A new multi-million euro research project to breed cattle with enhanced disease resistance is among a number of major research projects to receive funding distributed via Science Foundation Ireland’s Investigators Programme.
Nearly €40 million in research funding for 24 major research projects was awarded through a funding stream provided by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation.
With awards ranging from €500,000 to €2.7 million over four to five year periods, projects funded by the Investigators Programme will support over 200 researchers.
Among the projects selected was the development of biosensors for TB diagnosis in cattle and identification of ways to breed healthier, disease-resistant animals.
Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a disease of cattle that exacts a tremendous toll on Irish agriculture and is a threat to human health.
Control of BTB is hampered however by the lack of good diagnostics and significant gaps in our understanding of how the bacterial agent, Mycobacterium bovis, causes disease in cattle.
UCD Lecturer David MacHugh was awarded €1,849,519 to carry out the work.
He says the research will use a range of novel genomics approaches to reveal natural blood ‘biosensors’ that can provide the next generation of BTB diagnostics.
It will also establish how bacterial infection is established and identify host genetic variation for breeding healthier animals with enhanced disease resistance.
Fodder Crisis Research
Meanwhile, Jonathan Yearsley also of UCD received €568,131 of funding to examine the biodiversity of Irish grasslands.
He says agriculture and the environment are of great economic and cultural importance to the people of Ireland.
“In particular, sustained economic growth and food security both require agricultural production that is resilient to dramatic environmental changes.
“This project focuses on grassland productivity to investigate if the biodiversity surrounding farm-grasslands promote resilient agricultural productivity.
“We will use information from satellite images, unmanned aerial drones and experimental plots.
“We will then produce maps of Ireland that look into the near-future, showing areas where production is riskier when faced with extreme events, such as the conditions that created the fodder crisis of 2012-13,” he said.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, has dismissed any immediate need to establish a fodder aid scheme.
Calls were made by Sinn Fein TD Martin Kenny on the back of the recent poor weather conditions. He argued that some farmers have been unable to get a second cut of silage and are having problems getting slurry spread on their land due to poor ground conditions.
Accepting the difficulties facing farmers on account of recent heavy rainfall, Minister Creed outlined how his department has been monitoring the situation closely.
“My department has been monitoring grass growth rates, weather conditions and feed supplies across the country.
Grass growth rates are currently substantially ahead of recent years, but there are difficulties in utilising grass in some regions due to above average rainfall levels.
“The European Commission has recently agreed to my request for an advance payment of the 2017 basic payment scheme. This has been prompted by the protracted inclement weather conditions and also market difficulties caused by currency fluctuations,” he said.
During the National Ploughing Championships the minister confirmed that an advance Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payment of 70% would begin to issue to farmers on October 16 – with balancing payment being made with effect from December 1.
“There will also be an increase permitted to the advance for Pillar 2 rural development schemes.
“These payments and the payments under the areas of natural constraints scheme, which commenced recently, will inject up to €800 million into the Irish rural economy in the coming weeks and will provide a very welcome boost for Irish farm families, and also funding for fodder purchase where required.
“Taking account of this, there are no plans at this time to establish a fodder aid scheme. I understand fodder supplies remain available nationally and my department will continue to monitor the situation,” he said.
Minister Creed concluded by saying that avenues are available to individual farmers where there are fodder and animal welfare issues combining to give rise to specific circumstances requiring the intervention of the department.
Poor weather across the island has left many farmers facing a very bleak winter, with significant numbers already concerned that they will run out of feedstocks.
Stark results from an AgriLand poll, of around 1,000 farmers, has found that almost 40% do not have enough fodder to get them through the dark months ahead.
As part of the survey, farmers were asked two questions: Have you got enough fodder to get through the winter period? If you expect to be short of fodder this winter, what part of the country are you in?
More than a third of recipients who said they “did not have enough silage” were based in the west, followed by around a quarter who were based in the south of the country.
The wet summer has had a double blow for farmers this year with the loss of much of the country’s third and fourth cut silage. At the same time, cattle housed earlier than normal have already started eating into winter feed supplies.
In Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), has advised farmers to act now to assess the quantity, and quality, of fodder so they can plan ahead.
Assessing quantity – pit silage
Farmers can use the DAERA online calculator to complete the calculations, or manually work them out using the example below. You’ll need to know what size your silage pits are first.
Example:
A silo measuring 20m long and 10m wide, filled to an average depth of 2.5m, has a volume of 500m³ of silage.
The dry matter of this silage will also affect tonnage. To calculate the fresh weight of your silage, multiply the volume of your silage, by the figure in the table below which best relates to the dry matter of your silage.
Conversion from cubic metres to tonnage of fresh weight silage
Round Bales
The calculation is a little bit more complicated for round bales, as bales can vary in quality.
Dr. Alastair Boyle, dairying technologist at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), advises weighing the bales.
He said: “Round bales can vary considerably in both weight and quality. Taking time to weigh a representative sample will enable a more accurate assessment to be made of the tonnage available.
“Remember that dry silage contains more nutrients per tonne; water has no nutritive value.”
Assessing the demand of the livestock
Again, the online calculator can be used to complete this, or manual calculations can be done using the figures in the table below.
Monthly silage intakes of various livestock categories
Boyle advises that assessing the quality of your silage can be as important as the amount available.
Assessing quality
He said: “An analysis of the silage will give a prediction of the silage intake potential; and likely output in terms of live weight gain or milk production. The dry matter; digestibility; energy; and protein content are all measured and the quality of the fermentation assessed.
“Silage analysis is relatively inexpensive and will enable you to feed your livestock more accurately to achieve the required performance.
“It can be completed within a few days in a laboratory such as the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Hillsborough, Co. Down, or in a few minutes on the farm using the latest hand-held scanning equipment. Contact your feed company or development adviser to arrange a test.
“A good representative sample should be analysed in all situations; bales or pits should ideally be sampled on several occasions during the winter,” he said.
Supplementation and Alternative Feeds
If silage stocks are limited the department advises considering supplementing, or using alternative feeds.
Dry cows can be fed 3kg of rolled barley and ad-lib straw. However, this diet is protein deficient.
