Feeding stock outside this winter?

Farmers receiving agricultural support payments will need to demonstrate that they are meeting the requirements of a number of existing European Laws as well as maintaining the land in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC). These are known as Cross-Compliance requirements.

One aspect of Cross-Compliance is concerned with feeding livestock outside. If you feed livestock outside during the winter or during spells of bad weather, you must not cause soil erosion or environmental damage to habitats, archaeological sites or waterways. To avoid damage, you need to consider location of feeders, rotation of feeding sites and creation of sacrifice areas.

Do not place feeders on wildlife areas (habitats) on the farm. Habitats include wood, scrub, moorland and grasslands abundant with wild flowers.

Avoid placing feeders on or near an archaeological site, for example, a standing stone or a rath. Keep sites at least 10 metres from a waterway, 50 metres from a borehole or well and 250 metres from any borehole used for a public water supply.

Ensure feeding sites are regularly rotated to prevent excessive trampling. Bare ground around a feeding site is expected, but where livestock is wading in muck around feeders this will be considered a breach of Cross-Compliance and may jeopardise your Single Farm Payment.

Permitted only on flat ground, which is improved grassland or arable land (land which is regularly cultivated receiving fertiliser /slurry). These must not be located within 10 metres from a waterway, 50 metres from a borehole or well and 250 metres from any borehole used for a public water supply.

Ensure the sacrifice area is not on or adjacent to an archaeological site. The area must be either ploughed and sown in the following spring or left to naturally regenerate provided there is at least 90 percent grass/crop cover by the end of spring.

For further guidance please contact Countryside Management Staff at your local DARD Office.