Straw delivery proves tricky
Straw delivery proves tricky
ENSURING livestock farms have enough straw for bedding is testing the ingenuity of merchants and there are already concerns over what will happen to prices.
Farmers caught short of straw supplies might have to pay more, while the practical problem of deliveries also has to be overcome.
Chris Trower, secretary of the British Hay and Straw Merchants Association, says there is no sign of livestock farmers panic-buying or stockpiling, yet.
"Until this week demand was steadying up, with fewer inquiries than a month ago."
Devon-based straw merchant John Dorse says the straw business is "not easy" and practical difficulties are increasing almost daily. No straw merchant wants to travel through areas near foot-and-mouth centres, and no livestock farmers with surplus straw want to see merchants either.
"Take for instance Essex – you leave it alone. In most of East Anglia the farmers dont want us there anyway.
"No one wants to deliver into a controlled area, some livestock farmers allow us in to unload, while others want us to offload straw on a public road."
But life must go on and ways have to be found to deliver straw around the country, he says.
"If you have farmers who want a load of straw a week, you have to find the supply. Theres been a high demand for straw all winter and so the main contractors are all getting low on stock. There is definitely not enough straw in the West Country to meet demand."
Mr Dorse is acutely conscious of the risks of spreading foot-and-mouth. "A big lorry and drag (trailer) is 50ft long and travelling from east to west (across the UK) the load is just like a big sponge. No one knows what the risk is. But we take every precaution we can. We steam clean lorries every day, and they all carry disinfectant and knapsack sprayers for use before and after collections and deliveries."
On-farm straw sales are another casualty of the foot-and-mouth outbreak. Simon Pallett of Dreweatt Neate, has postponed the last of their straw sales this season from Mar 8 until Mar 22, subject to change yet again if circumstances demand.
He said merchants are very keen to buy straw, but are finding only arable farmers willing to release it.
"And those arable farmers may be getting a bit of a premium for their straw." *