Soya hulls can replace up to 30% of the silage in the diet and are a good high-fibre, safe feed, for suckler cows. However, availability can be a problem.
Fodder beet can replace up to 30% of the daily silage requirement of cows, young stock and finishing cattle. However, it contains low protein; growing cattle should be fed a protein supplement.
Potatoes can replace 20-25% of the daily silage requirement and have a higher protein content (11%) than fodder beet.
Deficits of between 10% and 50% in forage requirements have been reported on farms in various counties, such as Leitrim, north Monaghan, west Cavan, west Tyrone and Fermanagh, according to Lakeland Dairies.
This comes in the wake of earlier reports that farmers in the north-west are struggling to source fodder as a 4X4 round bale of hay can cost anywhere between €35/bale and €50/bale delivered to Co. Donegal.
In response to this challenge, the co-op has offered advice to farmers on planning for the coming winter period and how best to avoid any potential shortage in forage.
Lakeland Agri’s technical manager, Alan Hurst, spoke on the issue, noting: “Cows are now housed on the majority of farms.
The extended period of poor weather in recent months has restricted farmers in silage-making to the extent that we have identified possible forage deficits on some dairy farms across a number of counties.
“Our agri and dairy development staff have been very active over the past six weeks estimating silage stocks at farm level, generating feed budgets and providing solutions for farmers to overcome possible forage shortages in the winter feeding period ahead,” Hurst said.
“While the reasonable spell of weather over the last two weeks has allowed some activity in fields, for some farms, it has come too late to allow any extra fodder be made.
“To date, the areas that we have identified as the worst affected include west Cavan, Leitrim, north Monaghan, Fermanagh and west Tyrone, with deficits ranging from 10% to 50% of requirements,” the manager noted.
For farmers contending with fodder deficits, Lakelands offered the following advice:
Evaluate all livestock on the farm, and sell any surplus stock such as empty heifers and cows;
Assess the value of alternative feeds/forages and source your requirements now;
Stretch silage reserves by including alternative forages and feeds into the diets from now on.
For farmers unsure of what to do, Hurst assured: “Lakeland Dairies can help carry out the necessary calculations on an individual farm basis and provide guidance and assistance to any farmers facing forage deficits.
“It is essential to analyse forage conditions on the farm and to implement a plan to avoid any problems in the months ahead.”
A fodder crisis in developing in Ireland and has already taken grip in parts of the country, according to Sinn Fein’s agriculture spokesperson Martin Kenny.
But – in a recent exchange in the Dail – the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, has claimed that estimates indicate that there will be sufficient fodder across the country.
Deputy Kenny asked the minister to clarify his plans for a fodder aid package for farmers affected by extreme weather conditions over the past two months.
The Sinn Fein TD outlined that a fodder crisis is developing in Ireland and has already developed in the north-west and along the western seaboard.
“The one thing we would like to get from the minister today is his agreement that there is a crisis and that something must be done about it. Perhaps we could get that much at least.
Farmers are in a terrible situation. Last weekend, I saw farmers trying to make silage in pools of water in my part of the country. That is happening throughout the country.
“The fodder they are producing will be of extremely poor quality, and if they have to buy fodder, the prices will be through the roof. Farmers are selling their cattle rather than face a winter crisis without fodder. The minister must step up to the mark and try to do something about it,” the Sligo-Leitrim TD said.
The looming fodder crisis is mounting alongside income difficulties for farmers, he added.
Every week the marts in the north-west are full of cows being sold by farmers because they are facing a winter in which they will not have any fodder for their cattle. We are facing a real crisis.
“It is a crisis for the industry. If there is no supply of weanlings next spring because farmers are not producing them, that will produce a further crisis down the road,” he said.
Monitoring the situation
Minister Creed explained that he has asked Teagasc to monitor the situation on the ground through its network of advisers.
“We estimate that there is sufficient fodder across the country, but it may be that in some areas there is a deficit and in others there is a surplus. We will monitor the situation.
“Underfoot grazing conditions have deteriorated and although there is still substantial grass cover because of the mild, wet weather, it is not suitable for letting cattle out on. In parts of the country, cattle have been kept inside for a protracted period.
“In individual cases where there may be welfare issues arising because of fodder, there is a contact point in the department for this and the department may step in to assist individual farmers,” Minister Creed said.
In response, Deputy Kenny said that many farmers in the north-west have already ate through a significant portion of their first cut of silage and never managed to get a second cut due to the adverse weather conditions.
The minister talks about the grass growing – but while the grass can grow through the roof, the cattle cannot walk on the land. It is that simple. It is too wet.
“The farmers need to be reassured that the minister will put a scheme in place that will be there for them, and telling them that it will be done one-by-one does not give them that reassurance,” he concluded.
Now is the time that fodder shortage issues must be examined and dealt with, according to the president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Joe Healy.
It is hugely important that the sector addresses the problem now, rather than letting it rumble on into next year, he said.
Deepening fodder supply problems – especially in the west and north-west – will have to be addressed by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, Healy explained.
The difficult weather conditions since August have left many farmers facing a severe fodder crisis during the winter and spring months, with cattle being housed earlier than normal and eating through reduced supplies for a longer period.
It is crucial that Minister Creed hears directly from farmers affected by the fodder shortage issues, in order to gauge the full extent of the problem, Healy said.
“I visited Leitrim last weekend with Minister of State for Agriculture Andrew Doyle to see the conditions for myself.
It is clear that many farmers were unable to get a second cut of silage and have had to house their animals earlier, using up fodder they need for the winter.
“We have to address this now rather than waiting until the new year,” he said.
Following a meeting between the IFA and Teagasc, a survey is currently underway to identify those farmers who are likely to have a problem this winter.
Discussions have also taken place with local co-ops and merchants to provide a feed mix for those farmers, the IFA added.
Cost of haulage driving up fodder prices
Meanwhile, Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice has also called on Minister Creed to pay a visit to the west of Ireland to witness the fodder shortage problems facing farmers first hand.
