Managing winter feeding a priority
Going into autumn, Beef + Lamb New Zealand is encouraging farmers to think about how they will manage their winter fodder crops – particularly in a year when feed resources are likely to be tight.
A fodder crisis is forcing Irish dairy farmers to buy feed from other farmers around the country.
Inter-farm trading of forages is growing as farmers replenish feed reserves for winter later this year and reduce a risk of a fodder shortage in future years.
Prolonged rain and colder-than-average weather since the end of the summer in July 2017 is affecting grass growth.
Figures from the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority (Teagasc) show that growth to date in 2018 has averaged 770kg DM/ha; the five-year average for the corresponding period is 1359kg DM/ha.
Teagasc says the fodder crisis is challenging the industry to find innovative solutions; seed suppliers, merchants, farm advisors and farmers are moving fast to secure fodder supplies for next winter. One new idea is to have an intermediary help to link and facilitate farmer-to-farmer trade.
Teagasc says for at least a decade tillage and livestock farmers have been working together to grow and supply fodder, but with limited success.
A sustainable farm-to-farm trading system has not taken off for several reasons: tillage farmers are concerned about payment and delivery because this deviates from the merchant payment structure; livestock farmers are worried about quality, quantity and cost of the forage.
Teagasc is urging livestock farmers to complete a winter feed budget for the year ahead.
Tom O’Dwyer, head of dairy knowledge transfer in Teagasc, says this will help to identify gaps and where, or if, extra forage is needed.
“Many farms have more livestock than in other years, and not only is extra cover needed for these animals but a larger forage buffer is needed to cover potential adverse weather like this year.
“It is better to plan and make arrangements for the supply of additional quality fodder sooner rather than later,” O’Dwyer says.
“Trust plays a huge part when farmers are working together. Where there is trust and a written agreement discussed and signed by both parties these arrangements are successful.
“Sourcing maize close to the farm can be an issue, so farmers further apart may need to work together. In these cases the parties involved may not know each other initially, so a leap of faith is necessary.”
A brilliant result and great news for growers and regional economies. That's how horticulture sector leaders are describing the news that sector exports for the year ended June 30 will reach $8.4 billion - an increase of 19% on last year and is forecast to hit close to $10 billion in 2029.
Funding is proving crucial for predator control despite a broken model reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.
The debate around New Zealand's future in the Paris Agreement is heating up.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.