{"id":1271136,"date":"2024-04-10T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1271136"},"modified":"2024-04-10T18:22:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-10T17:22:20","slug":"feed-costs-what-is-wet-weather-costing-dairy-farms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/feed-costs-what-is-wet-weather-costing-dairy-farms\/","title":{"rendered":"Feed bills: What is wet weather costing dairy farms?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Depending on the current diet, cows are being fed additional feed costs could be as high as \u20ac250\/day for a 100-cow herd because of ongoing wet weather conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Met \u00c9ireann has said that there will be another 10 days of rain before high pressure is expected to set in over Ireland later this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current weather pattern will mean that feed costs <\/a>on dairy farms are continuing to rise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional concentrates are now being fed and straights in the form of soya hulls or beet pulps are also commonly used on farms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If grass is not currently in the diet these additional feds will likely be needed to maintain producing and energy levels in cows – however they do drive up the cost of production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feed costs <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On many farms, up to 50% of the dry matter (DM) intakes are coming from imported feed onto the farm in the form of concentrates such as soya hulls or beet pulp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has a significant additional cost associated with it, which is driving up the cost of production and hampering cash flow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Figures from Teagasc state that 1kg of grass DM costs 11c, compared to 22c\/kg of pit silage and 24c\/kg of bale silage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we look at a normal year, the feed cost of cows eating 18kg of DM would be \u20ac1.65 for 15kg of grass and \u20ac1.26 for 3kg of concentrates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is based of a dairy ration costing \u20ac420\/t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This would mean feed cost of \u20ac2.91\/cow\/day, for the average 100-cow herd this would be \u20ac291\/day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"winter<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, the situation on farms is very far from this and on many farms, concentrates feed is as high as 8-9kg\/day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking the example of a herd that is feed 6kg of concentrates, 3kg of soya hulls and the remaining 9kg of DM is coming from silage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

E.g., soya hulls have been given a cost of \u20ac318t of DM. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concentrates cost rise to \u20ac2.52, soya hulls cost 0.95c and pit silage has a cost of \u20ac1.98. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that the cost of feed a cow on this day is \u20ac5.45\/day, for the average 100-cow herd, this would be \u20ac545\/day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the 9kg of forage DM is half grass and half silage, this would reduce cost of feed\/cow to \u20ac4.96\/cow or \u20ac496 for the 100-cow herd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the diet consists of 6kg of concentrates costing \u20ac2.52, 6kg of grass DM costing \u20ac0.66 and 6kg of silage DM costing \u20ac1.32. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The total cost of feeding \u20ac4.50\/cow or \u20ac450 for a 100-cow herd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grass<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many farmers have expressed frustration at some of the advice that has been offered recently, with much of this focusing around getting cows to grass. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, the figures on the cost of the extra concentrates underline why this line of advice has been given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also important to factor in that the cost of feeding not only includes additional concentrates but also labour, fuel and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it may not be possible to get grass into the diet every day, every extra kilo of DM of grass vs. silage reduces feed cost by 0.11c\/kg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If grass in the diet increases further and soya hulls can be removed, this will save 0.84c\/kg of DM. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are going to be situations where grazing is not possible, so unfortunately feed costs for some are going to remain high. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, farmers have been advised that they should also look at using feeds that are cost effective and only feed to the required levels. <\/p>\n\n\n