80% of Limerick livestock farmers short of winter feed

FOUR out of five livestock farms are short of winter feed, according to a survey carried out by Teagasc in Co Limerick.

After surveying their clients, Teagasc has advised farmers to immediately check if they have enough winter feed, and decide the best options to solve any feed problems.

Advisers discovered that 80% of farms in the county are short of fodder to carry their normal winter stocking level. It was found that 40% of farmers had fed silage to livestock during July and August, depleting stocks of retained feed, and of first cut silage. And 65% of farmers had grazed all or part of the land normally reserved for the second cut silage. It was found that 25% of farmers intend to sell stock to overcome the shortage of feed. On the positive side, while silage volumes may appear to be less than normal, the dry matter is higher.