Despite the ongoing drought in the south of England, supplies of new season hay, straw and silage are plentiful, but with many already dipping into winter feed stocks, huge questions surround the future cost of buying in forages.

Add in the increased costs of production to make good quality forages this year, and whether individual farmers can actually afford to purchase such feeding when finished beef prices are on the slide, and there is a lot at stake.

Several forage merchants have already noticed a slide in sales for this time of year as farmers assess future policies and whether to buy the extra forages they might need, or sell cows.

According to Philip Judge, international forage merchant based down in Glocs, so much depends on the weather in the next six weeks.

"There is a huge worry out there when so many farmers in the south of the country are already dipping into their winter feed stocks because there is just not the grass.

"There are plentiful amounts of straw of exceptional quality, but with disappointing crops of maize and a shortage of green forages, the next six weeks will be a telling time for many when so many people are already feeding hay and silage to cows.

"The drought came so early this year that the harvest has been six weeks earlier than normal. There has not been the rain since then either, so some of the cracks in the soil are unbelievable – it's debatable how much oilseed rape will get sown, this year," said Mr Judge.

He added that while some regions have had some rain over the past week, it has been extremely localised, with some parts enduring up to 90ml of rain in two hours, yet two miles down the road, it has been bone dry.

Read more: €55m fodder scheme for Irish farmers to grow silage or hay

On a more positive note for livestock producers, he added that good wheat and barley straw is the best value for feeding, selling at £95 per tonne delivered to the Scottish Borders.

In contrast, good quality sheep hay is up slightly on the year and making £140 per tonne delivered into south-west Scotland. However, Mr Judge also believes hay could get dearer when it is already being fed, although much does depend on whether sufficient rain comes in time to bolster grass growth.

"It has been a very different and very challenging year. People are also reluctant to sell this year, but at the same time some have to sell stocks when they have bills to pay. We are definitely seeing the recession bite when farmers are having to consider whether to put beef cattle in the freezer or keep them on foot," added Mr Judge.

A lot further north, James Scullion of Aberdeen Haylage, said the summer of 2022 had seen a good harvest of hay, haylage and straw albeit with reduced second and third cut silage crops depending on locality.

He also said market demand for new season crop had been slower this year due to the cost of living crisis.

Furthermore, he added that with feed, fuel and fertiliser costs soaring on the year, forage prices would also have to rise, but as always, values are dictated by the overall demand.

Meanwhile, latest prices from the British Hay and Straw Merchants' Association for Great Britain show average merchant buying prices down slightly on the year with big bales of hay valued at £64 per tonne ex farm against £65 last year and barley and wheat straw at £54 and £47t, respectively – both down £10/t on 2021.

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