious problems on farms.”
On Saturday last, junior agriculture minister Andrew Doyle and Joe Healy visited farmers on the Leitrim, Cavan and Longford borders to see first-hand the strife the farmers are suffering.
The Irish Farmers Journal was there and spoke to two such farmers.
Alec Graham
Alec Graham is a dairy farmer from Newtowngore in Co Leitrim. His 70-cow dairy herd has been in by night since August and in full-time since the middle of September.
“We have 50 acres [of second cut] that should’ve been cut in August but we never got the weather to do it.”
Recently, Alec mowed three rounds of one of his meadows but it was too wet to bale.
He was forced to carry the three cut rows into the back sward before carrying the grass in a link box.
“This is on top of the list of being the worst year I remember for sure. We’re buying in lorry-loads of hay at the minute and buying beet pulp and brewers grain. Then we’re feeding a right lot extra of dairy nuts to keep the stock going right.”
John Taylor
John Taylor is a progressive dairy farmer in south Leitrim.
He farms in partnership with his son Graeme and the farm hosted the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) open day in 2014.
The Taylors have not made a third cut and are spending eye-watering amounts of money to supplement the fodder shortage.
“Three-quarters of one pit is gone and we have one other pit is all that’s left. We’re feeding 10kg of brewers grain, 5kg of beet pulp and 22kg of silage to the cows per day. That’s to make the silage last a six-month winter. That’s all we can,” John said.
“We’re spending about €6,000/month on the beet pulp and about €2,500/month on the brewers grain.”
Listen to Minister of State Andrew Doyle and local farmer John Taylor in our podcast below:
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