With the end of the closed period, farmers in Zone A will be permitted to spread slurry from tomorrow (Saturday, January 13). But is now the right time?
The opening date for spreading slurry will depend on the county that the farm is located in. While Zone A will open tomorrow, Zone B and C will follow in the coming weeks.
Zone A comprises of the following counties: Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.
Agriland spoke to the programme manager of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP), Noel Meehan about what farmers need to consider to get the best return.
Spreading slurry
The first thing that farmers need to be aware of is the buffer margin that’s required for spreading slurry during the two weeks post closed period, he said.
Farmers that have surface water on/or bordering their land are required to double the buffer zone to 10m during the first and final two weeks of the open season.
Secondly, Meehan said farmers should avoid spreading slurry in areas on the farm that are at high risk of being flooded or where water could overflow.
This means avoiding areas that have high connectivity to drains and streams, as heavy rainfall would lead to slurry being washed into the drainage network, he said.
While the weather is dry at the minute, Meehan reminded farmers to be very aware of the weather forecast and avoid spreading if heavy rainfall is forecast.
Farmers should also match application rates to growth rates, he said, as there is “no point” in putting out a very heavy cover of slurry when growth rates are low.
Otherwise nutrients exceed what the crop will be able to take up and excess nutrients, nitrogen or phosphorus, are at risk of being lost to water, Meehan said.
“Slurry is valuable from a nutrient point of view and you want to apply it when you’re going to get the best return for that.
“So the longer you can delay that out into late February/early March, if the weather conditions allow it, it will give you your best return on the slurry,” he said.
Although it is about trying to maximise the benefits of the slurry, Meehan said he can understand farmers who have their tank full and need to relieve the pressure.