AS the wet weather continues, adding to the pressures already facing local farm families, both the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and CAFRE are offering help and advice to help local farmers.
The UFU has set up a fodder information page listing those selling fodder to help farmers source the extra feed they desperately need at the moment due to livestock having to be kept housed longer than planned.
While there is currently only one Fermanagh fodder listing, in Ballinamallard, there are a number of sellers offering bales and silage were listed in nearby Tyrone, such as Omagh and Drumquin.
Those with fodder to sellcan be added to the page by contacting Tracey Donaghey by emailing tdonaghey@ufuhq.com or Lynsay Hawkes at lhawkes@ufuhq.com with your name, location and a contact number. For more information and to contact the seller of the fodder, please contact UFU headquarters, 02890 370 222.
To view the fodder for sale visit www.ufuni.org/do-you-need-fodder/
Meanwhile, CAFRE crops adviser Leigh McClean has been offering advise for growers.
“Despite wet ground and slow growth, winter crop development is still progressing,” said Mr McClean, who added he was hoping for a better forecast soon.
“Where sprays are yet to be applied, particularly herbicides and growth regulator on winter barley, growers should keep a close watch on crops and aim to apply by the latest safe application timing to avoid crop damage. If ground conditions mean that’s not possible, it may be necessary to switch products which are crop safe at a later growth stage.”
He added, “Nitrogen is now critical on winter barley and where none has been applied yet, we may have to accept a degree of field damage to get crops fed as some are in the stem extension phase when crop demand for nutrients is highest.
“Earlier sown winter wheat and oats are also progressing quickly and need their main Nitrogen applications as soon as possible. When ground conditions allow, apply the bulk of the nitrogen to these crops at the start as there is little point delaying or splitting applications at this stage.
“Very little spring drilling has occurred yet apart from some late drilled winter wheat and a few spring beans. Every effort should be made to apply pre-emergent herbicide to the beans but if they are emerging or close to emerging crop damage can occur and post emergent product containing bentazone will be the only herbicide option to control broad leaved weeds.
“The spectrum of weeds controlled by this active is very limited compared to pre-emergent sprays and crop stunting is common, therefore only apply if susceptible weeds are present.”
For more visit www.cafre.ac.uk.
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