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If you think that a fodder shortage is likely to occur on your farm, it’s important to take action sooner rather than later.
Doing something when you start to see the back wall of a silage pit or when you have 10 bales left will be too late and there will be far more options available if action is taken at an early stage.
Step 1: Assess the quantity of feed you have available to you
This means calculating the quantity of silage that is left in the silage pit and also bales available on the farm. Include bales of straw that can be fed and also bales of hay and any other forages on the farm.
1. Measure all pits of silage on the farm. Measure length x width x average height to calculate the volume in the silage pits in m3.
2. To convert from m3 into tonnes of silage:
a. Multiply the volume by 0.77 e.g. 500m3 = 385t of silage at 20% dry matter.
b. If silage is wet (18%DM) multiply by 0.81.
c. If the silage is dry (25% DM) multiply by 0.68.
Step 2:
Calculate winter feed fodder requirement
Calculate how much silage you need for the remainder of the winter.
This requires counting the number of animals in each category and putting an estimate on the length of the remaining housing period. Budget until 1 April or later in areas of marginal land.
Step 3: Calculate if there is a surplus or deficit on the farm
If you are short of silage you can calculate what the % deficit is on the farm
For example, if you require 500t and you have 400t left in the yard that means that the deficit is 27%. Once 50% of the forage requirements are available on the farm, you will not need to purchase forage to fill the gap unless it is value for money. In many cases concentrates will offer better value for money than buying poor-quality silage.
Step 4: Decide on the options available
Option 1: buy silage/hay/straw
With poor silage-making conditions for much of the summer of 2017, silage quality is questionable in many cases. Only buy silage if the quality of silage is known and it represents good value for money. Value of silages relative to barley are at €200-220/t and soyabean meal at €360/t.
Option 2: Buy meals
If silage is too expensive or quality is questionable don’t buy silage once you have 50% of the forage required to take you to turnout in spring. Buying meal will be a better option. It will mean feeding a restricted quantity of silage and 2-4kg of silage and 2-4 kg of meal to fill the gap.
Option 3: Wet feeds and alternative forages
Wet feeds and alternative forages may be an option but it’s important to be aware of the variation in dry matter, quality and storage losses.
You may need extra storage facilities and also feeding equipment. There may be a requirement to feed some of these feeds quite quickly and they may not suit small herds.
Option 4: Reduce stock numbers
The market for store cattle and weanlings at the moment is quite good and selling some animals may be a better option on some farms compared with buying expensive feed.
It is important to take into account tax implications if you have higher sales and lower stock numbers at the end of the year.
Step 5: Discuss cashflow implications and fodder options
Making an unplanned fodder purchase will add pressure to an already tight-margin business.
If you have to buy fodder, don’t try and do it out of existing cashflow but talk to the bank or financial institution earlier about extending credit terms or at least highlight to them your current situation. Do this as early as you can. It’s also important to share issues with someone like a Teagasc adviser or agricultural adviser.
Dealing with a fodder shortage can be a very stressful time but help is out there for farmers.
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