In the last few days, we have had more rain than in the eight weeks since we finished sowing. During the long, mild, dry autumn, punctuated by some sharp frosts – which hopefully dealt with aphids and checked fungal infections – we saw remarkable grass and even clover growth.
It’s hard to believe that slurry spreading will, weather permitting, begin in a few days’ time. We have again added an additive to the slurry beneath the slats, with the aim of having the slurry easier to agitate, which we are quite sure is the case. It also definitely reduces the smell when spreading it. What I am not so sure about is the claim of additional benefits to soil health. The claim is based on the assumption that undesirable ammonia in the slurry is converted to more beneficial nitrate, but it seems to be difficult to get conclusive evidence to back up the claim. We will try and monitor how the late-grazed paddocks recover and become fit for grazing, compared with the ones we left. With all the cattle in, we are getting through our silage, but if the year is anyway normal, we should be okay. It seems a pity that we are using soya as our protein source instead of the bi-products from the native brewing and distilling industries, but the relative prices made the switch inevitable. Out in the fields, the heavy rain has given the first opportunity to see if our expensive drainage work carried out during the summer was having any effect. We had taken two different approaches. In one badly affected area, we put in a conventional layout with perforated pipes sunk well below plough depth and lots of gravel. In the other vulnerable area with very little fall, we put in an intensive system of gravel-filled mole drains.
ADVERTISEMENT
Register for free to read this story and our free stories.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
In the last few days, we have had more rain than in the eight weeks since we finished sowing. During the long, mild, dry autumn, punctuated by some sharp frosts – which hopefully dealt with aphids and checked fungal infections – we saw remarkable grass and even clover growth.
It’s hard to believe that slurry spreading will, weather permitting, begin in a few days’ time. We have again added an additive to the slurry beneath the slats, with the aim of having the slurry easier to agitate, which we are quite sure is the case. It also definitely reduces the smell when spreading it. What I am not so sure about is the claim of additional benefits to soil health. The claim is based on the assumption that undesirable ammonia in the slurry is converted to more beneficial nitrate, but it seems to be difficult to get conclusive evidence to back up the claim. We will try and monitor how the late-grazed paddocks recover and become fit for grazing, compared with the ones we left. With all the cattle in, we are getting through our silage, but if the year is anyway normal, we should be okay. It seems a pity that we are using soya as our protein source instead of the bi-products from the native brewing and distilling industries, but the relative prices made the switch inevitable. Out in the fields, the heavy rain has given the first opportunity to see if our expensive drainage work carried out during the summer was having any effect. We had taken two different approaches. In one badly affected area, we put in a conventional layout with perforated pipes sunk well below plough depth and lots of gravel. In the other vulnerable area with very little fall, we put in an intensive system of gravel-filled mole drains.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS