Silage shortage

Green&Red

The journal reckons there going to be a famine this winter. I'd say this week has saved a few lads, see a good bit of silage being cut.
I had a few bales left over from last year, we're not really set up for bales so I put them on the local paper, a load of lads looking for them. Gave them to my neighbour for €25 apiece but I'd say you'd get a lot more.
There'll be a lot of lads looking for a fine spring by the looks of it

AntrimGlens

There was a farm auction here two weekends ago and there were fifty or so bales of silage for sale. It nearly came to a boxing match and the auction had to be stopped. The opening bid was £20 next bid was £22, first bidder came back with £25 and second bidder came in with £40. First bidder went apoplectic and shouting he only wanted 20 or so bales and why the fook should he have to pay over the top when he only wanted a few. Got really heated and the man who was selling them had to step in to say he was withdrawing them from sale. Dunno how it finished up, but the lack of fodder here is already causing a lot of anxiety and stress. I know the chairman of a farm support organisation and he says they’re inundated with calls from farmers wondering what they’ll do.

Mooooo

Any lads short if they can't get silage stock in shouId start supplementing straight away to stretch it and try to resist going back over paddocks grazed in Oct. If spring comes alright at least there will be something to let them out to. Straw is short as well so perhaps try and find a substitute for bedding and keep as much straw to add for roughage if worst comes to worst

Bass Reeves

Lads should look at things like Palm Kernal or soyahulls depending on stock rather than nuts or ration. Some of these can be bought in loads for sub 200/ton. saw a figure for hulls taht was at around 170/ton. Even adding barley would still give a ration for sub 200/ton. Both Kernal and hulls can be fed at high rates with little side issues.

Never wrestle with pigs

Allot of extra silage down in the south east. If ye are very short up north it might be worth organising a lorry load or two between one or two lads this side of Christmas.

kollegeknight

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Lads should look at things like Palm Kernal or soyahulls depending on stock rather than nuts or ration. Some of these can be bought in loads for sub 200/ton. saw a figure for hulls taht was at around 170/ton. Even adding barley would still give a ration for sub 200/ton. Both Kernal and hulls can be fed at high rates with little side issues.

Where would you get stuff like that? I pay 5,50 for a 20kg bag of oats at moment

Bass Reeves

kollegeknight wrote: »

Where would you get stuff like that? I pay 5,50 for a 20kg bag of oats at moment

That is a rob for barley. I know that Dairygold co-op do barley in small bags for sub 220/ton. Most millers should be able to give you a price on such mixes. I suppose a lot depends on quanity but if you are able to handle 3ish ton the prices I showed above are doable. I think you are in Clare. I imagine that DG deliver up there, you could also get a quote from Kerry group. But DOC and Roches feeds in Limerick would be worth a shout to price if you are buying a bit this winter.

Lads going into co-op or merchants a few bags at a time are being screwed. If you were willing to take a pallet (usually 70 bags or 1.75ton) you get it delivered cheaper into the yard instead of going to the co-op Saturday morning to collect a few bags

Bass Reeves

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Allot of extra silage down in the south east. If ye are very short up north it might be worth organising a lorry load or two between one or two lads this side of Christmas.

Transport is the killer. It is over 5 euro/bale of straw. Silage will be half the number of bales/lorry at least so transport will be hitting 15/bale.

Mooooo

Bass Reeves wrote: »

That is a rob for barley. I know that Dairygold co-op do barley in small bags for sub 220/ton. Most millers should be able to give you a price on such mixes. I suppose a lot depends on quanity but if you are able to handle 3ish ton the prices I showed above are doable. I think you are in Clare. I imagine that DG deliver up there, you could also get a quote from Kerry group. But DOC and Roches feeds in Limerick would be worth a shout to price if you are buying a bit this winter.

Lads going into co-op or merchants a few bags at a time are being screwed. If you were willing to take a pallet (usually 70 bags or 1.75ton) you get it delivered cheaper into the yard instead of going to the co-op Saturday morning to collect a few bags

Dairygold sometimes offer bulk prices for ration in tonne bags also so worth checking out

Buford T. Justice XIX

Mooooo wrote: »

Dairygold sometimes offer bulk prices for ration in tonne bags also so worth checking out

Text from Kerry today with pellets/coarse in bulk or big bags for stretching feed.

darragh_haven

Was talking to a friend of mine and he was wondering would I sell him up to 50 bales. Told him we pre-sell in April before bales are made. But we have zero-grazed grass for sale. Said no as "shur it's full of water" .
If he took a load a day he'd save himself 5 bales a day. They'll be licking concrete in February instead

lakill Farm

Some lads never learn.

darragh_haven wrote: »

Was talking to a friend of mine and he was wondering would I sell him up to 50 bales. Told him we pre-sell in April before bales are made. But we have zero-grazed grass for sale. Said no as "shur it's full of water" .
If he took a load a day he'd save himself 5 bales a day. They'll be licking concrete in February instead

visatorro

Seen silage mowed today

liam7831

Seen silane mowed in Cavan yesterday

Lady Haywire

Even some mowed and baled near Mohill yesterday! Field it's in is normally pitted but obv not an option this year.

mayota

Trick or treat.

jimini0

mayota wrote: »

Trick or treat.

