I'm going to get some flak for this, but would it be worth getting someone like SOYL to map the pH, P and K on a per Ha basis?
Assuming a cost of £25/ha and 40 ha it would cost £1000, less if you negotiate a better rate. Three quotes for everything, including the lime from your mate.
With calcium lime at £38/tonne, it would need to save 26 tonnes of over application on the better areas of the land before it pays for itself.
Worst case scenario, all of the land is uniformly pH 5.3, no saving is made, profit decreases by a dead cost of £1000.
More realistic scenario, the land averages pH 5.3, with areas between 5 and 6, with extra lime saved from the pH 6 read applied to the pH 5 areas. Again, probably very little cost saving in lime, but its applied where it's needed, and with the secondary benefit of also having the maps for P & K. Better grass, and all is rosey in the garden. Even better if the lease rolls on for another 5/ 10/ 15 years.
I get that it's let grassland on a five year lease, but would it justify the extra investment in year 1?
Assuming a cost of £25/ha and 40 ha it would cost £1000, less if you negotiate a better rate. Three quotes for everything, including the lime from your mate.
With calcium lime at £38/tonne, it would need to save 26 tonnes of over application on the better areas of the land before it pays for itself.
Worst case scenario, all of the land is uniformly pH 5.3, no saving is made, profit decreases by a dead cost of £1000.
More realistic scenario, the land averages pH 5.3, with areas between 5 and 6, with extra lime saved from the pH 6 read applied to the pH 5 areas. Again, probably very little cost saving in lime, but its applied where it's needed, and with the secondary benefit of also having the maps for P & K. Better grass, and all is rosey in the garden. Even better if the lease rolls on for another 5/ 10/ 15 years.
I get that it's let grassland on a five year lease, but would it justify the extra investment in year 1?