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UK heatwave: Welsh dairy farmers 'fighting to survive' UK heatwave: Welsh farmers 'fighting to survive'
(about 3 hours later)
Dairy farmers in Wales are warning that they could be fighting to survive if the summer's dry weather continues. Farmers in Wales are warning that they could be fighting to survive if the summer's dry weather continues.
Many say the grass they feed their cows on effectively stopped growing weeks ago, prompting concerns about the food available to herds in the longer term. Many say the grass they feed their cows effectively stopped growing weeks ago, prompting concerns about the food available to herds in the longer term.
Summer is normally used to store up extra grass supplies for the winter. The weeks of scorching weather follow heavy snow storms in late winter.
But some farmers say they are already running out of suitable grazing, with two more weeks of soaring temperatures forecast. NFU Cymru has also warned farmers that they have "a duty of care" to animals, as forecasts predict two more weeks of soaring temperatures.
The warm weather reached a record high of 32.6C in Porthmadog in Gwynedd at the end of June and the heatwave has continued this week.The warm weather reached a record high of 32.6C in Porthmadog in Gwynedd at the end of June and the heatwave has continued this week.
But while many people are enjoying the hot summer, the dry, parched conditions have caused a number of wildfires around Wales and are now affecting dairy farming. NFU Cymru President John Davies said he had heard farmers were already using their winter supplies of fodder because the lack of rain had stunted grass growth while the "intense" heat was "burning off crops".
Gareth Richards, of the National Farmers' Union Cymru, said the weather could have an "unprecedented" impact on the industry. Mr Davies said: "We've heard of farmers who are already using their winter supplies of fodder to feed livestock and with fodder already at a premium this could become a real problem later in the year."
He said: "For the majority of dairy farmers it's just a case of surviving day by day to get through, and hopefully the rains will come." The union has now relaunched its free fodder bank service to help members find animal feed or sell any surplus.
Mr Richards said the "Beast from the East" and other bad weather at the end of winter "really knocked farms hard". The union has also had reports of many farm wells, ponds, ditches and some boreholes running dry.
" A lot of people had to buy in extra food for their cows then. So the year got off to a bad start, and now we're into a very bad summer for dairy farmers." Some farmers are opting to dig new boreholes or in extreme cases, pay to bring in extra water.
Along with problems producing grass for the cows, many dairy farmers also say they are struggling to get enough water to their herds. Gareth Richards, chair of NFU Cymru's milk board, said the weather could have an "unprecedented" impact on the dairy industry.
Some are opting to dig new boreholes or in extreme cases, pay to bring in extra water. Mr Richards, who farms in Pembrokeshire, said: "For the majority of dairy farmers it's just a case of surviving day by day to get through, and hopefully the rains will come."
Aled Rees, who runs an organic dairy farm in north Pembrokeshire, said in 20 years of farming he had never experienced conditions like it.Aled Rees, who runs an organic dairy farm in north Pembrokeshire, said in 20 years of farming he had never experienced conditions like it.
"It's the loss of milk to start off with because in this weather the cows aren't milking as they should," he said."It's the loss of milk to start off with because in this weather the cows aren't milking as they should," he said.
"They've dropped around three litres of milk per head, so there's a financial cost to that because there's a loss of income. "They've dropped around three litres of milk per head, so there's a financial cost to that because there's a loss of income."
Mr Rees estimates that it has cost him around £13,000 more in the last month because he has had to buy in additional organic feed at about £400 per tonne. Mr Rees estimates that it has cost him around £13,000 more in the last month because he has had to buy in additional organic feed.
"Because we're already rationing it, we have enough grass in the fields left to last just under two weeks," he said."Because we're already rationing it, we have enough grass in the fields left to last just under two weeks," he said.
"But after that it really needs to rain or I'm not sure what we're going to do.""But after that it really needs to rain or I'm not sure what we're going to do."
Meanwhile NFU Cymru has warned that members should follow "the highest possible standards of husbandry" for their animals.
"The priority for livestock farms will be protecting the welfare of their animals, putting plans in place to ensure these animals' needs are met, making sure they have access to fresh water and shade from the sun," said Mr Davies.