Joe was a few weeks behind this year

Nekarsulm

Fellow mowed 12 acres beside me yesterday. Absolutely pissed down for 45 minutes on it today. Not what you'd need.

Have 35 sat in the corner of a field, visible from the road. 2 lads have already contacted me to see if I'll sell them.

AntrimGlens

Saw bales being made today in the pissing rain. Had rained since about 6 this morning on it. They were using a soft hands to lift them and couldn’t get them onto the trailer. Grass was so wet it wouldn’t form into a bale and sliding through the paddles. There must have been a dozen or so bales with the plastic ripped to bits sitting like pancakes. Soul destroying.

Markcheese

At this stage there can't be much sugar left in grass, will it hold in the bales? (even if it were dry)...

Willfarman

The logical solution would be to send the cattle down south lads

lakill Farm

Only way to manage bales like that is the tines with the rollers on them that support the bales from underneath

AntrimGlens wrote: »

Saw bales being made today in the pissing rain. Had rained since about 6 this morning on it. They were using a soft hands to lift them and couldn’t get them onto the trailer. Grass was so wet it wouldn’t form into a bale and sliding through the paddles. There must have been a dozen or so bales with the plastic ripped to bits sitting like pancakes. Soul destroying.

_Brian

Lucky dips are making €38 collected round here.

Neighbor has a field down to be naked today.
It’s weeks past cutting and the field is cut to ribbons.
But when there’s snow on the ground the cows will be glad of it.

kollegeknight

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Text from Kerry today with pellets/coarse in bulk or big bags for stretching feed.

Bit of a logistics question, do these crowds load the bulk bag into the back of a caddy van?

Liffey mills in Ennis said they didn’t.

I don’t have a hitch or trailer license. I only expect to use 2-3tonne max. But wouldn’t have storage for that bar I have access to large commercial wheelie bins.

Mooooo

kollegeknight wrote: »

But of a logistics question, do these crowds load the bulk bag into the back of a van?

Liffey mills in Ennis said they didn’t.

I don’t have a hitch or trailer license. I only expect to use 2-3tonne max. But wouldn’t have storage for that bar I have access to large commercial wheelie bins.

Get it delivered?

kollegeknight

Mooooo wrote: »

Get it delivered?

Saw I ordered 3tonne of loose nuts/oats/barley, that would be for the whole winter- how many commercial wheelie bins would I need. I’ve no concept of how big those quantities are. We only ever dealt with 25kg bags and they do cost a fortune.

lab man

kollegeknight wrote:

Saw I ordered 3tonne of loose nuts/oats/barley, that would be for the whole winter- how many commercial wheelie bins would I need. I’ve no concept of how big those quantities are. We only ever dealt with 25kg bags and they do cost a fortune.

I sent a pm there kollegeknight

Timmaay

kollegeknight wrote: »

Saw I ordered 3tonne of loose nuts/oats/barley, that would be for the whole winter- how many commercial wheelie bins would I need. I’ve no concept of how big those quantities are. We only ever dealt with 25kg bags and they do cost a fortune.

Get them to deliver a ton bag, which comes in at about 600kg of nuts.

Mooooo

kollegeknight wrote: »

Saw I ordered 3tonne of loose nuts/oats/barley, that would be for the whole winter- how many commercial wheelie bins would I need. I’ve no concept of how big those quantities are. We only ever dealt with 25kg bags and they do cost a fortune.

You could order one tonne at a time. Do you have anywhere dry where it could be dropped?. Would be the size of a normal pallet.

IH784man

Shows that when you think you'll have enough silage,any extra field available for silage should be taken when you have the chance

Nekarsulm

kollegeknight wrote: »

Saw I ordered 3tonne of loose nuts/oats/barley, that would be for the whole winter- how many commercial wheelie bins would I need. I’ve no concept of how big those quantities are. We only ever dealt with 25kg bags and they do cost a fortune.

3 ton would roughly fit in four to five of those 1000 litre plastic cube containers.
Get more than a ton at a time and you would run the risk of mould setting in.

Bass Reeves

kollegeknight wrote: »

Saw I ordered 3tonne of loose nuts/oats/barley, that would be for the whole winter- how many commercial wheelie bins would I need. I’ve no concept of how big those quantities are. We only ever dealt with 25kg bags and they do cost a fortune.

If 3 ton is what you required for winter consider either getting the ton bags or buying by the pallet. You will need to have an area to store it. For that you will need to make sure you can control vermin.That means that birds cannot access it and you can keep rats out/at bay.
To keep the rats at bay put out poision( best way is putting wire through poision blocks and tying through a 3-4'' pipe I find the plastic centers off bales very good for this size and lenfght wise) 2-3 weeks before delivery to remove them from equation and keep poision out after that.

You will have to take it in 2-3 lots to prevent mould so you will eith have to get a mix off the mill or go with barley and or hulls in ton bags(half ton net)

_Brian

kollegeknight wrote: »

Saw I ordered 3tonne of loose nuts/oats/barley, that would be for the whole winter- how many commercial wheelie bins would I need. I’ve no concept of how big those quantities are. We only ever dealt with 25kg bags and they do cost a fortune.

