Winter feeding and management issues 2017-18
The prolonged wet weather has resulted in a potential shortage of fodder for some farms or poor quality silage with low dry matter and low metabolisable energy (ME) contents. CAFRE have organised a series of farmer meetings in the west and north of the country to provide guidance for farmers on how best to manage feeding over the coming months. The meetings will take place at the following venues:
| Date | Location |
|---|---|
| Monday 20 November | Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh |
| Thursday 23 November | Enniskillen Campus, CAFRE, Enniskillen |
| Tuesday 28 November | Lodge Hotel, Coleraine |
CAFRE have also produced the following series of technical press releases providing guidance to farmers on the management options to deal with winter feeding related issues:
- Relative feed value
- Minimal forage diets
- Saving fodder this autumn
- Have you enough fodder for this winter?
- Advice for farmers preparing for the closed spreading period for slurry and farm yard manures
- Winter feed planning
CAFRE have developed a series of online tools to help farmers to assess fodder stocks and requirements over the winter feeding period and to evaluate which purchased feeds offer the best value for money in the current market.