Fodder Crisis

PeterCasey

leg wax wrote: »

i think if they drain and clean out the river shannon the river will then lower and the surrounding water tables will all drop for a very large portion of the west.

They are saying that for years, I remember my Father was involved with ifa you could here talking about getting the Shannon drained that was the early 1970s.

Say my name

Waffletraktor wrote: »

Some of the guys who've been at what he's at for a while have started to find the straw/thrash is causing a build up of excess OM and a nutrient bridge as straw choppers can spread well enough. Discs can't spread it so they all need to go back grubbing with ducks foot points.

He did bale up some of it this year and off the field before the cover crops went in. Which was usual. So maybe lessons learned from others? Not sure where it went or if it'll be coming back.

Waffletraktor

Say my name wrote: »

He did bale up some of it this year and off the field before the cover crops went in. Which was usual. So maybe lessons learned from others? Not sure where it went or if it'll be coming back.

Nah this was 10/15 years down the line, due to high volumes of plant material than where guys were getting their info it caused a build up of excess carbon rich material which tied up any N but also concentrated nutrients in 6-8m bands of a 8,10 or 12m controlled traffic system.
It was too hard to get delicate plants growing(soon post harvest) without cultivation at angles to spread the residue which defeated the purpose of ctf. And now with them running a 25-27ton quaddie depending on weights they will go down the subsoiling route even on strict ctf unless they have the helium 1,000 ballons option specced up. Never mind the rest of their kit being big and heavy in wet irish conditions. There is only one way to do straw bales and that's still chopping headlands and then a superchaser/round bale chaser type machine.

Birdnuts

Muckit wrote: »

I would agree. This is something that really needs tackling. I am also of the belief that when BnM stop peat harvesting this will also help things. There needs to be natural 'sponges' and flood plains.

Dealing with the peat silt issue from BNM bogs ie restoring these natural sponges as you say and getting rid of Ardnacrusha would solve most of the problems. Anything else would be a waste of money when it comes to a river with the scale and shallow topography of the Shannon. One lad I knew from college who went on to become a hydrologist told me recently that consultants have warned the government after the 2015 floods to stop encouraging increased drainage of farmland near major rivers/lakes as it would force more water into towns/cities during major flood events

whelan2

My neighbour is feeding bales that he wouldnt sell in the spring of 2013. Beside those bales are other bales he made in the same field each year since , in 1 cut. Land was never grazed from one cut to another and baler sat in field one year until the next year he mowed it. Would love to know the quality of those bales. He didnt make any bales in it in 2017 at all , so just idle since 2016

Willfarman

The stock would tell you the quality., i take its hay?

whelan2

Willfarman wrote: »

The stock would tell you the quality., i take its hay?

no , silage bales

Bullocks

whelan2 wrote: »

My neighbour is feeding bales that he wouldnt sell in the spring of 2013. Beside those bales are other bales he made in the same field each year since , in 1 cut. Land was never grazed from one cut to another and baler sat in field one year until the next year he mowed it. Would love to know the quality of those bales. He didnt make any bales in it in 2017 at all , so just idle since 2016

There is a world of difference in silage quality , at least he is keeping the crap to himself and not selling it on for 35 euro

Willfarman

5 year old bales of silage!! Lord jaysus they'd have to be muck.

Keepgrowing

Dead serious question. I've bought silage as I may be short of feed. Not certain but covering my ass.

Am I entitled to the transport subsidy?

Buford T. Justice XIX

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Dead serious question. I've bought silage as I may be short of feed. Not certain but covering my ass.

Am I entitled to the transport subsidy?

Not unless it's bales from more than 100kms away, i think?

Water John

Two qualify points might catch. Think you have to be in the West and transport over 100km.
That might depend on what road you take!!

whelan2

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Not unless it's bales from more than 100kms away, i think?

Is it not only for people in the west?

alps

100km gone now as well..your teagasc rep has to sign off on it...(I think)

jimini0

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Dead serious question. I've bought silage as I may be short of feed. Not certain but covering my ass.

Am I entitled to the transport subsidy?

Was talking to a fella who Was at a meeting last week in local aurivo. To qualify for subsidy you have to order from them and pay price of bale and they sort the transport and get subsidy

The Rabbi

Willfarman wrote: »

5 year old bales of silage!! Lord jaysus they'd have to be muck.

