Fodder crisis: 'It’s been a horrendous winter, so cold'

The Irish Farmers Journal talks to Larry Hannon, who bought three bales of Glanbia's imported alfalfa, and Michael Ryan of Glanbia.

Odile Evans

11 April 2018

Fodder crisis: 'It’s been a horrendous winter, so cold'

Pictured at the arrival of Alfalfa to Glanbia Irelands Kilmanagh Branch were Pat Tennyson, (Glanbia Senior Business Manager), John Maher (Glanbia Business Manager) Johnny Gorman (Glanbia lorry driver), Michael Maher, Ger Doheny (Glanbia Board Member), Jim Murphy (Glanbia Business Manager)

Larry Hannon, Ballytore, Co Kildare

I got three bales of alfalfa from Glanbia. It’s got a high DM so I’ll integrate it into bought-in silage, it looks like it is good quality. I’ve been buying in for the last six weeks. I have some left in my own pit but there’s 200 milking cows. Farmers have been very helpful during the fodder shortage. I’m going to buy beet next year and source whole crop to make extra silage.

Michael Ryan, Glanbia branch manager in Glenmore

We found there was a serious demand for silage, so I bought 600 t of silage in Northern Ireland on Saturday. It’s all being used. Farmers have been getting a trailer load or two of that. We also have a lorry load of alfalfa bales from Spain. It’s 87% DM so 4kgs of that will balance a beet pulp/meal ration and stretch out feed.

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