Forage Grain Event

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Whole Crop Cereals - Management Guidelines
3. Forage Maize Variety Evaluation Programme
4. Herbage Variety Evaluation Programme
5. Grass And Clover Varieties
6. Grass Seed Mixtures
7. Improving Sward Productivity By Reseeding
8. Harvesting And Ensiling - Forage Grain Crops
9. The Nutrition Value Of Alternative Forages And High Moisture Grains
10. The Economics Of Alternative Feeding Programmes

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Introduction

Feed costs are a major cost in producing beef or milk. Alternative feed sources may provide opportunities to reduce feed costs and thereby increase income. Decisions to alter feeding programmes cannot be based on unit feed costs alone as there are opportunity costs associated with land, premia and labour. Risk and extra management time required are also factors which will influence the uptake of alternative feed production systems.

Grazed grass is the cheapest fodder. It will produce very good yields in most locations and of course it is extremely convenient to produce and utilise. However, many grass fields are not producing their potential grass yields due to a combination of weeds and poor grasses. New swards will deliver an average yield increase of 25% in the first year, i.e. 2.5 tonne/ha additional dry matter. Choosing the most appropriate seeds mixture and establishment technique are vital for efficient grass/clover production.

Grass silage has been the mainstay of winter feeding systems for many years and will continue to be so. However, the competitiveness of grass and grass silage is of major importance to Irish producers. Grass silage is not without its limitations in terms of consistency of quality, cost of production and availability of contractors. It also suffers from high dependence on weather for harvesting and for growing conditions.

There is an increased range of alternative forages and feeds available to farmers. Improvements in breeding, growing, harvesting and storage technology in this area have helped the expansion of alternatives to grass silage.

As the image of the beef and dairy industry is vital, all production systems and practices must bear scrutiny in terms of their impact on the environment and the welfare of animals. They must also be in line with best practices in terms of food safety and quality assurance. Finally labour and convenience are becoming more important from the farmers point of view.

This Event will help farmers decide which options best suit their situations. The potential financial returns that may accrue from changing to alternative forage and feed options will be evaluated. Recommendations for growing alternative forages will be discussed as well as the options for harvesting and low cost storage. The processing of grain on-farm, feeding and supplementation will also be discussed.

Teagasc would like to thank the Department of Agriculture and Food for their substantial input to this Event.

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