Fodder Crisis

Timmaay · 30-12-2018 11:53PM

Is maize to dry cows who are on restricted silage a compete waste ha. Got 30ft of maize in the front of the main pit here, which is loads for the fresh calvers in feb/mar, behind that I hit another 30ft of silage that will be needed sooner.

Keep Sluicing · 31-12-2018 12:35AM

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Was there a fodder crisis?
Is there a fodder crisis?

This spring it was that the fodder was available but not in the areas it was needed. Lots of alternative feeds available that are much better value than silage. I understand that forage is necessary but it doesn’t need to be 100%, 40% would be adequate.

I’d venture that what’s really happening is an income/cash crisis??

There's a cash crisis around West cork alright. Farmers cant get rid of cash fast enough.

Rotarty parlours, 30 unit herringbone, massive slatted sheds, new tractors, machinery purchased right, left and centre, under pass tunnels. It boom town. I've bales sold to lads that have them fully paid for and their still sitting in my yard.

Reggie. · 31-12-2018 12:36AM

Keep Sluicing wrote: »

There's a cash crisis around West cork alright. Farmers cant get rid of cash fast enough.

Rotarty parlours, 30 unit herringbone, massive slatted sheds, new tractors, machinery purchased right, left and centre, under pass tunnels. It boom town. I've bales sold to lads that have them fully paid for and their still sitting in my yard.

Is there room for another fella down there

Keep Sluicing · 31-12-2018 12:40AM

Reggie. wrote: »

I know of a pit of whole crop that is unusable. Was fed to cows and killed 7 milkers. When tested it was found to have mould. Couldn't be used after that.

Where was that. Is the pit of whole crop still there? The Ad plants up north would buy it.

Mooooo · 31-12-2018 12:45AM

Timmaay wrote: »

Is maize to dry cows who are on restricted silage a compete waste ha. Got 30ft of maize in the front of the main pit here, which is loads for the fresh calvers in feb/mar, behind that I hit another 30ft of silage that will be needed sooner.

To cows near calving or that are a bit thinner the extra energy would be no harm. Dry cow's here always get a bit of maize. Keep the minerals to em as well

Mooooo · 31-12-2018 12:45AM

Keep Sluicing wrote: »

Where was that. Is the pit of whole crop still there? The Ad plants up north would buy it.

What are the requirements on quality for the ad plants?

Keep Sluicing · 31-12-2018 12:51AM

Mooooo wrote: »

What are the requirements on quality for the ad plants?

They'll use any auld **** as long as there is a gas yield off it

Cattle slurry is put into them (and a lot worse stuff), so im sure slightly mouldy whole crop would be grand.

Reggie. · 31-12-2018 01:06AM

Keep Sluicing wrote: »

Where was that. Is the pit of whole crop still there? The Ad plants up north would buy it.

It's in roscommon. I'll do a bit of digging tomorrow

Keepgrowing · 31-12-2018 09:07AM

ellewood wrote: »

Thanks
Havent the numbers here for hulls or pke but local glanbia have pulp in stock loose so may look at that
Silage is very good and there flying through the pit have some bales I bought just before I got the pit as well so between it and 2kgs meal I have till early march

Would it be a big no no to let out some to clean off high covers before slurry in 2/3 weeks??

If you could let off milkers even for one milking. You could supplement in parlour and feed pulp and some maize meal in passage. 70:30 pulp:maize. We had no good silage for April 18 so rationed grass and fed hulls/maize at 6 kg in passage. Worked a dream. Brought cows in 1 hour early for feed

Dakota Dan · 31-12-2018 11:32AM

Keep Sluicing wrote: »

There's a cash crisis around West cork alright. Farmers cant get rid of cash fast enough.

Rotarty parlours, 30 unit herringbone, massive slatted sheds, new tractors, machinery purchased right, left and centre, under pass tunnels. It boom town. I've bales sold to lads that have them fully paid for and their still sitting in my yard.

But that isn’t a cash crisis.

memorystick · 01-01-2019 08:04PM

Fields getting green and grass jumping out of it. Land getting dry. Spring is in with a bang as the winter is truly over.

Markcheese · 01-01-2019 08:08PM

memorystick wrote: »

Fields getting green and grass jumping out of it. Land getting dry. Spring is in with a bang as the winter is truly over.

Where do you live?

Who2 · 01-01-2019 08:10PM

memorystick wrote: »

Fields getting green and grass jumping out of it. Land getting dry. Spring is in with a bang as the winter is truly over.

You must be still drinking from last night.

Ard_MC · 01-01-2019 08:29PM

memorystick wrote: »

Fields getting green and grass jumping out of it. Land getting dry. Spring is in with a bang as the winter is truly over.

