One in five farmers face fodder shortage
13/09/2013 Website News
A fodder census survey has shown that farmers have enough silage and hay for a 140-day feeding period this winter, according to a survey by the Teagasc.
The Teagasc survey has found one in five farmers are still short of fodder supplies for the winter, despite the good weather experienced this summer.
However, one fifth of farmers are short an average of 19% of what they will need.
A similar survey by Teagasc in July showed two thirds of farmers were short on winter fodder supplies.
The survey of 1,240 farmers showed that there is an overall average surplus of 8% across the country. The survey was carried out in the week commencing 1 September by Teagasc and other organisations participating in the Inter Agency Fodder Committee.
While overall the survey indicates that there are adequate fodder stocks in the country, it found that one in five farmers had a deficit. On the farms with a deficit, this shortage is 19% on average, while 22% of farmers intend to sell some livestock to reduce the feed usage in the autumn.