Dairy management: soil fertility

Results from soil sampling offer an opportunity to fix soil fertility.

Aidan Brennan

10 February 2017

Gavin Hartnett, Hartnett Agri is pictured spreading lime at a rate of two tons per acre for Denis Dunlea, Ballymurphy, Conna, Co Cork. Photo: Donal O' Leary

Results from soil samples taken over the winter are coming back. When looking at pH, ignore the SMP or buffer pH, as this is only used for calculating background acidity.

Remember the approach to fixing soil fertility: get the lime sorted first and then focus on phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) and sulphur (S). Correcting soil fertility will take money, but it’s essential for all serious farmers.

Highly stocked farmers (over three cows/ha) need to be prepared to spread around six bags per acre of 18:6:12 or equivalent per year to lift soil indexes. Including nitrogen, this will cost around €500/hectare. The Ps and Ks should be spread over three applications starting in March or April. Most soils need about 20 units/acre of S annually.

Special focus: fertilisers

Dairy management: grazing

Dairy management: minerals

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