Local meeting on the fodder crisis
COWS could be calving and sheep lambing without straw this winter if the current fodder crisis is not resolved.
That’s according to the Chairperson of the The Irish Natura And Hill Farmers Association Gerry Loftus.
“The straw is not there. A lot was lost in the harvest and it wasn’t bailed. Up to 50 per cent was lost last year,” he told The Sligo Champion.
“We warned the Government about this as far back as last September, to put plans in place,” he said. It’s part of the wider fodder crisis currently affecting farmers in the North West.
A recent survey found only 30 per cent of farmers had enough fodder for this winter. “Cows need roughage. They won’t survive on meal alone. It’s pretty bad around Sligo. Some farmers have little or nothing. Some are worse affected than others,” said Gerry.
The INHFA are holding a public meeting in the Sligo Park Hotel next Monday 15 th January at 10am to discuss the latest survey and lobby the Government for meal feed vouchers.