FARMING HAS been badly hit by the poor weather as the heaviest rainfall in some areas in forty years has delayed the silage harvest, cut milk yields and is likely to damage cereal crops.
Dairy farmers are being forced to rehouse their cows and beef farmers their heavier stock to prevent pastures being ploughed up.
The situation has prompted Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority, to issue fresh guidelines to farmers to meet the situation.
“Late April and May are crucial times for farmers especially those attempting to get silage and also to allow their animals graze on grass to minimise costs,” said a Teagasc spokesman yesterday.
“Very poor weather along the western seaboard and in the south since the beginning of the month has meant that some farmers are having to rehouse their animals so as not to cut up pasture,” he said.
“Dairy cows being rehoused deliver lower milk protein levels, have reduced fertility and it costs the farmer a lot of money to supplement their diet with feed,” he said.
He said there were reports of some farmers cutting grass on drier ground and feeding it directly to animals which have had to be rehoused.
Farmers along the east coast where there has been less rainfall, reported they have been unable to cut silage crops .
Cereal growers have also been unable to spray their crops and this is expected, according to Teagasc, to lead to a drop in yields this harvest.
In the north east, potato farmers estimated only 70 per cent of the main potato crop has been harvested.
“Its just not possible to plant because of ground conditions and we know in some areas, potatoes which have been planted are now waterlogged,” said one of the growers yesterday.
Pádraig Walshe, the Irish Farmers’ Association President said livestock and tillage farmers were struggling to cope with very difficult ground conditions, which are adding significantly to their costs and workload.
He said last month was the wettest in over 40 years.
Mr Walshe said many farmers who already have problems with cashflow were finding the situation exacerbated because they are forced into buying additional feed as a result of poor ground conditions and low grass growth.
At the end of 2008, there were 7,500 farmers in the Farm Assist scheme and over € 91 million was paid out.
Since then there have been over 500 applications from farmers who want to avail of the scheme with average payments of € 230 per week.