The fodder available budget in PastureBase Ireland is a tool to assess the amount of fodder available on the farm for the livestock numbers. Farmers should be aware of the amount of fodder available and how many days feed it will provide for livestock.
It is recommended that 5 months (150 days) of fodder is available on all farms. Wetter/later regions require 5.5 – 6 months of fodder available. Consideration also needs to be given to the quality of fodder available. If you have your silage quality results uploaded into PastureBase Ireland, these can be associated to individual pits/groups of bales which gives farmers a better idea of the quality available.
Farmers should carry out fodder available budgets frequently over the year.
What you need to complete a fodder available budget:
- PastureBase Ireland account (sign up here for free)
- The length, width and height of your pit/pits currently
- The number of bales in the yard
- Stock numbers (use one livestock type per herd i.e. spring milkers or dry cows, not both for same herd) and number of days you are planning to house over winter
When to carry out a fodder available budget:
- After turning animals out to grass in spring to assess fodder available after winter
- Once a silage cut is done, let pit height settle and evaluate the feed currently available in the yard
- If extra feeding has occurred due to challenging weather conditions i.e. drought
- Prior to housing animals
- If any change in livestock numbers has occurred
Once a fodder available budget is completed for the first time on a desktop it is easy to update the fodder budget in the yard using the offline PastureBase mobile application.
Watch the tutorial below on fodder available budgets:
If you have any concerns on the fodder available in your yard. It is important to contact your advisor and take early action.