Experts warn farmers of severe shortages in forage

Farmers have been advised to assess their forage stock now as experts predict many could be left with shortages this winter following a wet spring and mixed summer.

Farmers should take action to overcome any shortages, agricultural supplier Mole Valley Farmers has said, and that leaving it until the winter could be a costly risk.

Speaking on the Mole Valley Farmers’ Podcast, nutritionist Dr Kerensa Hawkey and head of forage, Lisa Hambly, said there is a window of opportunity right now that farmers can take to address any forage shortages.

"Have those conversations and think about optimising what you are doing and do it now rather than wait until the winter when everyone else will be looking.”

Forage stocks are expected to be down in many areas following the second consecutive poor forage growing year.

Dr Hawkey said: “Stocks are tight anyway and people fed more from their reserves across the winter, so there’s just not the spare forage on farms.”

There was a wet spring and an extremely dry start to the summer, with maize, in many areas, having had a difficult start.

Mole Valley Farmers experts have predicted yields down on some farms by as much as 30 percent.

Both presenters stressed the importance of farmers accurately measuring their clamps and forage stocks, the amount of stock that needs feeding and calculating a realistic view of how long forage will last.

Dr Hawkey said: “This must take into account all stock from dry cows, milking cows, youngstock, any sheep or other animals that eat forage, too.”