September rain eases winter fodder pressure on Carinthian farms

September rainfall eased pressure on farms in Carinthia, an Austrian state, after a hot, dry summer and allowed farmers to bring in some winter fodder, ORF reported. Feed prices have risen, however, and the harvest of hay and grass silage was 30 to 40 percent below the usual level.

Many farmers have had to buy basic feed for their livestock, with prices pushed up by demand across Austria. Feeding a cow is costing nearly 300 euros more this year than last year. Bernhard Rebernig, director of the Carinthian Chamber of Agriculture, said a price had risen from 20 cents to about 25 cents per kilogram.

The chamber’s feed exchange handled several hundred tonnes, Rebernig said, but he described it as a small contribution. Much of the trade takes place directly between farmers or through dealers.

September rain made autumn grazing possible for some animals returning from alpine pastures and helped produce a reasonably useful final cut before winter. The number of farmers selling or slaughtering livestock earlier than planned has since fallen, Rebernig said.

Farm representatives say the EU took too long to allow mowing on biodiversity areas, which can be managed only to a limited extent in return for subsidies. They want Austria to be able to make that decision more quickly on its own if drought returns next year, rather than waiting for approval from Brussels.