Soil samples

With slurry spreading just around the corner it’s your last chance to take soil samples. Last year was a difficult financial year on many drystock farms and there won’t be a lot of extra cash for investing in 2020.

A key area that won’t cost a huge amount but will deliver huge dividends is correcting soil fertility issues on your farm. Many will look to reseeding first in improving grassland management when soil fertility should be the first port of call. Only 10% of soil samples sent to Irish soil analysis labs have optimum fertility, so 90% are sub-optimum.

To maximise the productivity of your soils, it is essential that optimum soil fertility is maintained and correct levels of lime, P and K are applied based on soil results. Correct pH is essential in ensuring all nutrients are taken up and used efficiently.

Soil samples should be taken on every 5-10ha depending on field management. Farmyard manure (FYM) or fertiliser should not have been applied to the area three months before sampling. Samples should be representative of the field, so walk in a zig-zag motion across the field, avoiding poached areas or cow dung areas.

Early nitrogen

While spring nitrogen application is a little bit away yet on some farms, especially in the west, a little planning could help maximise the returns from it. There are a couple of key points:

  • Make sure the ground is not saturated and is able to carry machinery before spreading.
  • Early nitrogen application should take place when soil temperatures are consistently above 5°C.
  • Replace early nitrogen with early slurry application if you can. Silage fields are a good option to also replace P and K removed via silage cutting. Applying 2,500 gallons/acre with a trailing shoe tanker is the same as spreading 20 units/N/acre
  • Target reseeded swards, drier parts of the farm, fields with good soil fertility and avoid very bare fields with low grass covers for early nitrogen application.
  • Protected urea should be used where possible to reduce losses to the environment.
  • Purchase some fertiliser and give the spreader a quick check now in advance of needing it in a hurry on a dry day in February.

    • Tullamore Farm

    Preparations are in full swing in advance of calving 2020 on Tullamore Farm. Early calving cows have received their scour vaccine and are on 0.5kg/soya/head/daily. The first 30 cows have been moved to a loose shed beside calving pens. Calving pens have been washed and disinfected and calving supplies have been stocked up on – new ropes, calving lube, chlorohexidine/iodine, colostrum, red lamp, calf jackets washed, list of due dates printed, tags at the ready and calving jack checked. First cow is due in the last week of January. We will cover preparations ahead of calving in detail on the beef pages in next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.