UK farmers face fodder shortages and flooding as weather wreaks havoc

Slow grass growth and fodder shortages have put pressure on feeding livestock, with many unable to turn out.

Prices for hay and straw have soared recently, with demand remaining strong.

North

And it seemed the whole Northern Hemisphere was ‘on its knees’, according to Dundee straw and fodder merchant Alistair Hodnett.

In the Republic of Ireland, the Government was preparing to launch a fodder subsidy, a month earlier than the last time one was introduced.

Mr Hodnett said: “This time there will not be anything for them. This is by far the worst I have seen at this stage.

“The Dutch who normally buy in England and sometimes Scotland are now trucking straw from Russia.”

The Scottish Government’s wet weather panel was meeting to consider a report from Scotland’s Rural College on the effect of harvest conditions on the availability of straw and forage.

However, this will be of little comfort to livestock farmers facing fodder shortages now.

John Bell, at Balnieil, East Fife, had snow cover again this week.

He said: “Grass growth is really slow. There does, however, appear to be plenty of stock feed potatoes around and these could save the day for some.”

Grazing

NFU Scotland vice president and Stranraer dairy farmer Gary Mitchell said: "We zero graze quite bit and use a plate meter to measure the grass growth.

“Last year we were cutting 2850 kgs per ha on March 4.

“On March 28th this year were cutting 2450kgs per hectare.

“That is almost a month of grass growth lost. Most people reckon it will compensate and by the end of the season we will have harvested the same bulk as usual but we will have to wait and see."

Adrian Cannon at Tayler and Fletcher said it had seen 100 per cent clearance at its last sale of the season, with those with stocks taking advantage of prices at double those last year.

“We are still getting regular enquiries,” he said.

He added the weather would also affect next year’s prices due to low carryover.