The final day for spreading slurry in Zones A, B and C is 14 October. The prohibited period begins at midnight (differs slightly in Northern Ireland and begins on 16 October) and lasts until 12 January in Zone A counties, 15 January in Zone B counties and 31 January in Zone C counties.

Zone A counties are Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow. Zone B counties are Clare, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath, while Zone C counties are Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim and Monaghan.

If livestock are out-wintered at any time during the prohibited period, you may require reduced storage capacity

The storage capacity required for organic manures also differs between zones. Zone A counties require 16 weeks storage capacity, Zone B require 18 weeks, while Zone C counties vary. Donegal and Leitrim require 20 weeks, while farms in Cavan and Monaghan require 22 weeks.

If livestock are out-wintered at any time during the prohibited period, you may require reduced storage capacity.

The rule applies if sheep, deer or goats are out-wintered at a grassland stocking rate of not more than 130kg organic nitrogen/ha (equivalent of 10 ewes/ha).

The rule also applies if you have other livestock, excluding dairy cows, out-wintered at a grassland stocking rate not exceeding 85kg/ha. If sheep, deer or goats are out-wintered with cattle, then the lower 85kg/ha stocking rate applies.

There are a number of other criteria that must be met. The total livestock manure produced on the holding must not exceed 140kg N/ha over the calendar year.

The reduction in storage capacity is equal to the actual number of stock out-wintered

Out-wintered stock must have access to the required land and there must be no severe poaching.

The reduction in storage capacity is equal to the actual number of stock out-wintered. The rule cannot be used to have reduced storage capacity for dairy cows.

The final day for applying farmyard manure (FYM) is 31 October, with the prohibited period from 1 November and lasting for similar time lines as detailed above.

FYM cannot be stored in fields during the prohibited application period, but can be done so during the spreading period.

This means FYM can be field-stored in a compact heap from 31 January, provided relevant buffer zones are adhered to.