Fodder Crisis

Donald Trump

BENDYBINN wrote: »

In any other business a company would always have an adequate reserve of a scarce raw material.................farmers on the other hand........as sure it’ll be grand.

And, as you know, with these big margins of profits fellas are making rearing beef, shure can't they afford to make a few spare months of silage, then store it for the winter, and then dump it when it's not used and goes off a few years later?


It's not as if it's expensive to make either is it?

charolais0153

Donald Trump wrote: »

And, as you know, with these big margins of profits fellas are making rearing beef, shure can't they afford to make a few spare months of silage, then store it for the winter, and then dump it when it's not used and goes off a few years later?


It's not as if it's expensive to make either is it?

How does it go off. Use the year old stuff first. Btw ive seen 7 year old bales being all eaten by weanlings also so its not as if they go rotten quickly

Donald Trump

charolais0153 wrote: »

How does it go off. Use the year old stuff first. Btw ive seen 7 year old bales being all eaten by weanlings also so its not as if they go rotten quickly

As you alluded to, it depends on what you are feeding it to.

No point feeding lower quality stuff and then pumping meal into dairy cows to make up for it.


It will keep a bit better if you have plenty of wraps on them and don't have them stacked too high - grand if you leave them singly on their flat ends. That's not an option when you are making hundreds or thousands of them. Generally I see it stacked 4 high around here. The bottom ones get squished out of shape and usually don't keep as well. The plastic will also perish and degrade over time due to weather and you'll get little nicks and cut maybe from unwanted visitors crawling around it or landing on top of them. As air gets into the bale, it's obviously going to start going off.



Also, space reasons might not permit being able to access the old stuff easily. You might have to stack the new stuff in front of it (or even around it).


If you want a buffer that will keep for a few years, make a bit of nice hay. You'll just need the shed to store it in!



Unless you want to bury it like these fellas - https://www.thatsfarming.com/videos/two-decade-silage-video - although I'd imagine the weather has a lot to do with it keeping a bit better there!

Gawddawggonnit

Odelay wrote: »

Few business would have a 6 month supply stored. Very few are at the whim of nature.

I do.

I always keep 6mts forage in stock and neighbors who’ve no irrigation always keep a years supply in stock.

The Gov bailed out farmers here in ‘76 and never again, even in ‘16, which was as bad, nobody ran short...

We feed grass, maize, sorghum, clover, lucerne, wheat, peas and vetch silages, so we’re not dependent on one single crop, ie grass.
I honestly would have lots more exposure to drought in cereals etc without having to worry about stock being hungry.
Keep enough in reserve, simples.

GrasstoMilk

Get the mowers ready!

Donald Trump

Gawddawggonnit wrote: »

I do.

I always keep 6mts forage in stock and neighbors who’ve no irrigation always keep a years supply in stock.

The Gov bailed out farmers here in ‘76 and never again, even in ‘16, which was as bad, nobody ran short...

We feed grass, maize, sorghum, clover, lucerne, wheat, peas and vetch silages, so we’re not dependent on one single crop, ie grass.
I honestly would have lots more exposure to drought in cereals etc without having to worry about stock being hungry.
Keep enough in reserve, simples.

Where are you located?


Your neighbours have enough forage saved and stored to feed all their stock for the next 12 months in case nothing grew this year...and you currently have 6 months?

whelan2

Donald Trump wrote: »

Where are you located?


Your neighbours have enough forage saved and stored to feed all their stock for the next 12 months in case nothing grew this year...and you currently have 6 months?

He's in France

Keep Sluicing

Donald Trump wrote: »

Where are you located?


Your neighbours have enough forage saved and stored to feed all their stock for the next 12 months in case nothing grew this year...and you currently have 6 months?

Currently, I'd have 4 months fodder left, and I'm in West Cork. Dawg is in France.

Donald Trump

whelan2 wrote: »

He's in France

Sure it's not comparable then.

The Nutty M

Donald Trump wrote: »

Sure it's not comparable then.

If someone told you he was in the Golden Vale you'd have the same response. You've your mind made up that having a 6 month + buffer of extra feed is not doable in Ireland.

There's lads in Mayo with 6 months + of extra feed in their yard at the moment but sure,that's probably not comparable either. Some people might be a bit better at managing than others,a better off farm income that can pay for it,etc. But it can be done in any part of Ireland.