We use IBC for meal, I’d say topped out it holds 850kg

We bring it to local merchant and have it filled there, lift it off with loader at home.

kk.man

_Brian wrote: »

kollegeknight wrote: »

Saw I ordered 3tonne of loose nuts/oats/barley, that would be for the whole winter- how many commercial wheelie bins would I need. I’ve no concept of how big those quantities are. We only ever dealt with 25kg bags and they do cost a fortune.

We use IBC for meal, I’d say topped out it holds 850kg

We bring it to local merchant and have it filled there, lift it off with loader at home.

As a matter of interest...how do ye seal the top to keep it vermin proof?

_Brian

We don’t.
The piece we cut out fits on loosely and keeps birds out.

Two good cats keep vermin away.

Been using the IBC for years for both meal, and one for barley, never once found any vermin in it.

K.G.

bought a jfc meal bin that holds 600 kg plus and its an absolute gift.i either get it filled at the mill or out of the bin and take it over to the slatted house in the winter or put by the calves trough during the summer.no more drawing bags and either me or the young lads can feed any time im passing or they can do it with their bikes.no messing with waste bags or big bags

Never wrestle with pigs

K.G. wrote: »

bought a jfc meal bin that holds 600 kg plus and its an absolute gift.i either get it filled at the mill or out of the bin and take it over to the slatted house in the winter or put by the calves trough during the summer.no more drawing bags and either me or the young lads can feed any time im passing or they can do it with their bikes.no messing with waste bags or big bags

I have the same. They are deadly. Onto the bale carrier and down to the coop to fill up in a few minutes. Like you said you can leave it out in the field beside the trough also.

jd06

Never wrestle with pigs wrote:

I have the same. They are deadly. Onto the bale carrier and down to the coop to fill up in a few minutes. Like you said you can leave it out in the field beside the trough also.

Don't mean to be nosy just wondering what price are they

charolais0153

jd06 wrote: »

Don't mean to be nosy just wondering what price are they

About 250 euro or so

Robson99

Lads fearing they will be short on silage have 2 options
Sell some stock or buy expensive fodder.
IMO baled silage is uneconomical once you go above € 25 per bale unless you are buying top class stuff. Lads would be much better supplementing what the have with barley at € 185 / ton.
Personally I think cattle will be well back in the marts in Feb / March

whelan2

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

I have the same. They are deadly. Onto the bale carrier and down to the coop to fill up in a few minutes. Like you said you can leave it out in the field beside the trough also.

Are they really vermin proof. Would have a heart attack if a rat jumped out

lakill Farm

whelan2 wrote: »

Are they really vetmin proof. Would have a heart attack if a rat jumped out

No. They aren’t.

I found a tiny tiny mouse in one 2 years ago. He was lovely.

Truth. Think he got loaded at meal depo.

3 jfc tubs for 4&5 years. No wet meal no vermin

GrasstoMilk

Robson99 wrote: »

Lads fearing they will be short on silage have 2 options
Sell some stock or buy expensive fodder.
IMO baled silage is uneconomical once you go above € 25 per bale unless you are buying top class stuff. Lads would be much better supplementing what the have with barley at € 185 / ton.
Personally I think cattle will be well back in the marts in Feb / March

Selling is not an option really. Lads will be screwed to the boards next year when it's time to pay this years tax and they have all the money from the stock sitting in the account and nothing down with it until March of next year

Robson99

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Selling is not an option really. Lads will be screwed to the boards next year when it's time to pay this years tax and they have all the money from the stock sitting in the account and nothing down with it until March of next year

Well then they have the second option. Buy the feed and get on with it now not in spring

lakill Farm

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Selling is not an option really. Lads will be screwed to the boards next year when it's time to pay this years tax and they have all the money from the stock sitting in the account and nothing down with it until March of next year

Nah. You go and buy 300 ton of fertiliser.

GrasstoMilk

lakill Farm wrote: »

Nah. You go and buy 300 ton of fertiliser.

What does a lad with 50 acres and maybe 50 hd of livestock do with 300 tonne of fert

lakill Farm

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

What does a lad with 50 acres and maybe 50 hd of livestock do with 300 tonne of fert

He returns it to co op on first January. And then later in year has the money for cattle. #taxbill sorted

Lady Haywire

lakill Farm wrote: »

He returns it to co op on first January. And then later in year has the money for cattle. #taxbill sorted

GrasstoMilk

lakill Farm wrote: »

He returns it to co op on first January. And then later in year has the money for cattle. #taxbill sorted

Haha good luck with that

RightTurnClyde

lakill Farm wrote: »

Nah. You go and buy 300 ton of fertiliser.

Had an audit last year, revenue have twigged that fert can’t be spread in Nov and Dec!!

lakill Farm

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Had an audit last year, revenue have twigged that fert can’t be spread in Nov and Dec!!

If it’s an legitimate expense can’t see why they would have an issue.

It’s just forward buying when it suits cashflow.

Not many using silage and straw in August but still cut it and buy bales for later in the year.