Drought cuts Rhineland-Palatinate grass harvest and drains farm feed reserves

Reduced grassland cuts and scorched pastures

In Habscheid-Hallert within the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm district, dairy farmers face severe livestock feed deficits caused by weeks of dry weather. Stefan Fiedler, a 53-year-old farmer who also serves as deputy chairman of the Bauern- und Winzerverband Rheinland-Nassau, manages 120 hectares of grassland. Under normal weather conditions, regional farms would have completed four grass cuts by late August. Due to persistent drought, only two cuts have been possible across his acreage so far this season. Fiedler explained that dry ground has stalled grass growth across the property, though he hopes an additional cut might still be achieved in October.

Of course our hearts bleed when you see the yellow fields, because that is actually where the feed for our animals should be growing.

Low maize yields and heavy livestock consumption

The dry spell has also severely impaired feed maize crops, an essential component of livestock nutrition. Fiedler expects his farm to harvest barely half of the maize volume gathered in previous years. High temperatures and absent rainfall prevented many maize plants from developing cobs, while surviving plants produced ears filled to only one-third or one-half of their normal grain capacity. Meeting dietary needs remains demanding because each dairy cow consumes roughly 50 kilograms of feed every day. Fiedler manages a total herd of more than 400 animals, including approximately 200 dairy cows.

Statewide feed deficits reported by farm associations

Agricultural organizations confirm that feed shortages are widespread across Rhineland-Palatinate. Herbert Netter, spokesman for the Bauern- und Winzerverband Rheinland-Nassau in Koblenz, stated that farms throughout the territory failed to grow enough animal feed and remained stuck at two grass cuts. Most operations have already drawn heavily on feed reserves saved from the previous year. In southern parts of the state, the deficit began earlier in the summer. Jana Beck, spokeswoman for the Bauern- und Winzerverband Rheinland-Pfalz Süd in Mainz, reported that pastures were scorched after the first two cuts, preventing secondary growth. Farms operating pasture-based grazing were forced to feed additional stored supplies as early as June and July.

Depleted reserves and long-term farm adaptation

To maintain daily feeding rations, livestock owners have relied on silage accumulated during the past two productive seasons. Fiedler has stored grass silage and maize silage in large chambers, but calculates that these reserves will last only two more months before he must begin feeding the smaller 2026 harvest. Agricultural businesses without surplus stocks are already consuming their planned winter supplies. Fiedler warned that if dry conditions return next spring, farms with exhausted reserves will face acute difficulties, requiring them to destock animals through sales or slaughter. To adjust to longer dry phases, farmers are planting more resilient species like tall fescue into their grassland swards.

The next spring is very decisive.