50% of cereals harvested, but difficult crop to come

Agronomists across the country have estimated that about 50% of the cereal harvest has been completed. This figure was as of Monday, 14 August, and varied from 40 to 65%, but on average 50% looks to be complete.

The largest crop, spring barley at over 130,000ha, remains to be cut for most tillage farmers. Many in the northwest and northeast of the country have not begun the spring barley harvest, while the maximum amount of spring barley cut in any area looks to be about 35, with the exception of parts of Tipperary.

Meanwhile, the winter wheat harvest is almost complete for most. Winter oats are finished up in most areas, while winter barley and winter oilseed rape have also been completed. Although there are reports of odd crops of winter cereals unharvested and sitting in fields, which are now difficult to enter due to wet ground conditions.

Straw remains an issue. Winter barley straw remains on the ground in many areas, and in some cases it has been sitting in rows for five weeks.

Overall, yields of grain and straw are back for most, but there are some good news stories along the way.

Spring barley

The early-sown spring barley crops, planted in February and early March, are the best crops out there and these crops have all gone under the knife by now and some hit as far as 3.75t/ac. There were effectively three sowing dates for spring barley – late February and early March, early April (Easter week), and late April into May.

The later-sown crops are not yielding as well, with some crops falling below 2t/ac already, according to reports. Moisture contents range from 16% to 24%. Quality is deteriorating as time goes on, with KPH levels as low as 57 being reported. Levels under 60 are common enough and 69 was the highest reported. Protein levels vary widely and while many were within malting specs early in the season, levels are higher in some later-sown crops.

The spring barley crops yet to be cut could prove the most difficult, as many of these crops were lodged or tossed in heavy rainfall in July. Dry weather in May and June, followed by rain in July, also resulted in second growth and those tillers are making it hard to harvest crops in optimum conditions.

There is not much straw baled from spring barley yet, but so far yield reports are of 4-7 round 4X4 bales/ac.

Winter wheat

Much of the winter wheat harvest looks to be complete in the southeast and south of the country. However, there is still 40% to be cut in some areas.

Yields are disappointing for many and range from under 2t/ac to as high as 5t/ac. These yields are not region specific with poor and excellent-performing crops in the same areas of the country. The higher yields are being reported after break crops, which is not a surprise.

Moisture contents reported were as low as 15.5 and as high as 29%. Moisture levels are higher in general for all crops this season as farmers take every opportunity to cut what they can.

KPH levels are very poor and this was remarked on by many. Levels as low as 63.5 were reported, but bushel did hit as high as 76 for a number of agronomists.

Again, straw was not baled or had been chopped by many, but reports suggest yields of about 8 4X4 round bales/ac.

Winter oilseed rape

The winter oilseed rape looks to be wrapped up across the country. Some agronomists reported the crop as being the best crop of the season so far, while others saw poor yields close to 1t/ac in some cases.

However, a number of agronomists reported a peak yield of 2.3t/ac, which is excellent. Moisture contents ranged from 8 to 18% across the country.

Winter barley

The winter barley harvest was reported to be complete by the agronomists in this survey. However, there are reports of some crops still to be cut.

Some crops were down at 2t/ac, while others hit as high as 4.8t/ac. Moisture contents varied from 14.1% to 29%. KPH levels ranged from 55 to 69. However, it looks fair to say that crops were coming in on average in the low 60s. Straw yield reports were from 8-11 round 4X4 bales/ac. However, reports of lower yields have been suggested and many crops remain on the ground to be baled. Weather in the midlands last week allowed some crops of winter barley straw to be turned and baled over a few days. However, weather in the south and southeast of the country last week saw little work of any shape or form carried out in fields. Some crops of winter barley straw are now lying on the ground for over five weeks.

Winter oats

Winter oats look to be a very positive story this season. There are still some crops to be cut, mainly in the north of the country, but for most the winter oat harvest is complete.

Yields ranged from 2.5-4.3t/ac at moisture contents of 14.3-26%. KPH values ranged from 44 to 58. Most winter oat straw was chopped, but reported yields are around 8 4X4 bales/ac.

The spring oats harvest is also underway and yields will follow once a clearer picture emerges.

*Agronomists across the country contribute to Accompany the Agronomist to provide as much detailed information as we can on crop condition and yields. Thank you to all who take part.

Malting barley harvest effectively over

Speaking to agronomists this week, some have described the malting barley harvest as being effectively over – as the amount of grain failing to meet specifications increases.

The majority of early-sown crops had been meeting standards and some crops are still passing, but a large amount of April-sown crops are failing on a number of issues, including green grains, germination, fusarium, skinning, protein and bushel or KPH levels. Merchants across the country expect that the majority of spring barley which remains to be cut will not meet malting specifications.

Second growth occurred following dry weather in May and June, and wet weather in July caused crops to start to grow again. This means there are two crops growing side-by-side, one which is ripe, or nearly ripe, and the other is still green and has not filled out and can cause higher moisture, protein and screening levels.

Heavy rain in early July caused lodging and tossing of many crops. These crops have been lying on the ground for weeks. The wet weather is causing crops to sprout in the field and quality is deteriorating as the harvest is delayed by rain. Germination and fusarium are also issues. This is a significant loss in income for farmers. Depending on different situations the malting premium paid over feed barley price could be between €70/t and €120/t.

With yields back and feed barley prices down it puts tillage farmers in a difficult financial position.

Donegal: Weather windows to harvest have been limited. The spring cereal harvest is yet to kick off for most. Oilseed rape crops hit as high as 2.3t/ac for some.

Wexford: Quality and yields deteriorating in April-sown, spring barley crops. Still a lot of winter barley straw on the ground.

Kilkenny: Large amounts of winter barley straw on the ground. Winter oat yields hit 4.3t/ac. Majority of early malting crops passed.

Laois: April-sown spring barley struggling to meet malting specifications.

Cork: Combine capacity proving important this year, as growers have the capability to make the most of short weather windows to harvest crops.

Louth: Winter wheat yields varied from 2.5t/ac to 5t/ac.

Tipperary: 70% of spring barley harvest complete in parts of Tipperary.