Northern Ireland Powers On – Feed Compounder July/Aug 2012

As far as Northern Ireland was concerned, the weather this year produced temperatures that were broadly similar to those in Great Britain. As regards rainfall, however, the deluge that afflicted Great Britain in April was not reproduced in the province, which received 95 per cent of normal precipitation compared to the 227 per cent received by England and Wales; Scotland got away with a more modest 134 per cent.

The drier weather notwithstanding, 591,600 tonnes of feed manufactured in the first quarter of 2012 represents a new Northern Irish record for the three months under review with the first quarter total up by 20,000 tonnes or 3.5 per cent.

The undoubted star performer was cattle and calf feed, up by 19,300 tonnes or 6.2 per cent, with significant increases year-on-year for dairy compounds and coarse mixes and blends. In contrast, production of monogastric feeds was down compared to the period in 2011.

Although production of sheep and lamb feed was higher in the first quarter of 2012 than in the same period of 2011, there is no evidence that weather played any part in the increase.

It would seem therefore that structural factors constitute the main influence in driving on feed production in Northern Ireland.

This article is featured with permission in Feed Compounder Magazine July/August 2012. For this article and more information please visit Feed Compounder magazine’s website.