Fodder challenges ahead for dairy herds

Many dairy farms could be in a position where they need to feed silage right through September and October this year.

Many dairy farms could be in a position where they need to feed silage right through September and October.

For the vast majority of the south and east of the country, grass growth continues to be very low, and with little rain in the forecast, the situation is very serious for both beef and dairy producers. Regardless of stocking rates, if grass doesn’t grow, you run out of grass. 

In a normal year (if such a thing exists!), once late August or early September arrives, we look at increasing supplementation to dairy cows as grass quality begins to deteriorate.