Representing the Roscommon-Galway constituency, Deputy Fitzmaurice said: “I have been informed that Leitrim, parts of Donegal, Roscommon, Galway and Mayo have been badly affected and the minister needs to visit the area to evaluate the situation and to see what measures can be put in place to assist affected farmers.
I am aware that there may be extra fodder in some parts of the country but the cost of haulage would be substantial.
“Farmers will have to assess whether paying over the odds for silage is the best move, or whether using meal along with silage might prove to be a cheaper option. Farmers should talk to their planners to ensure that they have a balanced diet for their stock and work out what is the best option for them,” the rural TD concluded.
Reducing the amount of silage fed to livestock by between 5% and 10% now could make all the difference to a farmer next March, according to the general manager of Agribusiness at Aurivo Stephen Blewitt.
Blewitt spoke to AgriLand after the first of Aurivo’s three free information evenings took place on Monday evening (November 13) for farmers who are facing fodder shortages this winter.
The event took place at 8:00pm in Dorrian’s Imperial Hotel, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal and it was attended by approximately 60 people.
“We had a pretty good turnout. There were representatives from Teagasc and the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) present. Our Homeland and Nutrias team was also there.
The key objective was to get farmers to calculate their fodder needs at an early stage and to determine whether they had enough to get them through the winter.
He added that, as the information evenings were broken down into smaller workshops, farmers were more inclined to ask questions and cases could be dealt with individually.
Farmers were encouraged to go out and take measurements and make calculations now, rather than leaving it until next spring. A range of figures were explained to farmers at the information evening, including when to know if feeding concentrates to livestock is more cost-effective than buying in hay or silage.
If people stick their head in the sand now and hope for the best, they could be in bother next March.
“A farmer might look around now and say he has a full pit of silage or 400 bales in his yard. But if we get a bad spring, reducing the level of silage fed now by 5% or 10% could be the difference in having enough of fodder and running out in a few months,” Blewitt said.
The reaction to the meeting indicated that there will be a fodder shortfall in the west and north-west this winter, he added.
In addition to explaining to farmers how to deal with a potential fodder shortage – reducing stock numbers was a valid option explored on the night – Aurivo looked to encourage its customers to submit orders for hay and straw that they will require over the winter period prior to December 1.
Commenting on the matter, Blewitt said: “We hope to have all orders for hay and straw in from our customers across our eight-county operating region in by December 1.
Going by initial research, we should be able to source native hay. But the straw will, more than likely, have to be sourced abroad.
By getting orders in early, Aurivo hopes to provide its customers with certainty of supply as well as with a more competitive price than if the search began next spring – when everyone will be at panic stations, Blewitt added.
Upcoming information evenings
Also present at the information evening was a representative from Mental Health Ireland who discussed how the pressure of fodder shortages can impact on farmers’ well-being. Representatives from financial institutions were on hand to offer advice on managing additional expenses this winter, the organisers added.
Two similar meetings organised by Aurivo are scheduled to take place in the coming days. The first meeting is set to kick off at 8:00pm this evening (November 15) at the Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo.
Following this, a meeting will also take place on Thursday, November 23, in the Bush Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, at 8:00pm.
The adverse weather conditions in recent weeks have resulted in many farmers in the west and north-west being unable to harvest second cuts of silage.
As well as this, in some cases, cattle have been housed up to six weeks earlier than normal. This has resulted in winter feed supplies being depleted much sooner than expected. Rising prices for straw due to a tough grain harvest has further compounded the problem.
Experts from Aurivo’s Homeland and Nutrias brands will offer practical advice and support on: predicting fodder needs and calculating potential shortages; steps to reduce demand on current supplies; managing silage ground that could not be harvested; and utilising strong grazing covers in challenging underfoot conditions at the upcoming meetings.
A series of response meetings will take place in the north-west to help farmers deal with the feared fodder shortage this winter.
The prolonged wet weather is expected to result in a shortage of fodder or poor quality silage on many farms across the province.
College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has organised a series of farmer meetings in the west and north of Northern Ireland to provide guidance on farmers on how best to manage feeding over the coming months.
Expert advice
Senior technologists will explain how to assess fodder stocks and review the options to reduce stock or replacing fodder with alternative feeds. They will look at the relative value of purchased fodder and feed, and the effect this may have on financial margins.
A vet will also outline the likely health and welfare issues that may arise and the best way to prevent these.
Rural Support will also be present at all the events to outline the services and support they can provide to farmers affected by the prolonged wet weather.
The meetings will take place at 7:30pm at the following venues:
Monday, November 20 in the Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh, Co. Tyrone;
Thursday, November 23 in CAFRE’s Enniskillen Campus, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh;
Tuesday, November 28 in the Lodge Hotel, Coleraine, Co. Derry.
All farmers are welcome to attend; there is no pre-enrolment required.
‘It is imperative that farmers start now’
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is encouraging farmers concerned about winter feeding to attend the workshops.
UFU president Barclay Bell said: “We have been monitoring the fodder situation closely given the localised flooding and prolonged wet weather, which has put major feeding pressure on farmers this winter.
“As a result of the weather, many farmers had to house cattle in August and struggled to get silage cut.
I suspect forage quality this year will be average enough after the first cut is taken out of the equation. It is imperative that farmers start now to best manage feeding arrangements.
“The recent short spell of good weather may have allowed some farmers to salvage fodder. However, we still don’t know the full extent of the problem across the country.
“By attending these meetings, farmers will get support to manage fodder levels but also help DAERA better understand of the situation.”
Data available to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine suggests that there isn’t a national fodder crisis, the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said.
Speaking to AgriLand while on a trade mission to Japan and South Korea, the minister said: “All our data suggests that there isn’t a national fodder crisis. There is sufficient fodder in the country; there may be regional issues and in due course – if needs be – we will respond.
“We have Teagasc experts in farmers’ yards the length and breadth of the country to evaluate the situation. If there is an issue that needs to be responded to, then obviously the department will be responding on that information that Teagasc brings to us.
However, I remain to be convinced that there is a farmer that doesn’t have fodder today.
“We have to keep an eye on the situation as it evolves and I know ground conditions were difficult in the back end of the year.
