Over 50% of winter barley yet to be harvested
Unseasonably wet weather over recent weeks has posed challenges to tillage farmers trying to complete the harvesting of winter barley crops, Teagasc Head of Crops Knowledge Transfer, Michael Hennessey told yesterday’s meeting of the National Fodder and Feed Security Committee.
On harvest progression, Michael explained that <50% of winter barley has been combined to date and <20% of the resulting straw crop has been baled. Yields for winter barley crops harvested are ranging from 7.5t/ha to 11t/ha, but some low KPH crops have been saved.
“At the very best 50% of winter barley crops have been harvested. However, there is a huge amount of variation out there and some areas like the north east only have 30-35% of the winter barley harvest completed. We are also seeing quite a bit of variation in terms of yields, but overall – for what’s been harvested – they are reasonable,” he said.
Presenting preliminary Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine BPS figures, Michael noted that the area under winter barley crops has declined by 20.4% when compared to 2022, standing at approximately 53,100ha. This decline is largely due to challenging planting conditions last autumn and a move back by some growers to spring barley.
Teagasc had previously estimated that the average yield for winter barley would be 9.2t/ha. However, this will depend on how successfully these crops are harvested over the coming days and weeks. In many cases, he noted, winter barley crops have been ripe for two weeks now; some crops have lodged, others are brackling, while seed heads are beginning to break off in others. To save these crops, especially before sprouting becomes an issue, harvesting at higher moisture contents should be considered.
“Winter barley will be the priority. We have a window of two days for those really ripe crops before rain comes back on Friday. Harvesting these crops at lower moisture should be considered. No farmer likes harvesting higher moisture crops, but we are in a critical window now with ripe crops deteriorating day-by-day and, because of the weather conditions, some merchants have moved the specs for these premium crops,” Michael said.
Another crop ripe for harvesting is winter oats, Michael noted, and <10% of these crops – covering approximately 10,100ha in total (DAFM figures) - have been saved to date. Early harvest indications suggest yields of 7.5-8.5t/ha, but like winter barley, challenges exist with completing this harvest. Although the grain will dry quickly, Michael expects the straw from this crop to be very wet, thus posing challenges with getting it dry enough to bale.
Along with these two winter cereal crops, Michael noted that early-sown spring barley crops and winter oilseed rape crops are ready for harvest.
He said: “We need kind weather to harvest winter oilseed rape at reasonable moisture levels. The area under this crop has increased by approximately 40% and growers are getting nervous, as it is not the most stable crop during difficult weather,” he said.
Also read: Lower 2023 ceral harvest predicted