- Location
- Scot Borders
All grazing. Grass crops all off by that time
Beef / Lamb & Pig Price Tracker
- Thread starter TFF
- Start date
- Location
- Cheshire
Diesel too load it, diesel too cart it and tip, diesel too load it again, diesel too spread? That’s 4 lots of diesel against 2? Not sure how you work out it uses less? Straw is well broken up when the cattle have finished with it.
- Location
- Cheshire
Then there’s the effluent issue. Field heaps leaching black N rich liquor down the field wasting and killing grass when it could be spread thinly on top being taken up by the roots 
. We have too put it in midden obviously from December - March as it’s too wet too travel but it does upset me!
. We have too put it in midden obviously from December - March as it’s too wet too travel but it does upset me!
muleman
Member
I would have thought it made better muck left in a midden than spread straight away!Then there’s the effluent issue. Field heaps leaching black N rich liquor down the field wasting and killing grass when it could be spread thinly on top being taken up by the roots
- Location
- Cheshire
I always look at it that in a midden it can only lose nutrients, not aquire more?
- Location
- Devon
Don't think it's as simple as that.I always look at it that in a midden it can only lose nutrients, not aquire more?
Composting makes the nutrients more readily available to the soil.
Lots can be lost to the atmosphere spread straight out the shed, particularly in dry weather.
- Location
- Cheshire
Fair enough, I stand corrected. 
now too open up another shed for our kid…
now too open up another shed for our kid…
- Location
- Devon
Lots of variables, and I don't pretend to understand them all.
muleman
Member
Composting will increase its nutritional value, you wont need as much artificial fertiliser.I always look at it that in a midden it can only lose nutrients, not aquire more?
- Location
- Cheshire
Less than 0?
- Location
- Lancashire
I thought that if spread strawy muck straight on the field then the microbes need nitrogen to break it down and the easiest place to get it is from the soil, so that nitrogen isn’t available to the plant. Which is why the waste paper firms used to give you 2cwt/acre of nitrogen when they spread it on pastures.
If the muck is stacked in a heap then the microbes take the nitrogen from the air, so you should be gaining some. But while it’s rotting you’re losing carbon to the atmosphere, which the experts get their knickers in a twist about.
We spread ours whenever it’s dry enough and there’s a field that’s eaten bare, though most of it is separated solids. Sheep will be eating among it within a fortnight, even if they have clean ground to go at.
If the muck is stacked in a heap then the microbes take the nitrogen from the air, so you should be gaining some. But while it’s rotting you’re losing carbon to the atmosphere, which the experts get their knickers in a twist about.
We spread ours whenever it’s dry enough and there’s a field that’s eaten bare, though most of it is separated solids. Sheep will be eating among it within a fortnight, even if they have clean ground to go at.
ask said experts where that carbon came from in the first place
livestock 1
Member
No hope of cutting anything until the end of July at best spread thin then we will harrow it on a wet day will be gone by then grass has changed colour straight away
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
Always midden mine for a six months , better rotted down till its black .
livestock 1
Member
Straw holds nitrogen when you heap muck up and let it rot you loose the nitrogen
- Location
- Essex
I think (though not absolutely certain) that the real benefits of compost are that it's more of an innoculant than a source of nutition.
I also believe that when muck heats up, it burns carbon which is why you end up with less material, which I would rather get into the soil.
I also think that the soil can cope with it and make better use of the nutrition than if it's kept in a heap till the end of the growing season. For that reason I try and get mine spread as soon as I can; the worst problem with that is if it doesn't rain, you end up with a sour sprinkling of crisps lying on top for weeks on end.
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
Always spread mine straight out of the shed….diesel is too expensive to handle muck twice. Plus can’t stand big bare patches on grazing land where it’s been stacked.
- Location
- Scot Borders
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
It’s like paradiseMust be lovely living in the dry flat east
it depends how your kitted up handling it and how far your taking it… can get 3 muck spreader full in a silage trailer… if your taking it a good distance probably saves diesel handling it twice…