Most farmers this week are spreading slurry where they can, in an effort to empty tanks ahead of the closing date. Ideally, you need to wait a number of weeks before taking a soil sample. Otherwise take it before the slurry goes on.

At this time of year, the problem with spreading slurry is that there is grass on most paddocks as rotations are long. Another two weeks would help.

If taking soil samples, wait for three or four weeks after spreading slurry or artificial straights, otherwise the soil test result will be distorted.

For me, the best practice is to take a soil sample from each and every paddock. That way you can track growth rates and soil fertility, and make management decisions safe in the knowledge that you are making the right choices. Every week you measure and manage grass on a per-paddock basis, so you should measure soil fertility the same way.

If you have your farm divided up into five-acre or 10-acre plots, then I think tracking soil fertility in each plot should be fundamental to good management. Building a database of soil fertility results showing the change in fertility and grass growth rate measured in tonnages, will be vital information when making decisions on stocking rates in the coming years – now that quotas are not limiting farmers.

Remember that the new limiting factor is land, not quota. If you don’t have a good handle on it, then you are missing a key piece of information.

Some farmers make the argument that their soil type is the same and all paddocks are managed the same way. Hence they wouldn’t expect any real differences in fertility. I’ll argue that this is not the case. Soil fertility management is now more crucial than ever, because it decides feed growth rates and future and present stocking rates.

There are offers available with co-ops to get a soil sample analysed for between €10 and €15 per sample – get it done.