Concentrate, forage & complete feed prices — understand your biggest livestock expense and alternatives.
Feed represents 60-70% of total livestock production costs in Ireland. Understanding and managing these expenses is critical for farm profitability.
Feed typically accounts for 65% of total variable costs in dairy and 70% in beef production.
Feed costs have increased 35% since 2020, outpacing livestock price growth.
Hemp cultivation can reduce feed dependency and create new revenue streams.
Market prices for major feed types in the Irish livestock sector.
16-18% protein
Standard dairy ration, price varies with protein source and additives.
High energy
Cereal-based finishing ration for beef cattle prior to slaughter.
Barley, wheat
Whole or rolled cereals for on-farm mixing, requires protein balancer.
All-in-one
Nutritionally balanced complete feed, highest convenience premium.
Global grain markets, energy costs, and supply chain factors continue to pressure feed prices. Irish farmers face additional transport costs from port to farm. While some price stabilization occurred in early 2026, the long-term trend remains upward due to climate volatility affecting global harvests.
Practical advice: Consider forward-buying when prices dip, explore on-farm mixing with homegrown cereals, and evaluate alternative forage crops like hemp to reduce concentrate dependency.
Monthly average prices for dairy concentrate and beef finishing rations.
How allocating land to hemp compares to growing feed crops.
For a 100-acre livestock farm spending €40,000 annually on purchased feed, allocating 20 acres to hemp could generate €30,000+ in additional income while reducing feed expenditure through homegrown alternatives. This dual approach improves both cash flow and feed security.
Improve grass and silage quality to reduce concentrate requirements. Target 12+ tonnes DM/ha from grassland.
Grow barley or wheat for on-farm feeding. Reduces purchased feed by 30-50% on mixed farms.
Integrate hemp, fodder beet, or maize as break crops that improve soil and provide feed alternatives.
Use hemp as cash crop on marginal land, generating income to offset feed purchases while improving soil health.
Every month the feed merchant invoice arrives. Every month it's larger than the last. You watch global grain markets, weather forecasts, and political decisions that you can't control, all reflected in your feed costs.
You've improved grazing, optimized rations, and bought in bulk. Yet the feed bill remains your biggest variable cost and your greatest source of financial uncertainty.
There's another way. Instead of watching input costs rise uncontrollably, you can create a new income stream that's predictable, profitable, and within your control.
Hemp doesn't replace your livestock enterprise—it strengthens it. By diversifying income, you gain negotiating power with feed suppliers, financial resilience during price spikes, and long-term soil health benefits.
