Preparation for the Winter Months
Type Media Article
By Ciara Collins, B&T Drystock Advisor, Teagasc, Galway/Clare
Due to the weather, many farmers have already had to house some livestock, so it is important to keep a close eye on the supply of fodder. Teagasc has revised the nationwide fodder study for drystock and dairy farms. Following the completion of the first cut silage, a provisional survey was finished in late June. Dairy and drystock farms were, on average, on target for winter feed, according to preliminary statistics released in June. This was based on usual second cut yields and duration of the grazing season. However, the June data also revealed that, consistently across all areas and enterprise types, 15% of Teagasc farmer clients were at serious risk of feed shortfalls.
Given to unfavourable autumn weather, second cut silage crops are now included in the October Fodder Survey results, which also take this into consideration silage that been used.
According to the national statistics, 75% of the farms asked reported having a surplus of winter feed on hand. Depending on the location, the percentage of farms short silage varied from 9% to 15%, with the North West having a more limited source of feed than the others do. They defined the regions as:
- Midlands/North East: Cavan, Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Westmeath
- South East: Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow
- South West: Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick
- North West: Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo
A cohort of 10% to 20% of farms, depending on the location, also found to be at risk of running out of winter feed, according to the survey. The main cause for concern is the potential for prolonged winter-feeding. These data align well with the preliminary survey results and are consistent across enterprise types within the region.
Table 1. Winter-feed balance by Region and Enterprise - October 2023
| Region | Adequate or surplus silage1 | Some risk/ tight supply2 | Short |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands North East | 81% | 10% | 9% |
| North West | 67% | 18% | 15% |
| South East | 68% | 20% | 12% |
| South West | 82% | 10% | 8% |
1Based on planned winter-feed demand and current feed stocks. 2At risk = supplies may be inadequate for an extended duration of winter
Out of all the farms in the country that were classed as having insufficient or potentially insufficient feed, 53% planned to buy silage, 25% planned to cut back on livestock, and 23% planned to do both.
As of now, just over 5% of farms have conducted silage quality tests. Understanding the quality of your silage is important. Your silage's energy values, dry matter and protein percentages, and other details can be obtained through a silage test. You can then determine what kind of supplementation maybe needed to keep cattle healthy throughout the winter.
Due to a combination of challenging second cuts and an early start to silage feeding, a larger number of farms in areas like the North West may be at risk of feed shortages. If such issues are not addressed, they may resurface in the spring.
Also important for farmers to look at the Body Condition of your cows: To make sure that cows will be in the right condition for calving, it is crucial that both dairy and suckler cows have body-condition scored (BCS) at housing time.
A suckler cow in housing should have a BCS of 3.0 to 3.5. Cows can be grouped together in accordance with BCS. Then fed based on their body condition scores. It is critical that cows are properly conditioned for the winter since over fat cows have more difficulties calving because fat deposits in the pelvic region narrow the pelvic canal. Very thin cows also have more calving problems (and higher calf mortality) because they lack the strength needed to endure the birth process and give birth to weak, non-vigorous calves.
I would urge all farmers to create their own personalized feed budgets and body condition score your herd. Having this done evaluate the conditions on your own farm, and determine the best diet formulations based on feeding value, silage quality, and feeding for your herd. You might need to buy more fodder or lower the quantity of stock if there is a predicted shortage. Talk to your advisor about creating a basic budget for fodder.