Forage feed values and prices may vary

Be careful when purchasing forage, as the quality can vary widely, and it should be assessed locally by Teagasc before you buy.

Good hay is worth €130 per tonne, €2.50 for small square bales, €28 for 4x4 round bales. Good straw is €85 per tonne, small bales 95 cent (12.5kg), €12 for 4x4 round bales.

Good silage has a feeding value of €30 per tonne at 20% dry matter (DM). Round bales of good silage weighing 650 kg at 30% DM will contain 200 kg of DM and will be worth about €30. As with all forages, silage quality and value can vary by more than 30%.

Mouldy feed contains toxins that can be very damaging to health and performance. A lot of damage is done to animals by mouldy feed on Irish farms every year and this is very often not recognised.

Good maize silage could be worth €52 per tonne or about €850 per acre growing.

Clean fodder beet has a feeding value of about €40 per tonne (varies with DM content) delivered.

However, the values for forage stated above usually differ significantly from prices achieved.

The feeding value of purchased forage should not be confused with the price ex-farm. The additional costs of transport, storing and feeding out costs must be taken into account. Losses with wet feeds or silage can vary from 10 to 20% as compared with less than 2% in dry concentrates. Interest charges for feed purchased in autumn must also be taken into account.

The price for forage will vary widely with supply and demand. For a change, it looks like supplies will be plentiful this year.