Forage for thought
12th July 2007
2007 has seen a big increase in the price of concentrate feeds (compounds, straights etc). This accounts for up to 65% of the variable costs of milk production, resulting in significant extra cost to produce more milk in a time of milk price uncertainty.
The seemingly ever increasing input prices raise the question of home grown feeds. These will become more cost effective as well as offering other benefits such as improved animal health and traceability. Utilising cereal crops as; wholecropcereals, maize or even crimped cereals will help to reduce the cost of buying in extra feed. (See below for costings.)
Farmers should take the opportunity to consider growing and harvesting alternative home grown forages or concentrates to complement existing purchased concentrates. This increases self reliance and leaves the farm less vulnerable to market forces. There are a number of choices available for the production of home grown feeds, existing feed and forage stocks should be carefully reviewed before any decisions taken.
- Do I need more forage or concentrate?
- Do I need starch (fermentable energy) or protein?
- Do I need digestible fibre?