“There was anecdotal evidence of second cut silage not being got and cattle being housed earlier, so they are all the ingredients certainly for something that needs to kept under close scrutiny; this is an issue that we will keep under surveillance.
“Teagasc are the eyes and ears on the ground to do assessments. The suggestion is that it is a problem in the north-west, so obviously that’s where there is a focus and if a message comes back that it deserves or requires a policy response from the department then we won’t be found wanting.
“But, it would be foolish to jump in without the data,” he concluded.
The minister has been called upon to visit the worst hit areas in the west and north-west in order to hear directly from farmers affected by the fodder shortage issues.
Airing on the side of caution
Meanwhile, Peter Burke – a Fine Gael TD for the Longford-Westmeath constituency – has backed Minister Creed’s approach to the issue.
Speaking on Shannonside FM, Burke said: “He (Minister Creed) has to be careful how he spends his budget. He has to be sure of the extent of the problem.
We’re in a time when resources are still pretty scarce – so we have to be careful.
“But no farmer will be left in a situation whereby there is a welfare issue to their animals. That will not happen under this government – I want to be very clear on that.”
Farmers are going to have all their fodder used by Christmas, according to the national president of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) Colm O’Donnell.
O’Donnell called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, to put a fodder aid package in place in order to help affected farmers.
The situation is escalating and is reaching crisis point on many farms, the INHFA president said.
The INHFA prioritised a fodder aid package in its pre-budget submission to Minister Creed for farmers who experienced heavy rainfall on their farms during the summer and autumn months.
With cattle housed since late August, many farmers are going to have all their fodder used by Christmas – which means that now is the time for action.
As part of that pre-budget submission, the INHFA had suggested ways of implementing the scheme such as a meal voucher scheme or a transport haulage discount to subsidise the cost of moving fodder across the country – as well as a role for Teagasc, O’Donnell added.
However, Minister Creed outlined recently that data available to the department suggests that there isn’t a national fodder crisis.
Commenting on the matter, the minister said: “All our data suggests that there isn’t a national fodder crisis. There is sufficient fodder in the country; there may be regional issues and in due course – if needs be – we will respond.
We have Teagasc experts in farmers’ yards the length and breadth of the country to evaluate the situation. If there is an issue that needs to be responded to, then obviously the department will be responding on that information that Teagasc brings to us.
He confirmed that the situation will be kept under review by the department and Teagasc.
Meanwhile, the INHFA president added that the 10 highest rainfall levels recorded in 2017 were in the land areas that currently fall within the most constrained areas for the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme.
He believes this legitimises the INHFA’s call that the additional funding for the 2018 ANC Scheme must be targeted by Minister Creed.
The INHFA is set to host a national public meeting on Friday, December 1, to highlight these two issues. All farm families are urged to turn in order to send a strong message to the minister and government politicians.
Speakers on behalf of the government and opposition agriculture spokespersons are expected to be in attendance on the night. The venue for the national rally – which is scheduled to get underway at 8:00pm – has been set as the Sligo Southern Hotel.
The government is walking into another fodder crisis by “failing to take action” on the issue, Fianna Fail’s agriculture spokesperson, Charlie McConalogue, has claimed.
The TD for Donegal is calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, to immediately establish a fund for affected farmers.
Although Minister Creed has acknowledged that there are “some issues” with regard to adequate fodder; he remains confident that “sufficient supplies” of silage and hay are available across the country.
Yesterday, Deputy McConalogue, along with seven Fianna Fail colleagues, tabled a special topical debate in the Dail to emphasise “the urgency” of the issue.
“As a result of another wet summer this year, many farmers have been left facing a chronic fodder shortage. The wet weather has left many fields waterlogged and farmers have been unable to harvest a second cut of silage,” said McConalogue.
“Animals have had to be housed earlier than usual; using up fodder that would traditionally have been used for the winter months.
“The situation that farmers are dealing with now, is almost the exact same as was experienced in 2012 – when the then government was forced into action.
The minister’s refusal to acknowledge the reality on the ground is a clear indictment of just how out of touch this government is with small farmers and rural Ireland.
McConalogue stressed that the situation is particularly bad in the north-west and west of the country. However, he claims the fodder shortages have now also spread to the border counties, midlands and mid-west.
“Farmers in other parts of the country recognise the pressure their counterparts are under and are helping out by providing fodder banks. While this is appreciated; it is the job of government to provide a scheme to assist these farmers.
“Minister Creed cannot continue to ignore this problem. I am calling on him to have his department, assisted by Teagasc, carry out a survey to establish what farmers are worst affected and in need of immediate assistance; and to establish an aid fund to help them through the winter months,” he said.
Isolated problem
In response to the debate, Minister Creed said he recognises there are undoubtedly some problems in certain areas.
“I have been very conscious throughout these last few months of the difficult weather conditions and their effect on the agriculture sector.
I acknowledge the difficulties faced by any farmer who has been farming on heavy ground; in a year in which there has been exceptionally high rainfall.
“I am not going to get into the difference of opinion about whether there is sufficient fodder in the country, but the Teagasc assessment on the pasture sward is that 2017 was in fact a record year for grass growth and that there is sufficient fodder in the country.
“We have surplus in certain areas and a deficit in other areas. It is not the case that my department has not been proactive on this issue.
“A number of weeks ago – long before any of the deputies stood to raise the issue – I asked Teagasc to go out into the farmyards in the regions where they are; and find out what the situation is on the ground,” he said.
Last month, the European Commission agreed to the minister’s request for an advance payment of the 2017 basic payment scheme in response to poor weather conditions.
This advance translates into an increase from 50% to 70% in the rate for the basic payment scheme to farmers whose applications were confirmed as fully clear.
Emergency helpline
Minister Creed has emphasised that his department operates an emergency helpline for animal welfare cases.
“I urge any farmers facing an emergency animal welfare situation, and who may be in need of support, to contact the helpline for advice and – if needs be – emergency assistance,” he concluded.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, must “get his house in order” and start “thinking seriously” about a fodder crisis scheme, Joe Healy, president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has warned.
The IFA is planning to intensify its campaign on the issue with a major meeting scheduled for Claremorris, Co. Mayo, on Friday, December 1.
