Soil management advice offered solutions to both immediate weather issues and more permanent environmental challenges at the IFA's Smart Farming open day on the farm of Joe Deverell in Geashill, Co Offaly, on Friday.Teagasc specialists Francis Quigley and David Wall gave demonstrations of fertiliser spreader calibration and soil structure diagnositcs.
Soil management advice offered solutions to both immediate weather issues and more permanent environmental challenges at the IFA's Smart Farming open day on the farm of Joe Deverell in Geashill, Co Offaly, on Friday.
Teagasc specialists Francis Quigley and David Wall gave demonstrations of fertiliser spreader calibration and soil structure diagnositcs.
Francis advised over 100 farmers present to test both their fertiliser and their machine before spreading to ensure the quantities applied reach the targeted area.
"If the fertiliser breaks too easily, it will shatter during spreading and go to dust," he said.
He demonstrated smartphone apps simplifying the calibration of PTO speed, height and vane settings, and forward speed for each situation.
I can't believe how dry it is
David dug a pit in Joe's field and showed successive layers of soil affected differently by compaction by successive tillage and grassland operations.
"I can't believe how dry it is," Joe said, noticing the absence of any sign of moisture all the way down the waist-high pit.
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David said the mix of rye-grass and clover in the field was key to recovery after drought like this summer, with deeper clover roots reaching moisture and preserving soil structure deeper into the ground than those of rye-grass.
IFA environment chair Thomas Cooney said proper spreader calibration contributes to water protection while potentially saving farmers thousands of euro in wasted fertiliser.
Aside from better productivity, addressing soil compaction also contributes to carbon storage and protection of watercourses in buffer areas, he added, with technology and precision farming expected to improve performance in those areas in the coming years.
Low-cost loans
IFA president Joe Healy highlighted both sustainability achievements so far, such as the high uptake of the GLAS scheme, and challenges ahead including addressing ammonia emissions.
In the immediate future, he once again called for the roll-out of "low-cost loans to support both ongoing working capital and farm investment" in response to this year's difficult conditions.
"Farmers are really under pressure and need that to be made available immediately," he said. The measure was included in the budget one year ago.
Martin Ryan, technical manager for Glanbia's feed division, said that he expected dairy farmers in his catchment to end up 20% below the stock of fodder needed ahead of a five-month winter.
"Saving 50% of the dry cow requirement would cover this by and large," he calculated. Feeding 3kg of straw or hay and 3kg of distillers' grains is one of the options to stretch silage to that level, he added.
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