A generation of farmers in NI have lost skills in managing soil and grass which has affected technical efficiency on the farm, according to United Feeds CEO Dr Keith Agnew.

Speaking at an industry event at AFBI Hillsborough on Thursday, Agnew said that better management of forage and more efficient use of concentrates were critical to controlling feed costs.

“You wouldn’t run your car engine without oil. Grassland is the engine of livestock farming and we don’t look after it,” the NI Grain Trade Association president said.

He presented figures which showed that the average NI farm grows 7.4t DM/ha of grass, whereas over 12t DM/ha is achievable.

Improving

Giving a farmer’s perspective to delegates, Aghadowey dairy farmer Hugh Harbinson said that grass measuring, reseeding, grazing infrastructure and soil testing improved grassland management on his farm.

“We have made an extra 20t DM this year already. Measuring grass allows us to make the knee jerk reactions to get surplus grass out,” said the GrassCheck programme farmer.

Further coverage from the event will feature in next week’s edition of the Irish Farmers Journal and on www.farmersjournal.ie