And with input prices hitting new highs, further efficiency gains look set to benefit the bottom line even more.
The 260 ha (650 acres) business, F.D. Bird & Sons, near Beverley, began using Omnia in 2020, working with Hutchinsons agronomist Ben Jagger, to analyse existing yield map data, and start building further layers of information to improve crop management.
This included TerraMap scanning across a proportion of the farm before drilling in spring 2021, to map a host of soil properties, from nutritional status and pH to soil type and organic matter content. Since then, the majority of the farm has been TerraMapped, revealing some clear variations in soil properties and paving the way for efficiency gains.
The biggest saving so far has been from the TerraMap analysis that showed routine applications of lime to correct low soil pH were not necessary, resulting in an instant saving of £5,000-£7,000 on lime applications last year alone. “At current prices, those savings could be worth a third more than that now,” notes farm manager, James Close.
“Previously, we’d have routinely applied lime based on a few soil samples taken by our spreading contractor. TerraMap has brought far greater precision to the process, not just with lime, but with seed and fertiliser too.”
“Base fertiliser rates are calculated from yield map analysis to identify crop potential, and we can tailor what we need to apply, and where to apply it, according to what’s in the soil,” Mr Close says.
Manganese applications are also tailored to individual field and crop requirements, although where needed, this is applied at a flat rate, not variably, he notes.
After purchasing a new Chafer sprayer, the farm did plan to trial variable rate liquid nitrogen applications last spring, however technical issues with the N-Sensor system meant this was not possible. With the problems now resolved, Mr Close plans to try variable rate nitrogen again next spring.
“Our ultimate goal is to hopefully reduce the amount of nitrogen and other fertilisers we need to as little as possible by only applying nutrients exactly where and when they are needed. The cost of all fertiliser has increased considerably this year, so we have to use it as efficiently as possible.”
Understanding soil nutritional and organic matter status also helps to better target slurry and farmyard manure applications, which have been proactively used across the farm, he adds. “Some fields have very high organic matter content, whereas others are lower, so hopefully we can tailor applications better.”
The 260 ha (650 acres) business, F.D. Bird & Sons, near Beverley, began using Omnia in 2020, working with Hutchinsons agronomist Ben Jagger, to analyse existing yield map data, and start building further layers of information to improve crop management.
This included TerraMap scanning across a proportion of the farm before drilling in spring 2021, to map a host of soil properties, from nutritional status and pH to soil type and organic matter content. Since then, the majority of the farm has been TerraMapped, revealing some clear variations in soil properties and paving the way for efficiency gains.
The biggest saving so far has been from the TerraMap analysis that showed routine applications of lime to correct low soil pH were not necessary, resulting in an instant saving of £5,000-£7,000 on lime applications last year alone. “At current prices, those savings could be worth a third more than that now,” notes farm manager, James Close.
“Previously, we’d have routinely applied lime based on a few soil samples taken by our spreading contractor. TerraMap has brought far greater precision to the process, not just with lime, but with seed and fertiliser too.”
Targeting fertiliser use
Indeed, variable rate phosphate and Muriate of Potash (MOP) granular fertiliser was applied to oilseed rape this season (2022 harvest) to help even-up the low levels of soil potassium and phosphorus identified on some lighter areas of fields.“Base fertiliser rates are calculated from yield map analysis to identify crop potential, and we can tailor what we need to apply, and where to apply it, according to what’s in the soil,” Mr Close says.
Manganese applications are also tailored to individual field and crop requirements, although where needed, this is applied at a flat rate, not variably, he notes.
After purchasing a new Chafer sprayer, the farm did plan to trial variable rate liquid nitrogen applications last spring, however technical issues with the N-Sensor system meant this was not possible. With the problems now resolved, Mr Close plans to try variable rate nitrogen again next spring.
“Our ultimate goal is to hopefully reduce the amount of nitrogen and other fertilisers we need to as little as possible by only applying nutrients exactly where and when they are needed. The cost of all fertiliser has increased considerably this year, so we have to use it as efficiently as possible.”
Understanding soil nutritional and organic matter status also helps to better target slurry and farmyard manure applications, which have been proactively used across the farm, he adds. “Some fields have very high organic matter content, whereas others are lower, so hopefully we can tailor applications better.”
FARM FACTS: F.D. BIRD & SONS
- 260 ha farm owned by John Bird
- Variable soils ranging from sandy loam to heavy clay
- Cropping includes spring barley, oilseed rape, winter barley, winter wheat, and vining peas
- Cultivation policy: Moved away from plough/ power harrow system two years ago – now based around Cousins Patriot followed by power harrow and drill, or triple-k and drill
- Most of the farm has been TerraMapped
- Omnia used to create variable rate plans for seed and fertiliser.
