Silage / Straw / Hay Price Tracker

GreenerGrass

Member
Location
Wilts
Baled 5th July cut 30th June, Organic hay 4 string 80x70 bales. Only seen sun! £22/bale, 60-70 available. Trowbridge, Wiltshire
 

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som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
what is the fodder situation generally ? We are really short, missed virtually all the rain, maize looks really good, whole crop yielded well, grass growth has been awful, we have ley's that have literally died, others have gone really thin. We grow forage rape for midsummer grazing, this has been really slow to grow, incredibly on some dry banks, both weeds and rape has taken 6 weeks to start germinating, and we have been feeding the cows for 6 weeks, and we are spring calving, we have kept youngstock in all summer, on straw and cake, to save grass for the dairy ! Friends living 2 or 3 miles away have had bumper yields. This winter, we shall have to buy fodder in, and we are reseeding 80 acres, which shouldn't need to be yet.
So, are we an exception to the norm ? Yesterday we had heavy rain showers 1/2 mile away, not here.
luckily the rape for winter feed looks to be growing well.
 

cattleman123

Member
Location
devon
what is the fodder situation generally ? We are really short, missed virtually all the rain, maize looks really good, whole crop yielded well, grass growth has been awful, we have ley's that have literally died, others have gone really thin. We grow forage rape for midsummer grazing, this has been really slow to grow, incredibly on some dry banks, both weeds and rape has taken 6 weeks to start germinating, and we have been feeding the cows for 6 weeks, and we are spring calving, we have kept youngstock in all summer, on straw and cake, to save grass for the dairy ! Friends living 2 or 3 miles away have had bumper yields. This winter, we shall have to buy fodder in, and we are reseeding 80 acres, which shouldn't need to be yet.
So, are we an exception to the norm ? Yesterday we had heavy rain showers 1/2 mile away, not here.
luckily the rape for winter feed looks to be growing well.
Yes I think you are, on the Blackdowns we have had a fantastic summer...plenty of grass and fodder made
 
what is the fodder situation generally ? We are really short, missed virtually all the rain, maize looks really good, whole crop yielded well, grass growth has been awful, we have ley's that have literally died, others have gone really thin. We grow forage rape for midsummer grazing, this has been really slow to grow, incredibly on some dry banks, both weeds and rape has taken 6 weeks to start germinating, and we have been feeding the cows for 6 weeks, and we are spring calving, we have kept youngstock in all summer, on straw and cake, to save grass for the dairy ! Friends living 2 or 3 miles away have had bumper yields. This winter, we shall have to buy fodder in, and we are reseeding 80 acres, which shouldn't need to be yet.
So, are we an exception to the norm ? Yesterday we had heavy rain showers 1/2 mile away, not here.
luckily the rape for winter feed looks to be growing well.
From what I've heard, you've landed on a good year to be short of fodder. There seems to be plenty about and it's not expensive. For example, round bale hay prices in the FG don't go above £55/tonne (ex farm presumably).
 

Celt83

Member
Livestock Farmer
what is the fodder situation generally ? We are really short, missed virtually all the rain, maize looks really good, whole crop yielded well, grass growth has been awful, we have ley's that have literally died, others have gone really thin. We grow forage rape for midsummer grazing, this has been really slow to grow, incredibly on some dry banks, both weeds and rape has taken 6 weeks to start germinating, and we have been feeding the cows for 6 weeks, and we are spring calving, we have kept youngstock in all summer, on straw and cake, to save grass for the dairy ! Friends living 2 or 3 miles away have had bumper yields. This winter, we shall have to buy fodder in, and we are reseeding 80 acres, which shouldn't need to be yet.
So, are we an exception to the norm ? Yesterday we had heavy rain showers 1/2 mile away, not here.
luckily the rape for winter feed looks to be growing well.
If its any consolation you've picked a good year to be short of fodder.

Lot of boys selling this years round bales for £12-15 around here

To be short last year would have been a different story
 

som farmer

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
somerset
If its any consolation you've picked a good year to be short of fodder.

Lot of boys selling this years round bales for £12-15 around here

To be short last year would have been a different story
thankfully you are correct, any surplus was used up last year ! And I think we can buy fodder cheaper than making it ! But, I know we have a dry farm, and I farm to compensate that, but this year taking the p, mrs came in last night 1/2 mile up the road torrential rain, here a few spots! I can't recall it being this dry in the 75/76 drought, does make you wonder about climate change though.
 

Henarar

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
It’s always needed eventually. Who knows what sort of winter, spring or next summer we will get.
even if we get a 7 month winter like 12/13 was I can't see it being short and it would have to change quick for that as we had nearly everything in by the start of oct in 12,
straw everywhere as well,
yep we may get a dry summer next year and that would make a difference but unless the beef job has picked up a lot by then I can't see suck cow farmers paying big money for fodder or straw they will cull first a couple have said as much to me
 

DRC

Member
even if we get a 7 month winter like 12/13 was I can't see it being short and it would have to change quick for that as we had nearly everything in by the start of oct in 12,
straw everywhere as well,
yep we may get a dry summer next year and that would make a difference but unless the beef job has picked up a lot by then I can't see suck cow farmers paying big money for fodder or straw they will cull first a couple have said as much to me
That’s true. I’ve been selling cattle today, and it’s not much fun.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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