Given the intensive feeding trials going on at the main yard in Grange, researchers at Derrypatrick have been restricted on the amount of Phosphorus (P) that can be spread here, John Heslin said at the recent open day at the farm.

“Things have changed this year, so we are working on that area now. On average, the farm is index 2 for P. We have to gear it towards the clover swards (*) that we’re establishing though,” he added.

John Maher gave some guidelines for spreading compounds to improve soil indexes.

“If we start from a deficient base across the board – which isn’t an uncommon scenario across the country – and fix lime (pH), P and potassium (K), you’re going to produce an extra three tonnes of grass per hectare,” he said.

If we utilise 75% of this, that’s an extra €250 net profit per hectare

Maher advised that lime spreading be carried out during the main growing season, K be spread in the backend and P in the front end.

“The biggest drain on lime is rain, on P it’s meat and on K it’s silage. Every animal leaving the farm is the equivalent of a bag of 18-6-12 walking out the gate,” he said.

“And we really need to go for 18-6-12 when trying to correct P. You’ll see more ads about things like 27-2.5-5, but in reality that isn’t enough P going in.”

Lime

“On any farm, however, the first thing for correcting is lime. An acidic (low pH/lime) soil will lock up P.

“You’ll spread the fertiliser and the soil will absorb it, but the plant won’t get the benefits until pH is corrected. We’re not spreading enough lime folks.

“There were one million tonnes spread across the country last year, for the first time in a while. Go back to the ’80s and there would’ve been two million tonnes going out every year.

Maher outlined how leaving lime spreading until winter was a ‘hope’ strategy.

“Look at the (wet) ground here underneath us? It’s going to be a while before you can travel on that. The best strategy is to go in intermittently during the growing season and spread the farm in sections,” he added.

*The Derrypatrick herd is currently established with clover (Chieftan and Aberherald) across 50% of its land area, for an animal performance trial beginning in 2018.

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