warksfarmer
Member
Obviously not this year!! but longer term does anybody run with the idea of spending a lot less on inputs but then expecting a lower yield? Or is yield still king?
Current market prices are good, but with the added cost of the inputs, machinery, fuel etc is yield still king or could we think about:
1. Plough instead of a 2 pass expensive herbicide strategy. Plough and then a press will cost £35/acre what does the chems cost?
2. Farm saved seed only buying in a couple of tonne of new seed to keep growing on?
3. Only apply N and knock the rest of the nutrients on the head.
4. Then a couple of fungicides when required and throw the 'T' program out the window.
5. Then a routine glyphosate prior to harvest to keep things tidy?
So say 3.3t/ac 1st wheat at £180/t = £600/ac output against probably an input spend of £80-£90/acre. Maybe spent a bit more on getting the crop established because of the plough and press approach but the saving on input is a lot more?
Just interested if anybody goes with this because running with a full chem program and some extra nutrients to lift yield to say 3.8t/ac costs an awful lot more money to get another 0.5t/ac to sell?
Current market prices are good, but with the added cost of the inputs, machinery, fuel etc is yield still king or could we think about:
1. Plough instead of a 2 pass expensive herbicide strategy. Plough and then a press will cost £35/acre what does the chems cost?
2. Farm saved seed only buying in a couple of tonne of new seed to keep growing on?
3. Only apply N and knock the rest of the nutrients on the head.
4. Then a couple of fungicides when required and throw the 'T' program out the window.
5. Then a routine glyphosate prior to harvest to keep things tidy?
So say 3.3t/ac 1st wheat at £180/t = £600/ac output against probably an input spend of £80-£90/acre. Maybe spent a bit more on getting the crop established because of the plough and press approach but the saving on input is a lot more?
Just interested if anybody goes with this because running with a full chem program and some extra nutrients to lift yield to say 3.8t/ac costs an awful lot more money to get another 0.5t/ac to sell?