Lime

There was a 50% increase in the amount of lime applied on Irish farms last year, and the trend looks set to continue for this year.

The reason for lime is simple – it prevents soils from getting acidic. In the same way that you wouldn’t dip your hand into a bucket of acid, soil microbes and other living things can’t survive or thrive in acidic soils.

With dry fields and longer grazing rotations, this time of year is ideal for spreading lime, particularly after silage is cut. Apply it at a rate of no more than 2t per acre.

If soil sample results say a field needs more, wait a year or two and then spread more. Spreading too much lime at the one time can make soil sticky.

In terms of fertiliser or slurry, slurry or urea should be spread on a field before the lime, and not for a few months after lime is spread.

There is no real issue around timing with other fertilisers.

Holidays

Getting away for a holiday is good for the farmer and good for the farm. Aside from the difficulties in getting relief help, you have to be well organised to be able to get away from the farm.

Farmers that are able to get away regularly tend to have simple systems with good facilities, good equipment and simple protocols in place.

It’s a good example for others to follow, even just in terms of attracting and retaining employees or relief milkers.

Before you go, have a grazing plan in place for the cows and other stock. How many days would you expect cows to get in each paddock and what should happen if something changes?

Write out a list of common problems and how to solve them. Some farmers make little videos of how things work and then send them to whoever is working on the farm.

Telling someone something once is a poor way to communicate, it’s much better to leave written instructions.

Some farmers ask a friend or discussion group member to act as a point of contact for the person in charge when the farmer is away. This will limit the number of phone calls or texts that the farmer will get when they are away.

Fertiliser

There are just six weeks left in the open period for spreading fertiliser this season, but most farmers should aim to have all nitrogen applied by the end of August.

I sometimes think it’s better to apply the last few applications in a blanket spread, rather than following the cows.

This usually ensures that all parts of the farm that need nitrogen get it, and it means that you can be a little bit more strategic in how much is spread.

Farms that are very dry now will release a lot of background nitrogen in August and September, so that should be kept in mind.

On farms with a high grass demand, spreading 20 units/acre now on grass-only fields will help to build up covers during August.

How much, if any nitrogen to spread at the end of August can be decided then, based on farm cover and grass and the outlook for grass growth.

Fields that have been reseeded this season and fields that have a lot of clover can get away with little or no nitrogen.