The first anaerobic digesters are now starting to be built and to open for business in Ireland. More will follow.

They will introduce a new stream of organic manure available for spreading on tillage land. Other new organic fertiliser streams are expected to emerge over the next few years.

At the same time, farmer interest in the benefits from applying organic manures on to long-term, worn-out tillage land is also on the rise.

Research

Teagasc researcher Patrick Forrestal, based in Johnstown Castle, is looking at how best to use organic manures alongside chemical fertilisers as part of crop nutrient programme.

Showing trial plots at the Crops and Spreaders Open Day at Oak Park, he said: "Farmers sometimes look only at the N, P and K values of a manure, he said. However, the carbon content is of high value in feeding soil biology and stabilising soil structure.

“Even small amounts of organic manure spread through a crop rotation can help build soil biology and fertility.”

Slurry

At Oak Park, he had adjacent plots which received the same total nutrients but some with cattle slurry replacing a proportion of the chemical fertiliser.

Growers were interested in seeing that the winter barley which received cattle slurry was taller. Yield differences will be measured.

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