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As the cost of milk and meat production has increased dramatically in recent times, it has become ever more important to get the most from our home grown forages this spring. Given the weather conditions we encountered in early March, it has been difficult to get cattle turned out to grass. Conditions have improved in…

These are unprecedented times with global grain market prices hitting extraordinary heights. This makes it more important than ever to maximise production from grazed grass. Dr David Johnston, Ruminant Nutritionist with Fane Valley Feeds, discusses spring feeding strategies to maximise grass utilisation and milk production from grazing systems.  David begins, “Over the past few weeks,…

Cereals are grown widely Northern Ireland with different land types and areas capable of cereal production. While your farm may not have the setup for combining and storing grain, to feed in the traditional sense, if you are currently making grass silage, then you can produce whole-crop silage from cereals for feeding to cattle. As…

With the recent Russian invasion and war in Ukraine, the knock-on effects and ramifications for local agriculture are now being manifested through supply issues and price increases for fertiliser and grain. While farmers have little control over the price of inputs for global commodities, they can take back some control and look at their own…

The financial pressures facing farmers this year will be exceptional with feed, fertiliser, and fuel costs at record highs. Fane Valley Feeds and Agronomy & Forage teams will be working together to develop solutions to help farms remain profitable. The aim will be to do the simple things well and focus on being efficient in…

New payment structures are being introduced in Northern Ireland which will offer enhanced payments for milk with higher fat and protein. Optimising compositional quality will be a vital tactic to supporting margins whilst the dairy industry is currently facing unprecedented challenges with input costs continuing to rise dramatically.  Due to this increasing financial pressure, it…

As March approaches, with the promise of spring, it is time to start planning spring cropping options for the year ahead.  With elevated fertiliser and feed costs this season, it is important to evaluate spring cropping options and ensure you are making the appropriate decisions for your farm.  Spring cereals are very versatile and provide…

Tackling the issues that commonly disrupt rumen function are vital to maximise production from forage, digestive health and margins this season.  Lallemand Animal Nutrition’s Regional Business Manager Mike Burns believes the key to this will be targeting problems with the most cost-effective solution. On a Northern Ireland farm this week, during a yeast workshop Mike…

With the price of Nitrogen fertiliser at record levels it has never been more important to correct soil pH to ensure maximum uptake of fertiliser both from a financial and environmental perspective. Soil pH is often an afterthought, when it should be the first parameter considered when looking at soil fertility. Having soils at optimum…