Although Minister Creed has repeatedly acknowledged that there are “some issues” with regard to adequate fodder in certain counties; he remains confident that “sufficient supplies” of silage and hay are available across the country.
However, speaking to AgriLand, Healy said the situation on the ground is “severe” – particularly in the north-west, west and north-east regions.
A number of our own county chairman have brought my attention to shortages in parts of Sligo, Roscommon, Longford, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Limerick and Clare; anywhere where there was heavy land.
“Six weeks ago, we thought there was plenty of fodder all over the country; but, a lot of fodder has been fed out, even in the east and the south. Farmers have had to put in stock earlier, even dairy farmers had to add silage to the diet.
“I don’t know what Minister Creed is basing his response on, because the time to close the shed door isn’t when the horse is already gone out,” he said.
“Now is the time to start putting a scheme in place that will help to alleviate the severity of the problem later on in the year – when there will be undoubtedly a fodder crisis,” he said.
Last month, Healy said he spoke to a farmer from Meelick, Co. Mayo, who had a third of his first cut fed out, was unable to finish 22ac of his second cut, and his slurry tanks were full to capacity.
For a minister to tell me – or him, or anyone else – that there is no fodder problem as of yet; I don’t accept it. The IFA don’t accept it; and we are calling on him to get his house in order and start thinking seriously about a fodder scheme.
In recent weeks, Minister of State for Agriculture, Andrew Doyle, joined Healy to survey the conditions on affected farms. The IFA has met with Teagasc and a survey is underway to identify those farmers who are likely to have a problem this winter.
Discussions have also taken place with local co-ops and merchants to provide a feed mix for those farmers.
Speaking on the issue in the Dail this week, Minister Creed said: “I acknowledge the difficulties faced by any farmer who has been farming on heavy ground; in a year in which there has been exceptionally high rainfall.
However he highlighted that a Teagasc assessment on the pasture sward for 2017 showed a record year for grass growth.
There is sufficient fodder in the country. We have surplus in certain areas and a deficit in other areas. It is not the case that my department has not been proactive on this issue.
The IFA meeting on December 1 will take place in the McWilliam Park Hotel at 8:00pm.
Concluding Healy said: “We will hear directly from the farmers affected. Minister Creed has been invited to attend and speakers will include representatives from Teagasc and Aurivo. All farmers from the western region are encouraged to attend.
“We have to address this now, as the problem has become acute; we cannot wait until the New Year.
Other issues to be discussed at the meeting on December 1 include ANCs, CAP 2020 and supporting the suckler herd.
Farmers are urged to think now about how they will manage their animals’ welfare this winter as fears of a fodder crisis heighten.
Poor growing and harvesting conditions this year have left fodder in short supply.
Northern Ireland’s chief vet has warned farmers should make “hard decisions now” to preserve animal welfare standards if they are worried about their winter feedstocks.
Northern Ireland’s chief veterinary officer Robert Huey said the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is aware of the difficult situation facing many farmers.
Waterlogged fields have forced many farmers to keep cattle indoors through the worst of the summer weather.
Grass intended for silage also could not be cut across much of the region, meaning more winter feed reserves than normal have been used up for this time of year.
Remove less productive stock early
To minimise livestock feed problems in the winter and spring time DAERA is urging farmers to assess their feed stores now to ensure they have sufficient provisions for the stock they intend to overwinter.
In doing this it is important to assess both the quantity and the quality of the feed available to prevent later problems associated with poor diet.
Huey said: “It’s very important that farmers plan ahead in a year like this.
Taking hard decisions to remove less productive stock early in the winter will help conserve fodder, improve the efficiency of the farm business and ensure that good standards of animal welfare are maintained.
“The wet conditions will also have increased the risk, for example, of liver fluke, clostridial disease, pneumonia, lameness and general ill-thrift. Preventative measures can decrease these risks.
“If your livestock have specific veterinary issues or you see signs that animal health problems are emerging then contact your private veterinary practitioner as early as possible.
“Your private veterinary practitioner will provide advice to help you to protect your stock from malnutrition and distress.
“They will be able, for example, to carry out pregnancy testing of animals which will help in determining their individual nutritional needs or inform a decision to sell them.”
It comes as the last of three fodder crisis response meetings held in the north-west takes place on Tuesday night in Coleraine.
The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) organised the series of farmer meetings to provide guidance for farmers on how best to manage feeding over the coming months.
A national rally is being organised by the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) “to highlight the need for action on the fodder crisis and address how additional funding for the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Scheme will be directed”.
The rally is scheduled for next Friday night, December 1, at the Sligo Southern Hotel, Co. Sligo; it will begin at 8:00pm.
National president Colm O’Donnell outlined the need to have a fodder aid package in place before Christmas. He added: “How many farmers will be facing into 2018 with most or all of their fodder supplies used up as a result of the early feeding of livestock and their inability to harvest a second cut due to excessive rainfall.
Many farmers are facing into their fourth month of feeding, with another five still to come and what they need to see is recognition from Minister Creed that there is a crisis and a plan in the form of a fodder scheme to help them.
As it currently stands, O’Donnell noted: “A considerable amount of time has been lost denying the need for a fodder aid scheme, while farmers struggled both physically and mentally as they attempt to provide enough feed for their livestock.”
In the INHFA’s pre-budget submission the association sought an aid package to include a meal voucher scheme, a transport haulage subsidy and a monitoring role for Teagasc. This, the president said, “can provide the basis for a fodder aid scheme, but immediate action is required in order to advert animal welfare issues in early 2018”.
The national rally will also address how best to direct the additional €25 million funding for the ANC Scheme, the farming group says.
This extra funding was announced by the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe, in the budget estimates for 2018 in October. O’Donnell said that the funds should “be targeted to the farmers whose lands have the highest level of natural constraints”.
This, the president added, would start to address the “current imbalance in the methodology used” in calculating the level of payments for each land type.
This should also acknowledge the extra costs incurred and income forgone for these farmers as a direct result of the level of handicap experienced in their farming systems.
