Advice on using forage in times of shortage

Although the solutions under discussion mainly involve the use of Keenan-brand mixers, the company’s senior nutritionist, Seth Wareing, says the broad principles should be useful to farmers who do not have one.

He said: “From what we’ve seen on farms across England, first-cut silage will be considerably down on normal years and although we are yet to see the impact on subsequent cuts, the situation is unlikely to improve.

“The option to supplement with cereal-based concentrates will be limited, given the continued high price of cereals and the shortfall awaiting the UK cereal harvest.”

He will be among the speakers on tours of three farms which avoided buying in supplementary forage last year, when their silage stocks were 20 per cent down because of the cold start.

It is standard Keenan advice that silage is used profligately and that most cattle can do as well with much more straw mixed into it. But with straw also likely to be short, this summer’s advice will cover other options, like food industry waste.

The walk hosts will be Clive Roland at Garrowby Estate Farms, Freestone House, Bugthorpe, York, YO41 1QG, on Wednesday June 29.

David Merredy at Hepburn Farm Ltd, Chatton, near Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 4EG, on Thursday June 30.

Rob Metcalfe at Low Skelding, Grantley, Ripon, HG4 3PP, on Friday July 1.

All the events start with coffee at 11am for an 11.30am start.

Call Max Ford on 07860 830211 or Seth Wareing on 07787 571526.

n Feed maker BOCM PAULS is offering home box deliveries of up to 30 kilos for smallholders from its Farmgate range. See www.farmgatefeeds.co.uk/ or www.bocmpauls.co.uk/ for more about the BoxClever system, as the service is branded.