That type of old grass cut once a year when it is in seed preserves alright and it holds its shape.Personally wouldn't like to be buying it and hauling it far.I would prefer it to a wet Oct/Nov bale.

Reggie.

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Not unless it's bales from more than 100kms away, i think?

And bought from a coop

ganmo

Willfarman wrote: »

5 year old bales of silage!! Lord jaysus they'd have to be muck.

Fed some 3yo bales this winter and they weren’t too bad, they did prefer the 2yo ones though

Buford T. Justice XIX

Reggie. wrote: »

And bought from a coop

Is it? Didn't follow it after the announcement so only read a few headlines.

memorystick

What are bales making in the midlands? Sold some this evening at €25 per bale. He's a sound lad and it's enough for them. I think the total cost for manure, contractor and plastic is €17 per bale.

kk.man

memorystick wrote: »

What are bales making in the midlands? Sold some this evening at €25 per bale. He's a sound lad and it's enough for them. I think the total cost for manure, contractor and plastic is €17 per bale.

You must be joking...do your sums 25e is just about break even on silage bales.

Reggie.

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Is it? Didn't follow it after the announcement so only read a few headlines.

Yeah I think they had to be sourced through a coop aswell as 100km distance

Bullocks

Doubt you would qualify kg
The Fodder Transport Support Measure remains bogged down in rule confusion.

The Department of Agriculture has stated that the scheme is “not area-specific”, but farmers in Roscommon have been told that they are ineligible for the scheme because their county is not listed.

“My planner certified that I was 250 bales short, but they’ve been told by the Department that Roscommon isn’t in the scheme,” one farmer from north Roscommon told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The farmer’s adviser added: “I was told [on Tuesday] by the Direct Payment Section that Roscommon is not on the list of eligible counties.

“There’s a load of farmers in the area who would be short of fodder, with over 20 completing fodder budgets just with us.”

Speaking in Charleville on Monday night, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said: “It’s in black and white – the scheme is not area-specific.”

The published terms and conditions of the scheme do not include any list of counties.

On Tuesday, the Irish Farmers Journal understood that only farmers short of fodder in Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, west Cavan, west Clare, Galway and Mayo were eligible to apply for the scheme, and Roscommon was under consideration.

Certain counties

“The fodder scheme is only available in certain counties, but the consensus of the meeting was that the scheme should be extended to Monaghan and Roscommon,” Teagasc regional manager Con Feighery told the Irish Farmers Journal following a meeting between ICSA and Teagasc on Friday.

“The Department will base its decisions on fodder budgets completed by farmers, but they haven’t indicated a particular number that’s required.

“If it’s decided that a whole county doesn’t warrant the scheme, then the Department will roll it out according to DEDs (District Electoral Divisions).”

ICSA’s Gabriel Gilmartin said Teagasc staff had a list of 70 Longford and Roscommon farmers who would be in serious fodder trouble by St Patrick’s Day.

Read more

‘It is county specific' - ICSA uproar over fodder scheme eligibility

Fodder scheme a ‘pure shambles’ and ‘impracticable’

wiggy123

charged €30 at present for bales, up in north east-what folks paying

Never wrestle with pigs

Bought 50 for €20, haylage, that's from my contractor, mchale bales

wiggy123

my uncle sold me these--asked 30, not get that! fire him 20 a bale at most

BENDYBINN

wiggy123 wrote: »

my uncle sold me these--asked 30, not get that! fire him 20 a bale at most

That’s you out of the will!

memorystick

kk.man wrote: »

You must be joking...do your sums 25e is just about break even on silage bales.

I checked it and stand over it.

TwoOldBoots

It sounds too good to be true but I heard of lads paying €50 per bale, I'm thinking of selling about 110 bales surplus which should net me enough cash to pay the contractor for next years silage!.

L1985

Did our maths and cost of bale was €20 so selling for €25. Put them up on donedeal a week ago (no photos) and not a single call. Renewed it and a lad is coming to take them. I was surprised thou as I had thought with the fodder crisis I'd have more interest. im in the sth east. So don't know how lads could get €50 a bale!!