Farmers have warned of an impending crisis amid drought conditions in parts of Cumbria.

They said land had been “scorched” during the heatwave, leaving some struggling to feed livestock.

After several weeks without significant rainfall, the lack of grass has also left some unable to make enough silage to see them through the winter.

Despite showers being predicted this week there are still growing concerns about fodder availability for the winter.

Keith Twentyman, Cumbria-based National Farmers Union group secretary, said farmers in the county were ‘quietly worried’ that there was a lack of feed in the fields.

This was leading to some farmers having to tuck into first-cut silage already to provide their livestock with nutrition.

“What they have they are using to feed livestock at the moment, and this is going to lead to a shortage of feed in the winter months,” said Mr Twentyman.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Throughout the country standing straw prices have hit record levels, with some auctions topping the £200/acre mark as livestock farmers scramble to secure supplies.

Severe snowfalls and wet weather had seen many farmers in the county experience shortages of feed for livestock, resulting in additional costs.

The late spring also saw livestock and dairy producers unable to turn out stock due to a lack of grass growth and available forage, leading to the increased need for supplementary feed and additional costs.

It was this that led to the farming union relaunching its NFU Fodder Bank.

NFU President Minette Batters said: “During this particularly difficult time for many farmers, it is vital that government lends its support to ensure farmers are able to continue managing their businesses effectively, which means producing the food to feeds the nation.”