Drought drives up cattle feed costs in Styria

Drought has cut grass harvests and raised feed costs for livestock farmers in Styria, forcing some to adjust their herds, ORF reported.

Cattle farms typically harvest enough grass for their animals’ basic needs, usually through three or four cuts a year. This year, dry conditions allowed only two. Rudolf Grabner of the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture said farms harvested about 30 percent less hay and grass silage on average.

With dry and hot weather also affecting other parts of Europe, feed is scarce and expensive. Hay now costs at least 25 cents per kilogram and grass silage at least nine cents, compared with production costs of about 11 cents for hay and four cents for silage.

A dairy cow typically consumes 2,700 kilograms of hay and 11,800 kilograms of grass silage a year. Grabner estimated that the higher cost of providing this basic forage adds about 290 to 300 euros per cow. Feed costs that had been budgeted at 772 euros reached 1,062 euros this year.

Some farmers have slaughtered animals earlier than planned to preserve feed for the cattle that remain, contributing to a temporary fall in beef prices. Grabner expects prices to rise again next year. He advised farmers to consider more heat-resistant plants, adjust herd sizes and potentially lease additional grassland from farms that have stopped operating.

Livestock farms across the region are affected, though the impact varies by area. Some are selling more animals or using up feed reserves. The shortage is expected to leave fewer cattle and sheep on Styrian pastures and alpine meadows next year.