Farmers and crofters affected by wet weather over the summer are being encouraged to plan ahead to ensure they have enough winter feed for their livestock.
SAC Consulting’s Andrew Taylor said action was needed sooner rather than later to prepare for a “tricky winter”.
He said poor weather in recent months had resulted in many producers housing stock earlier than anticipated, and animals not performing as well as normal over the summer.
“We are encouraging all farmers in this situation to do feed budgeting now. Leaving this until January only compounds the issue making the problem worse,” added Mr Taylor.
“If other farms are in the same boat it will also increase the cost of forage to be purchased. In the west, 2017 has had one of the wettest summers on record – the other two years with similar summers, 1985 and 2012, both had late cold springs in the next year.”
He said many farmers had not produced enough good quality forage and as a result they faced higher costs this winter for both feed and straw.
SAC Consulting is advising farmers facing a winter forage shortage to consider selling all their lambs and calves as stores, and in these cases to start creep feeding them now in a bid to maximise sale weights.
Cow and ewe condition should also be assessed, and calves and lambs must be weaned off any lean mothers as soon as possible provided creep feed has been given for at least three weeks beforehand.
A hard approach to culling is also recommended and farmers are advised to cull all barren animals before prices begin to fall in the seasonal autumn glut. Likewise, only fit ewes should be kept to go to the tup this autumn.
Away wintering options should also be considered, as well as strip grazing silage ground which is too wet to cut and bale.