Check your stocks and be prepared for rest of winter

Farmers and crofters have been urged to assess their stocks of fodder and plan ahead for the remainder of winter and spring.

The plea from NFU Scotland (NFUS) comes following a visit by the union to Low Holehoue Farm in Ayrshire.

The farm, which carries 160 dairy cows, 220 finishing cattle and 250 cross ewes, is facing a fodder shortage due to poor weather in the summer and its owners, the Campbell family, are being forced to pay in excess of £100 per tonne to get hay delivered.

NFUS president Andrew McCornick said: “The very wet summer and autumn has left many livestock farms across Ayrshire, the south-west and up the west coast seriously short of forage going into the winter.

“Many farmers have already looked at how much fodder they were able to produce and balanced that against how much they will need in the months ahead.”

He urged any farmers and crofters who had not yet done the sums on forage to do so now.

“It would allow them to make plans to augment their forage stocks or reduce the number of cattle they plan to carry through the winter to stretch out the forage that they have. And while we all hope for an early spring, we need to plan for the worst-case scenario of a late turnout of stock in 2018,” he added.

“We need to know the extent of the forage shortage so that mitigation plans can be put in place and we will be working on that in the weeks ahead.”

Mags Granger from charity RSABI also visited the farm yesterday.

She said: “RSABI is committed to helping those involved in Scottish agriculture whether emotionally, practically or financially. We look forward to working with everyone involved to make a real difference to farmers and their families.”