A more productive cow, producing more milk solids and eating more to do so, is the reason why slurry storage requirements per dairy cow are increasing, according to Teagasc director Frank O’Mara.

He was responding to a question at the Listowel Food Fair regarding whether farmers who invested in adequate slurry storage based on the advice at the time are going to see compensation given the requirement will be rising.

Slurry storage capacity required per cow is to increase by 21% and the construction costs have increased substantially in that time, he was told by a farmer. “The end result of this is if farmers are tight for slurry storage now, they will need additional storage to cater for these changes.”

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There is a three-year lead-in for that requirement within the draft Nitrates Action Programme and he encouraged farmers to avail of the 60% grants available for slurry storage on yards.