New limits on the milking platform stocking rate could be a condition of the next nitrates derogation, the Irish Farmers Journal understands. While the proposals from the nitrates expert group made up of Teagasc, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Agriculture personnel is yet to report their recommendations, a new maximum stocking rate on the milking platform is expected.
New limits on the milking platform stocking rate could be a condition of the next nitrates derogation, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.
While the proposals from the nitrates expert group made up of Teagasc, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Agriculture personnel is yet to report their recommendations, a new maximum stocking rate on the milking platform is expected.
This would be based on an upper limit of organic nitrogen per hectare on the grazing block, so the actual cows per hectare will vary depending on what band the herd is in, but is proposed to be around the 3.5 cows/ha mark.
The expectation is that a higher stocking rate will be permitted, where the farmer can prove that slurry is being moved to outside land, thereby distributing the nutrients produced by the cow across a larger area.
Proving slurry is being moved to outside land is already a condition of the current nitrates derogation.
In a change for 2025, land more than 30km away from the main holding is now capped at 170kg N/ha unless the farmer can prove that it is being grazed by livestock, has “active slurry storage facilities”, or the farmer declares slurry movements within four days of application.
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