THIS IS THE WORST I’VE SEEN IN 23 YEARS IN THE ADVISORY SERVICES

Mr Cannon added that a lot of hay and silage was already being brought into the county but the loads were being bought up as soon as they landed.

The fodder shortages are not limited to the north-west. Scanning consultant Dan Ryan said that herds have been housed in many parts of north Kerry, Clare and Galway for the past six weeks.

Pat Ryan of Liffey Mills said that winter had started a good month early and with a lot more cows on the ground, the fodder situation was “going to be tight”.

Meanwhile, an independent survey of silage quality in the south-east has found that dry matter levels are extremely variable and averaged 66DMD compared to 67.5 last year.