Strong interest reported for fodder schemes

STRONG interest from both tillage and livestock farmers has been reported in the Fodder Production Incentive Scheme which was announced last week by the Minister for Agriculture, Michael Creed.

Farm advisors report that dairy farmers and cereal growers are exploring their options with regard to the initiative.

Dairy farmers who used sacrifice paddocks for feeding cows during the worst of the drought are considering sowing brassicas or Italian ryegrass on this ground, while tillage growers and milk suppliers are also doing deals on the growing of the fodder crops, advisors in the southeast claimed.

Carlow-based advisor, Pat Minnock, said the initiative – which pays between €100/ac and €155/ac for growing fodder and catch crops – has the potential to benefit both livestock and tillage farmers in a difficult year.

However, he stressed that crops will have to be sown quickly, and into good seed beds, to get the maximum yields.

Slurry

“Westerwolds if sown by mid August can be fit to cut by early to mid October with the possibility, depending on the winter weather, of a second cut and certainly some grazing in the spring,” Mr Minnock said.

“The use of slurry is highly recommended and will reduce costs and improves the option to do deals with adjoining cattle farmers,” he added.

It is estimated that the grants will only cover the costs of planting, with the seed costs for catch crops running to €20-24/ac, while seed for Italian Ryegrass or Westerwolds is around €30–45/ac.

Meanwhile, the wet weather over the weekend has delayed progress in the spring barley and winter wheat harvests.

Spring barley is generally yielding between 2t/ac and 2.4t/ac. Winter wheat continues to average around 3.5t/ac.