Livestock farmers should assess forage stocks now and plan winter rations early as dry weather continues to curb grass growth, despite a strong start to the silage season.
Grass growth has fallen to about 31.8kg DM/ha/day, according to AHDB Forage for Knowledge. This is well below the five-year average and raises the prospect of conserved forage being fed earlier than expected. Independent ruminant nutritionist Andrew Jones, of the ChewinTheCud Podcast, says first-cut silage had generally delivered improved quality and yields compared with 2025, but warns that the outlook remains uncertain.
“First-cut silage has generally tested well, with improvements in digestibility, fermentable energy and overall energy density compared with last year, creating good potential for milk from forage,” he says. “There is considerable variation between farms, and with grass growth slowing significantly, it’s vital that producers assess both the quantity and quality of forage they have available and begin budgeting for winter now.”
Balanced diets
The most important thing is to ensure diets remain correctly balance, says Mr Jones. Regular forage analysis and ration reviews are essential to avoid over- or under-feeding as forage quality changes throughout the season. Where forage supplies are likely to tighten, moist co-products could provide a cost-effective alternative to some conventional feed blends while maintaining ration flexibility.
Emily Keep, nutritionist at Duynie, sats products including brewers’ grains, C-Traffordgold and liquid co-products could help extend forage supplies while supporting rumen function, milk production and liveweight gain.
“Liquid co-products can be an effective way of supplementing forage shortfalls while improving ration palatability. Most liquid co-products have good nutritional value, but farmers should pay close attention to dry matter content. Farmers should compare feeds on a dry matter basis, noting products with higher dry matter content provide more nutrients per tonne delivered,” says Ms Keep.