Winter Feed 2024: What’s your Plan?
Paul Mullins, Education Officer, Teagasc Galway/Clare discusses strategies for managing potential winter feed shortages on farms in 2024 due to reduced grass growth and silage production.
Grass growth in 2024 is down by around 2 tonnes per acre. This is due to lower-than-normal sunshine levels during May, June, and July, which are the months when most grass is grown.
As a result, many farms didn’t grow as much grass as usual, leading to reduced silage production. This has created winter feed shortages on many farms as we approach the winter months. Feed shortages are not uncommon, and many farms may typically budget to purchase silage or other feed sources to make up the difference. However, this year’s prolonged wet spring has depleted any surpluses of winter feed that may have been available. In many cases, we are facing a perfect storm of low feed levels on farms and scarcity in the market.
What’s the plan?
First, establish your own situation. Use the Winter Fodder Budget Calculator, or use the fodder budgeting worksheet below, to calculate the winter feed required on your farm and compare it to the feed you have available. If you find you have surplus silage, consider keeping an extra month’s worth in case of adverse weather conditions. If you are in a deficit, now is the time to act.
Can you source silage? If so, it’s best to act sooner rather than later. The main issue with buying silage is that you may not know the quality of what you're getting. The advantage is that you know how you will feed it. You might also consider buying straw for feeding livestock, though price and availability could be limiting factors. Another option is feeding concentrates to reduce silage demand, but you’ll need enough feeding space for the concentrates. You must also be skilled in restricting silage intake; otherwise, cows could become over-conditioned, defeating the purpose of the effort.
Selling surplus stock is another option for many farms. Are there empty cows in your herd that you typically over-winter before selling in spring? Have you scanned your herd for pregnancy? If not, do so immediately. The sooner you scan your cows, the better your information regarding calving dates, allowing you to plan their nutrition as needed and identify potential culls. These cull cows can be fleshed up easily once dried off. Five to six weeks of feeding straight barley on grass can prepare them for sale without consuming your scarce silage. Six cull cows would consume around 55 bales of silage over a five-month winter. That silage saving could make all the difference and doesn’t mean selling animals that are not fit for sale. The key to success is starting early.
Given all this, consider completing the fodder budget table this weekend. It won’t take long and will help you assess your situation. If you’re going to be short of silage, make a few calls:
• Talk to your advisor
• Get your cows scanned
• Check the market for fodder
• Talk to your neighbours
A bad winter feed situation may exist today, but you can manage your way out of it if you act in time. Don’t sit on your hands and hope it will go away.