I wouldnt be sayin that up here till the 2nd week in May!!

Water John · 01-01-2019 08:42PM

Getting it from Roscommon to NI should be feasible, artic loads, even to get rid of it without major loss.

Nekarsulm · 01-01-2019 08:56PM

Reggie. wrote: »

I know of a pit of whole crop that is unusable. Was fed to cows and killed 7 milkers. When tested it was found to have mould. Couldn't be used after that.

Chap I know off has lost most of his herd of cows to botulism.
About 30 found dead the first morning, and another 100 had to be shot over the next 48 hours.
Was grass silage too.
Broiler/ hen manure spread on the silage fields ....

whelan2 · 01-01-2019 08:57PM

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Chap I know off has lost most of his herd of cows to botulism.
About 30 found dead the first morning, and another 100 had to be shot over the next 48 hours.
Was grass silage too.

Recently?

Reggie. · 01-01-2019 08:59PM

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Chap I know off has lost most of his herd of cows to botulism.
About 30 found dead the first morning, and another 100 had to be shot over the next 48 hours.
Was grass silage too.
Broiler/ hen manure spread on the silage fields ....

****

Nekarsulm · 01-01-2019 09:00PM

whelan2 wrote: »

Recently?

A month ago, up in Fermanagh.
His brother is a sales rep. for a NI feed company, who calls here.

The Nutty M · 01-01-2019 09:17PM

Nekarsulm wrote: »

A month ago, up in Fermanagh.
His brother is a sales rep. for a NI feed company, who calls here.

That was the one on agriland I remember around October/November?

Mother of god.

This one.

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/devastating-outbreak-of-suspected-botulism-in-fermanagh/

Albert Johnson · 01-01-2019 09:26PM

memorystick wrote: »

Fields getting green and grass jumping out of it. Land getting dry. Spring is in with a bang as the winter is truly over.

The land is most certainly getting green and I have to remind myself constantly that it's now January. I don't think I've ever seen such an unbroken spell of mild weather at this time of year.
However I was always told growing up that the winter didn't start until after Christmas. I'm lucky in that I have used very little fodder due to the unseasonal mild weather.
Every good day from now on is definitely a bonus and I believe we are much better fixed than other years in this area at least. It is however a long time till the middle of May which usually brings an end to the foddering.

Reggie. · 01-01-2019 09:28PM

Albert Johnson wrote: »

The land is most certainly getting green and I have to remind myself constantly that it's now January. I don't think I've ever seen such an unbroken spell of mild weather at this time of year.
However I was always told growing up that the winter didn't start until after Christmas. I'm lucky in that I have used very little fodder due to the unseasonal mild weather.
Every good day from now on is definitely a bonus and I believe we are much better fixed than other years in this area at least. It is however a long time till the middle of May which usually brings an end to the foddering.

The bad months are usually Jan and Feb the last few years

tabby aspreme · 01-01-2019 09:30PM

memorystick wrote: »

Fields getting green and grass jumping out of it. Land getting dry. Spring is in with a bang as the winter is truly over.

If the fields here are as green the 1st week of April as they are now, I'd be happy. This polar vortex thingy might change all that though

Reggie. · 01-01-2019 09:32PM

tabby aspreme wrote: »

If the fields here are as green the 1st week of April as they are now, I'd be happy. This polar vortex thingy might change all that though

Looking at the weather forum it looks like it's going to split and concentrate more over France and north America. Hopefully it won't be anything like March last

ganmo · 01-01-2019 09:33PM

Reggie. wrote: »

The bad months are usually Jan and Feb the last few years

Jan is always worse than dec

whelan2 · 01-01-2019 09:34PM

ganmo wrote: »

Jan is always worse than dec

December 2010 was pretty ****

Albert Johnson · 01-01-2019 09:40PM

Reggie. wrote: »

The bad months are usually Jan and Feb the last few years

January and February can be pretty miserable but I find April can be the worst month. At least with Jan and Feb you're half expecting some sort of bad weather and can try to be prepared.
In April particularly after a bad winter I find fodder, housing, slurry and moral can all become a problem.
A mild April means grass growth and the ability to turn out priority stock such as cows and young calves. I find that a spell of bad weather can be testing on man and beast at that time of year.

tabby aspreme · 01-01-2019 09:52PM

I have a 30 mile uninterrupted view to the east here , and most years the wind turns east in April, and grass just disappears

Reggie. · 01-01-2019 10:20PM

tabby aspreme wrote: »

I have a 30 mile uninterrupted view to the east here , and most years the wind turns east in April, and grass just disappears

It gets burnt off with the harsh wind

bogman_bass · 01-01-2019 10:34PM

Was in Kinsale for a wedding and grand was that rich green you normally get here at the end of April.

Fodder Crisis

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