Donald Trump

The Nutty M wrote: »

If someone told you he was in the Golden Vale you'd have the same response. You've your mind made up that having a 6 month + buffer of extra feed is not doable in Ireland.

There's lads in Mayo with 6 months + of extra feed in their yard at the moment but sure,that's probably not comparable either. Some people might be a bit better at managing than others,a better off farm income that can pay for it,etc. But it can be done in any part of Ireland.

Who said it wasn't doable? That's silly. If you want to have 6 months fodder left at the end of next winter then the answer is simple - make all your silage and hay as normal between now and the end of the year, then sell all your stock. Hey presto you'll have 6 months fodder left if you restock next March.


Nobody is saying it wouldn't be doable - just that it's not practical or realistic to do so. Fair enough for a hobby farmer.

Danzy

BENDYBINN wrote: »

In any other business a company would always have an adequate reserve of a scarce raw material.................farmers on the other hand........as sure it’ll be grand.

You ever here of just in time supply chain in business.

If business kept reserves as gererous like farmers do they'd be collapsing left and right.

With cash flow and cost issues.

The equivalent of 8 hours in a 4 to 6 month winter was imported in the fodder crisis.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Donald Trump wrote: »

Who said it wasn't doable? That's silly. If you want to have 6 months fodder left at the end of next winter then the answer is simple - make all your silage and hay as normal between now and the end of the year, then sell all your stock. Hey presto you'll have 6 months fodder left if you restock next March.


Nobody is saying it wouldn't be doable - just that it's not practical or realistic to do so. Fair enough for a hobby farmer.

My BIL has a years supply of silage in the yard at the start of every grazing season. On heavy ground, mostly peat(and that would be the good land), he has to have that level of silage in case of years like last year. He sells surplus stock until he builds up a full 12 months again.

Fair play to lads on heavy ground, it's a trial most years, but they still make a good living out of it.

Donald Trump

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

My BIL has a years supply of silage in the yard at the start of every grazing season. On heavy ground, mostly peat(and that would be the good land), he has to have that level of silage in case of years like last year. He sells surplus stock until he builds up a full 12 months again.

Fair play to lads on heavy ground, it's a trial most years, but they still make a good living out of it.

I'd say he's an outlier. Can you put it into numbers for us? Bale numbers or pit size? If he only has a small amount like 1 or 2 hundred bales then maybe it's feasible.



He could have sold a heap of it January 12 months ago and made a fortune.



Also when you say 12 months supply, you mean enough to get him through the following year rather than a 12-months reserve (which would mean enough to last for 12 months if the grass never grew at all for the year which is what the fella in France alluded to)

Timmaay

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

My BIL has a years supply of silage in the yard at the start of every grazing season. On heavy ground, mostly peat(and that would be the good land), he has to have that level of silage in case of years like last year. He sells surplus stock until he builds up a full 12 months again.

Fair play to lads on heavy ground, it's a trial most years, but they still make a good living out of it.

Just working out here, assuming each kgdm of silage is worth 12.5c, for 100cow herd that's 68grand worth of a silage inventory!

Gawddawggonnit

Donald Trump wrote: »

I'd say he's an outlier. Can you put it into numbers for us? Bale numbers or pit size? If he only has a small amount like 1 or 2 hundred bales then maybe it's feasible.



He could have sold a heap of it January 12 months ago and made a fortune.



Also when you say 12 months supply, you mean enough to get him through the following year rather than a 12-months reserve (which would mean enough to last for 12 months if the grass never grew at all for the year which is what the fella in France alluded to)

Indeed.

Nice handle. Really suits.

Gawddawggonnit

Close the thread please mods.

Fodder crisis has shrunk from 10 hours to 8 hours deficit...

Just close it!

Markcheese

Timmaay wrote: »

Just working out here, assuming each kgdm of silage is worth 12.5c, for 100cow herd that's 68grand worth of a silage inventory!

Well, I suppose each farm is different, but if fodder shortages are going to be a once or twice in 10 / 15 year type of thing, then fodder is GOING to have to be built up to cover that... Yes you can buy in ration to buffer, but if you have 100 milking cows, you'll need a minimum fodder level for 100 cows for your farms worst case scenario...

cute geoge

All i will remember about last year was not a bite of grass there in mid july ,cattle eating into the dwindling silage stocks ,feed mills running 24/7and lads come on here and will say we only needed to import 8 hours feed!!!
Lads were in dire straights only for the mighty weather last fall and this spring but that is all forgotten now !!!