O’Donnell concluded by encouraging all farmers to attend the meeting – stating how their attendance will send a strong message to the minister, Government and all the public representatives who have been invited to attend.
‘Almost 800 farmers’ were allegedly in attendance at a national rally held by the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) in Sligo last Friday (December 1).
These farmers endorsed a call for immediate action in the delivery of a fodder aid scheme and a fairer redistribution of the Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) payment, according to the organisation.
Speaking after the meeting, national president Colm O’Donnell expressed his delight at the turnout stating: “Tonight’s meeting – which is the largest turnout to any farmers’ meeting this year – is a clear message to our minister and his officials on the need to deliver on these two issues.”
With regard to the fodder crisis, O’Donnell welcomed the support from Fianna Fail’s Charlie McConalogue; Martin Kenny of Sinn Fein; and Independent TD Thomas Pringle; who all outlined the need for the delivery of a fodder aid scheme for farmers in the west and north-west.
Image source: James Connolly
He also welcomed the acknowledgement from Michael Comiskey, spokesperson on behalf of Minister Creed who accepted that we are looking at a fodder crisis in western areas.
The event’s attendance and engagement from farmers was, according to O’Donnell, a “clear indication of the growing concern” facing many of them who need help now in order to avert financial hardship and possible welfare issues next spring.
O’Donnell added: “A fodder aid scheme that focuses on meal vouchers could be of major assistance to many farmers.”
This point was also covered in a presentation by farm advisor Liam McKinney, who recommended that farmers – who have over 50% of their required fodder – supplement the deficit through meal feeding.
The president noted: “It is now critical that if any farmer is facing a potential fodder shortage, then they should contact their local Teagasc office, outlining their situation as Teagasc have been tasked with the role of assessing the overall situation.”
INHFA national president Colm O’Donnell. Image source: James Connolly
On proposed changes to the ANC scheme and the targeting of the additional €25 million promised in the recent budget, O’Donnell welcomed the support given to the INHFA proposals as outlined in their presentation by all speakers at the top table.
These proposals which included front-loading and a targeting of payments to the lands with the highest constraints were emphatically endorsed by all farmers present.
The INHFA policy on front-loading, according to O’Donnell. will “deliver for farmers with smaller areas unlike proposals made by others that will only benefit large-scale farmers”.
The organisation’s proposals, the president added, on the targeting of payments is what needs to happen and not other options outlined in Minister Creed’s statement on the night, which could see payments “spread thinly across three categories delivering little impact for anyone”.
On the mountain sheep grazing area, O’Donnell welcomed the support from all politicians in backing its retention and concluded by reminding the minister of the mandate delivered to the organisation from the those present on the night in ensuring that future ANC payments should reflect the land constraint and deliver for farmers who need it the most.
Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) national rally in the Sligo Southern Hotel, Sligo. Image source: James Connolly
“There is a fodder crisis and an urgent response is needed from the Minister for Agriculture.” That was the most important message coming from the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association’s (INHFA’s) rally on Friday (December 1).
Almost 800 farmers gathered in Co. Sligo. The number of farmers in attendance highlighted the seriousness of the situation. The vast majority of those in attendance were experiencing some form of fodder shortage and their slurry tanks will be full very soon.
Some of the attendance at the INHFA rally last week
The large number of farmers rallied together to make the government realise that there is a fodder shortage.
But, maybe more importantly, these farmers had the opportunity to meet others in the same position and many farmers expressed concerns for their own mental health and the mental health of others.
AgriLand spoke to a number of farmers at the rally to get an idea of the situation.
James Breslin, North Inishowen, Co. Donegal.
James Breslin has 20 suckler cows, but sheep are his main farming enterprise.
“I have very little fodder. I normally buy in my fodder because my land is not suitable for producing enough and I use my land to graze my stock. In other years, I’ve bought in fodder; but this year it’s double or more than double the price.
I had stock out for less than four months this summer – from the middle of May to September.
When asked about what silage he did make Breslin explained: “Very little, my land isn’t capable of producing silage.
“What I kept for silage, I more or less had to destroy because most of it was already destroyed with the flood. My land was flooded and fences were washed away.
“As was said in the meeting, we’ve as of yet had no conversation from anybody. There is definitely a serious fodder crisis.
“Straw is nearly impossible to get and I have very little. Silage is anything from €30-40/bale. It’s poor-quality silage, where you would normally get good silage. I’m feeding a lot of concentrates, because I can’t get value for money in silage.”
James Breslin, North Inishowen, Co. Donegal
Slurry storage is going to be a big problem, as animals have been in for longer than usual, he added.
“I was lucky. I had old sheep tanks and I moved my slurry into those tanks. However – come January or early February – I will be in serious trouble.
I don’t normally get slurry out until May, even though I’m allowed to put it out earlier. I don’t get it out until May because my land is not suitable.
Pat Marley, Newport, Co. Mayo
The Co. Mayo man described his fodder situation as “bad”, adding: “I have some fodder of my own, but I’m spending €14/day on meal since the mid-October and my animals are in since the middle of September. The silage is poor quality and I’m supplementing it now.
“I have about 90 bales left. I’m feeding 16 cows, four weanlings and a bull. I would have some of them sold, but I can’t sell anymore because my stocking density won’t allow me to sell them.
“I have to hold onto them. If I sell any animals, I’m going to lose my payments.”
Like so many farmers throughout the country, Marley didn’t get all of his silage saved this year.
“I lost a cut of silage on moorland. I tried to cut it, but the contractor went around the field twice and he had to abandon it. That field was since grazed, but the grass was only trampled.
I had about 3.5ac of traditional hay meadow but the quality of that, by the time I got it, was nil; it was very poor.
Marley was asked would he try to buy silage. He said: “I’m going to try and stick with meal. However, at €14/day, seven days a week, it’s going to really eat into my payment.
“I was affected last year as well, but not as bad as this year. At least last year October was a good month and you could keep the cattle out a bit longer, but you couldn’t do that this year.”
Pat Marley and Dominic Rooney
Dominic Rooney, north Sligo.
Dominic Rooney from Co. Sligo has no fodder. He has a sheep farm and also has 15 cattle.
