Farmers concerned about hay and silage stocks (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Farmers concerned about hay and silage stocks

11:12am Friday 30th July 2010 in

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A COLD winter and wet summer has left South Lakeland farmers concerned about how they are going to feed their livestock.

Milk co-operative DairyCo says the inclement weather has led to hay being ruined and silage stocks down 30 per cent on an average year.

The Dickinson family - Ivan and Margaret and daughter Hannah - who run Brockstones Farm in the Kentmere Valley say they are already feeling the strain.

They are facing the prospect of having to buy in hay and straw at prices the British Hay and Straw Merchant’s Association estimates is likely to be more than 40 per cent expensive than 2009.

“We are quite worried about it. We needed the rain but it doesn’t know when to stop!,” said Miss Dickinson. “You will have a torrential rainfall and then you have to wait for the fields to drain. You don’t mind a shower if there’s some fine weather after it. We had 13 inches in three weeks during July.

“We haven’t been able to make any hay because the crops are too wet. I suppose it comes with living in the hills. You don’t have to go far away and you can find nice weather - people don’t realise it has its own climate up here.”

Miss Dickinson said that as well as providing food, the hay is needed to line barns and ensure the animals are warm and healthy.

“There are welfare issues for the livestock. We might have to buy in sawdust for them but it all means that the cost just keeps adding up,” she said. “A ton of hay at the moment would cost you well over £100.”

Adam Clay, DairyCo extension officer, said many producers were reporting lower than usual stocks of silage this year.

“Grass growth has slowed down dramatically in some areas. Silage stocks seem to be 25 to 30 per cent down on an average year, but keep in mind it seems to be a good quality crop on the whole. Because it has been so dry (in June) there will be more feed value than you think.“ Mr Clay also advised farmers to look at buying in other moist bulk feeds such as brewers’ grains or potato peel this winter.

“Look around and see what is available in your area,” he said. “And think about some of the drier feeds like soya hulls or dried sugar beet pulp that are fibrous and have some structure so it can be used as forage. But remember that as demand for these feeds increase throughout the autumn and winter, so will the prices.