How much nitrogen fert can I save by using dribble bar?

I always get shot down for this. But its near impossible to spread 1500 gal acre. People who say they spread low rates like that must have smoother paddocks than us
We supply Bauer Tankers with positive displacement pumps that can happily spread down as low as 10 m3/ha (approx 900 galls per acre), but you would never achieve that with a Vacuum tanker, but the cost disadvantage with a pump tanker as opposed to vacuum makes them a very hard sell in the UK when you compete against a basic Irish vac tank.
 
A lot of anecdotal evidence on here. What’s the link to the Irish research?

I work for Mastek, I have a PDF of some research Teagasc in Ireland did comparing splash plate vs trailing shoe / dribble bar. I don’t think dribble bars are likely to get banned in UK or Ireland as there had been too much grant funding to encourage people to buy them. There would be an uproar if those people were then told they couldn’t use them.
 
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Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton

pappuller

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
M6 Hard shoulder
Why lump dribble bars and trailing shoes in together on the research.

Two different application methods.


So what? If something isn't doesn't see a benefit or is causing issues then so be it.

Plenty of other things have been changed. Emission rules on cars is one example
Poor use of public funds would rear its head if they did ban them after handing out grants but that wouldn't be a surprise
 

richy

Member
I have a trailing shoe with 3 years and really like it wouldn’t go back to splash plate, our contractor uses a dribble bar on the umbilical and it smears the grass only place you see slurry with the shoe is on the wheel tracks.
I think there can be a big difference in slurry values depending on how much cake the cows are getting.
 

jerseycowsman

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
cornwall
I have a trailing shoe with 3 years and really like it wouldn’t go back to splash plate, our contractor uses a dribble bar on the umbilical and it smears the grass only place you see slurry with the shoe is on the wheel tracks.
I think there can be a big difference in slurry values depending on how much cake the cows are getting.
How many parts etc have you had to replace?
I am leaning to the trailing shoe for the reasons you said, but get told it’s more expensive and has more wearing parts, but if it does a better job and I can get my cows grazing quicker behind it and I can tell those fertiliser cow boys to shove it, then the trailing shoe looks the one?
 

Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
How many parts etc have you had to replace?
I am leaning to the trailing shoe for the reasons you said, but get told it’s more expensive and has more wearing parts, but if it does a better job and I can get my cows grazing quicker behind it and I can tell those fertiliser cow boys to shove it, then the trailing shoe looks the one?
Just be aware of the tb risk of grazing quicker.
 

Dragon

Member
Location
Cornwall
How many parts etc have you had to replace?
I am leaning to the trailing shoe for the reasons you said, but get told it’s more expensive and has more wearing parts, but if it does a better job and I can get my cows grazing quicker behind it and I can tell those fertiliser cow boys to shove it, then the trailing shoe looks the one?
In a grazing situation, a trailing shoe will work better where the grass is getting longer. Because it will place it on the ground regardless of how tall the grass is.
If your going on within a day or 2 after grazing i can see it will make that much difference Between the 2 methods.
Another factor is how thick the slurry is, slurry from your slatted tanks would be thicker And will take longer to dissappear with no rain.
We have a trailing shoe for our umbilical kit.
Looking at getting a dribble bar for the youngstock block and silage ground.
 

richy

Member
Fully agree with this assessment The only 2 parts we have replaced on the trailing shoe have been hoses and springs that run on top of the ground since June 2018. As we have gotten used to it springs have been less of a issue. Our fertilizer use is back by approx 30% .I have used bugs for the first time this year but not sure about cost/benefit.
Dribble bar and trailing shoe both have macerators but thick slurry does slow the job down. Our tank is a major 2670 gallon alpine and is very easy to pull with a 150 hp tractor on some steep hills, much easier on the tractor than the 2000 tank we had, seems well balanced if that makes sense.
 
Why lump dribble bars and trailing shoes in together on the research.

Two different application methods.


So what? If something isn't doesn't see a benefit or is causing issues then so be it.

Plenty of other things have been changed. Emission rules on cars is one example
No idea Sid, we didn’t do the research, I thought the same thing!
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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    Votes: 30 16.0%
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    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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