“I’ve no fodder at all and I’m buying in fodder since last September. I’m buying in hay and straw at €40/bale for the hay and, up until three weeks ago, I was getting straw for €30/bale. But, there’s no straw to be got now.
I couldn’t get into the fields to cut silage, it was too wet. I didn’t cut any silage.
“My animals were out from May to September. I have about 40 bales used since September and meal as well.
“I’m feeding 300 sheep. I have some of them in. I have lambs in and they’re being supplemented with meal. It’s costing me €300/week anyway.”
Liam McLaughlin, Inishowen, Co. Donegal.
Liam McLaughlin is a sheep farmer and agricultural contractor from Co. Donegal.
“We were badly hit by the floods in our area. A lot of damage was done during the floods and it set a lot of farmers back. It has added a lot of expense to their businesses this year.
“The problem is that a lot of farmers, in our area, haven’t got a lot of land suitable for crops of silage.
“They would normally just have a minimum of what they need and now, this year, they’re looking at feeding two-to-three months earlier than usual and maybe more.
“I’m talking and dealing with farmers and they’re having a lot of trouble getting straw. I’ve made a lot of enquiries down south for other farmers to try and locate straw for them with no success.
Co. Donegal doesn’t produce a lot of straw and we probably need five or six times what’s available at the minute in the county. Something is going to have to be done in the line of funding.
“I’ve had farmers contacting me in the last few days looking for round bales, because I do sell a few round bales of my own but I had none. One man had 30 head of cattle in his yard and no silage to feed them.”
Liam McLaughlin and Charlie Doherty
As an agricultural contractor, McLaughlin did not get to cut very many second cuts of silage this year. His business was down. However, he didn’t bring it up, he was more worried about the fact that those farmers were short of their second-cut silage.
“There was very little second cut. Conditions were so bad farmers just turned stock out onto second cut and grazed it.
“Some of the grass that I mowed wasn’t going to be worth much; it wouldn’t have been good, even when they did succeed in baling it.
“I wouldn’t have liked to see it coming out of the bale again. Some of it was covered in mud. It has been a devastating year so far.
“I keep sheep. I got out of cattle seven years ago. Personally, I’m not too bad fodder wise, but I see it all around me; the problems other farmers are currently facing. My sheep are currently out.
I’ll be feeding them two months earlier than I was last year. I’ll be feeding them within the next two or three weeks.
“They will be getting quite a bit of meal; that’s going to add quite a bit of expense to this year’s farming exercise but hopefully it all pans out.”
Charlie Doherty, Inishowen INHFA chairman.
Charlie Doherty stated that the flooding that took place at the end of August took its toll on the Inishowen area.
“We were badly affected by flooding in Inishowen. The day of the bad flooding it started to rain at about 2:00pm and it rained continuously until 7:00-8:00pm. The floods destroyed land and fodder. There are a lot of animals in since that time in Inishowen.
“People can’t get straw now. It’s a rip off. Some people are taking advantage of other people’s disadvantage. We’ll get through it and hopefully our minister picks up and gets something done.”
Co. Donegal rainfall data
On August 22 of this year 77.2mm of rain fell at Malin Head – at the top of the Inishowen Penninsula – where many of the farmers that AgriLand spoke to are from.
Monthly rainfall was above the 30-year average in four of the passed six months in Malin Head. The table below shows the monthly rainfall data and the 30-year average rainfall data for Malin Head.
The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) is holding a meeting on the looming fodder crisis at the Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan tomorrow evening (Tuesday, December 12) at 8:00pm.
The purpose of the meeting, according to the organisation, is to explore ways to cope with fodder scarcity and to look at alternatives to too much of a dependency on hay, silage and straw.
Commenting on the upcoming event, ICSA Cavan chairman Hugh Farrell said: “The ICSA has pushed the Department of Agriculture for an urgent fodder transport subsidy.
We have to get fodder to where it is needed most as a matter of urgency, so the issue of subsidised transport needs to be addressed. We also need to look at ways of supplementing the fodder we do have in order to make it stretch.
“To this end, the ICSA is also calling for a system of meal vouchers to be introduced to help those most affected,” the chairman added.
“I would encourage all local farmers to attend, particularly those who believe the scarcity of fodder may become an issue for them over the coming months. The ICSA will be on hand to assist and is actively sourcing fodder supplies to help those most in need.”
Concluding, Farrell said: “ICSA officials will also be addressing the issue of slurry spreading on the night so I would also encourage anybody affected by that issue to attend also.”
Guest speakers on the night will include: Michael Davey, a beef and dairy nutritionist with Specialist Nutrition; Patrick Kent, the ICSA national president; and Emmet Davey, of A.W. Ennis Erin Farm Feeds.
The ICSA has stressed that all farmers are welcome to attend and that anyone who wished to find out more can contact Farrell himself on: 083-4841714 or the ICSA head office on: 057-8662120.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, along with Teagasc, are going to have to “wake up” to the reality of the rapidly-developing fodder crisis, according to the chairperson of the ICSMA’s Farm Business Committee, Lorcan McCabe.
Speaking following a meeting between state agencies and farm organisations yesterday (Monday, December 11), the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) representative added that the state agencies need to formally acknowledge and then act to address the situation now pressing many farms – particularly in the northern half of the country, where the fodder situation is critical.
McCabe said that if the state’s farming and wider agri-food sector is to avoid a very serious problem then actions need to be taken now, adding that delaying such actions until early 2018 will only make worse what is already obviously a major challenge.
Speaking after the meeting, McCabe said that he was concerned that there seemed to be an attitude of “keeping the head down and hoping the problem will go away”, regarding the fodder crisis now “in plain sight”.
McCabe said such an attitude could not do, noting: “As a farmer from the Cavan area, it is my firm belief – based on real first-hand knowledge – that this issue will not just go away; it will have to be dealt with at government level at some stage in the next four months.
That’s the reality and pretending anything else is futile and a waste of valuable time. The sooner we face up to this, the more manageable the problem will be.
“That’s why the ICMSA is calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to put in a place a package of actions immediately to alleviate the fodder situation on farms,” McCabe said.
