• Welcome to The Farming Forum!

    As part of this update, we have made a change to the login and registration process. If you are experiences any problems, please email [email protected] with the details so we can resolve any issues.

Fertiliser Prices and only spreading once

HillLuing

Member
With this hears prices of fertiliser being so expensive is anyone considering only spreading on there grazing ground once and rely on the weather coming good to hold the swards strong into the autumn?
 

Agrivator

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scottsih Borders
The alternative is to rely only on Lime and Fibrophos every 5 years on much of the ''lax' grassland, but to use heavy N dressings on a proportion- the ''intensive'' grassland - to produce more winter feed or to produce early grazing until the 'lax' grassland gets going.

And high (sensible) N dressings on silage/haylage ground produces winter feed with a higher crude protein level, and saves on bought-in protein. That is a real effect, summed up very concisely in a recent SAC publication.
 
The alternative is to rely only on Lime and Fibrophos every 5 years on much of the ''lax' grassland, but to use heavy N dressings on a proportion- the ''intensive'' grassland - to produce more winter feed or to produce early grazing until the 'lax' grassland gets going.

And high (sensible) N dressings on silage/haylage ground produces winter feed with a higher crude protein level, and saves on bought-in protein. That is a real effect, summed up very concisely in a recent SAC publication.
What stage are you cutting at and what's your target silage analysis?
 
I can only put in on once a year every year, just try and wrest fields and move stock about. Maybe get some on in August for backend grass, maybe it will be cheaper then.
 
High clover swards here on the temporary grass leys so don't bother with any N. Permanent pasture doesn't get any N either as in low input scheme for Mid tier, we just feed the silage leys. Cows get anything that goes a bit strong and keep the young grazing cattle on the shorter quality stuff.
 

How is your SFI 24 application progressing?

  • havn't been invited to apply

    Votes: 28 36.4%
  • have been invited to apply

    Votes: 13 16.9%
  • applied but not yet accepted

    Votes: 28 36.4%
  • agreement up and running

    Votes: 8 10.4%

Webinar: Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer 2024 -26th Sept

  • 2,392
  • 49
On Thursday 26th September, we’re holding a webinar for farmers to go through the guidance, actions and detail for the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer. This was planned for end of May, but had to be delayed due to the general election. We apologise about that.

Farming and Countryside Programme Director, Janet Hughes will be joined by policy leads working on SFI, and colleagues from the Rural Payment Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming.

This webinar will be...
Back
Top