Ireland - news and events

Keeping cows fed is costing some Irish dairy farmers an extra €500 a day as prolonged drought leaves fields with almost no grass to graze. Parts of eastern and southern Ireland have seen extremely little rain - some areas of Carlow recorded just 4mm since July 1 - forcing farmers to use winter feed months early, while crop growers are also reporting lower yields, smaller produce and rising costs. The dry spell is hitting everything from maize and potatoes to cattle farms, and some farmers say lost income will force them to postpone spending on machinery, buildings and other improvements. A few weeks without rain can look like a weather problem; on a farm, it quickly becomes a very expensive one.