Fodder transport subsidy
Meanwhile, calls for a fodder transport subsidy to assist moving fodder to border and western counties have been reiterated by the chairman of the Sligo branch of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), Gabriel Gilmartin.
In cases of extreme hardship, he believes livestock meal vouchers are necessary.
Gilmartin said: “The situation is extremely bad in border regions and the minister needs to get to grips with this immediately.
Teagasc figures have revealed that 61% of farmers are short of fodder in the Sligo/Leitrim area, while the figure rises to 67% in Donegal. However, while it may be useful for Teagasc to quantify the exact scale of the problem, this must not be allowed to delay finding solutions.
“We already know that many of our members are under pressure following an atrocious late summer and autumn and now is the time for action to ensure that livestock are properly fed,” he said.
The biggest challenge is the movement of fodder, according to Gilmartin.
“The ICSA has sourced fodder already in the southern half of the country and we are working with the Irish Grain Growers’ Association to get more. However, it is the cost of transport that is the real killer.
“We also want to see meal vouchers for those most affected, which we believe should be verified by Teagasc or other planners,” he added.
Gilmartin is also of the belief that a low-interest loan scheme needs to be introduced to assist with the crisis.
‘Placing a huge strain on farmers’
Speaking following the meeting, the Connacht regional chairman for the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Padraic Joyce said: “These figures are very stark and the fodder shortages are placing a huge strain on farmers.
The information gathered by Teagasc requires immediate action from the minister, who must bring forward measures to help those farmers who urgently need support to avert a crisis.
He called on Teagasc to quantify the type and volume of feed and fodder required in the north-west region, and to identify if there is any surplus in the rest of the country.
The IFA is also in favour of introducing meal vouchers and a transport subsidy to alleviate the fodder problem currently facing some farmers.
Farmers voiced “huge anger” at the government’s reluctance to launch a fodder crisis scheme during an Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) meeting in Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan, last night.
Speaking at the meeting, ICSA president Patrick Kent, stated that action is needed on the crisis sooner rather than later.
Early intervention will be a better solution than letting it get out of hand.
“ICSA has been sourcing fodder from the southern half of the country to distribute to those most in need. From the information we have gathered tonight, the need for fodder in this region is immense,” he said.
“Our efforts will continue; however, a transport subsidy needs to be introduced as a matter of urgency as does a system of distributing meal vouchers to those worst affected.”
Speaking to AgriLand after the meeting, Kent noted that apart from anger; farmers expressed a lot of anxiety about the grim fodder outlook – particularly in the border region.
“I’m calling on the government to provide some sort of assistance now to avert disaster later,” Kent said.
He is asking that farmers looking to transport feed, give as much notice as possible. “Ideally, at least a month’s notice before they run out altogether. That awareness needs to be there,” he said.
‘Reasonable prices’
Farmers in the south are willing to supply fodder to those in difficulties, the president noted.
“We’ve all experienced fodder shortages at some point; we are sympathetic to those in difficulties. Barring the odd story, nobody is looking for astronomical prices.”
ICSA Cavan chairman, Hugh Farrell, also spoke on the issue, stressing that ICSA’s mission is to assist as many local farmers as possible.
Fodder levels are chronically low due to the atrocious weather conditions we experienced in the border counties during the autumn months.
“It is imperative we get to grips with the situation now,” the chairman said.
Of the total number in attendance at the meeting, only 3% had sufficient fodder for the winter, Farrell claimed.
“People are in a bad way with stress as well,” Farrell said, adding that such shortages can really put a strain on farmers’ mental health.
Cavan chairman Hugh Farrell with Michael Davey of Specialist Nutrition
Farrell also highlighted the desperate need for a transport subsidy, noting that it would cost €3,000 to bring over a load of bales from France.
A farmer in Cork phoned Farrell recently, offering 500-600t of silage for €10-€15/t; transport would cost an additional €20/t.
On the evening, there was a lot of interest in the proposal by nutritionist Emmet Duffy, of AW Ennis.
He suggested that the government should subsidise products such as alfalfa, lucerne or straw pellets – ideal for inclusion in fodder stretcher mixes.
A subsidy of €50/t could make a decisive difference. These products can provide an efficient alternative to the high cost of transporting bales which are scarce to begin with.
Concluding, Kent said: “We have to look for smart and efficient solutions which can be delivered at short notice. It’s time for shoulders to be put to the wheel and deliver urgent practical solutions without delay.”
He also urged farmers to try to feed their livestock a balanced diet. The ICSA is currently liaising with the Irish Grain Growers Group to help farmers source feed to stretch their fodder.
Counties across the country have been paired up in an effort to combat the current fodder crisis facing farmers.
The emergency fodder initiative was launched by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) today.
IFA president Joe Healy announced that the IFA will mobilise its national county and branch network to support farmers who are worst affected by the problem.
Counties have been twinned with a view to identifying farmers who are in a position to contribute feed and so that fodder can be transported to areas in need.
Commenting on the initiative, Healy said: “It is disappointing that the minister has, to date, failed to support a meal voucher system – which we strongly believe would have been the best and most efficient solution.
We are now seeking a commitment from the minister to fund the cost of transporting the fodder to the areas in need as part of this interim initiative.
The initiative is designed to provide fodder for those in dire need in the coming weeks, in order to get them over Christmas and the new year, Healy added.
As part of the initiative, county chairmen and branch officers that are in areas of the country that are not affected to the same extent with the fodder crisis will identify farmers who are prepared to provide even small amounts of feed – at a reasonable agreed fixed price.
Image source: IFA
This initiative was drawn up by the IFA at the recent National Council meeting.
It is expected that IFA officers in the areas most affected by the fodder crisis will work closely with Teagasc and the local district veterinary office (DVO) to identify the farmers currently in critical need of fodder.
It is hoped that county chairmen in counties or regions with feed to contribute will link up with their counterparts in the areas requiring feed, to organise delivery and distribution of the fodder to farmers who are currently in urgent need of feed.
The IFA outlined that county chairs in the worst affected counties met with the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed, and attended the recent fodder action meeting in Sligo; but there has yet to be a tangible outcome to these meetings, according to the IFA.