Buford T. Justice XIX

Donald Trump wrote: »

I'd say he's an outlier. Can you put it into numbers for us? Bale numbers or pit size? If he only has a small amount like 1 or 2 hundred bales then maybe it's feasible.



He could have sold a heap of it January 12 months ago and made a fortune.



Also when you say 12 months supply, you mean enough to get him through the following year rather than a 12-months reserve (which would mean enough to last for 12 months if the grass never grew at all for the year which is what the fella in France alluded to)

45 cows, replacements, calves and 20 head of dry stock.

And enough silage to feed the core stock, cows and replacements for a full 12 months without going outside.

And he's not an outlier in his area, most would have the bones of that in reserve every year, depending on the amount of good land they have. More good land, more likely to get out grazing so less silage in reserve..

Bass Reeves

Storing fodder cists money. The cost is not just in the making and carrying cost but also in the reduction i feed value. If you carry 50% of your feed over every year then tge feed value will be 3-5+ dmd in value less every year as well as spoilage due to vermin damage. As well you may have extra cost due to extra wrapping if using bales.

I just take the one in five year hit on the system. I intend over the next year or two to source straw or hay as a fibre source and use ration or straight as required. IMO it will cost tge same in the long run.

Buford T. Justice XIX

2 pits, Bass. Last years pit will be used this winter so no more than 18 months old when being opened.

I wouldn't see it as a cost in his system, more an insurance policy.

K.G.

Ran out of feed in the feb one winter 15 years ago a d never since. I did use everything one year _ if think it was 2016.i tend to buy when its offered to me.during 2013 i sent silage into a dozen yards but last year ifelt it was prudent to hold on to it.i have numbers that would make short work of silage if i was stuck for it.have s pit unopened here with a couple of years a d have just finished the big pit but i will buy bales for what is left to calve,seems to be plenty around

Sheep breeder

Donald Trump wrote: »

I'd say he's an outlier. Can you put it into numbers for us? Bale numbers or pit size? If he only has a small amount like 1 or 2 hundred bales then maybe it's feasible.



He could have sold a heap of it January 12 months ago and made a fortune.



Also when you say 12 months supply, you mean enough to get him through the following year rather than a 12-months reserve (which would mean enough to last for 12 months if the grass never grew at all for the year which is what the fella in France alluded to)

What Buford is saying like most people here saying is you have to match your land and your feed requirements. When you are on land of mixed quality it’s totally different to top class land, here we have had frost at night for the last ten days and very little growth. As regards having reserves of feed stored , that is called planning for the rainy day. If you don’t plan what are you going to do when you run out of feed.
This year we have fed bales from 2014 to 2018 and glad to have them after a bad drought in this area.

yosemitesam1

cute geoge wrote: »

All i will remember about last year was not a bite of grass there in mid july ,cattle eating into the dwindling silage stocks ,feed mills running 24/7and lads come on here and will say we only needed to import 8 hours feed!!!
Lads were in dire straights only for the mighty weather last fall and this spring but that is all forgotten now !!!

Was that 8 hours feed the total forage imported or the forage that qualified for subsidies?

grassroot1

While it would be difficult to keep an extra 100% of our silage requirements we probably do need a buffer stock to future proof our systems
Easier done for some than others.

Timmaay

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/video-all-systems-go-with-silage-2019-at-dublin-airport/

Oh thank god, just in time the lads are mowing the airport to avert another fodder crisis!

kk.man

Timmaay wrote: »

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/video-all-systems-go-with-silage-2019-at-dublin-airport/

Oh thank god, just in time the lads are mowing the airport to avert another fodder crisis!

I woundering who gets the silage?
I say the DAA pay the contractors to cut it and thus it must be free to a good home!
There be little N in it anyway.

roosterman71

Timmaay wrote: »

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/video-all-systems-go-with-silage-2019-at-dublin-airport/

Oh thank god, just in time the lads are mowing the airport to avert another fodder crisis!

It annoys me much more than it should that yer man with the green trailer in the video is being filled from the wrong bloody side

Jb1989

roosterman71 wrote: »

It annoys me much more than it should that yer man with the green trailer in the video is being filled from the wrong bloody side

Common enough to do on the high side to pound in,