The aggregate volume of slurry applied through Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) increased from 4% to 48% between 2017 and 2021, according to new information from Teagasc.
The trend was outlined in a manure management report launched by Teagasc this week, which analyses how various management practices on farms influence the environmental impact of agriculture.
The report, titled ‘A report on bovine manure management, application and storage practices in Ireland,’ states that the trailing shoe was the most commonly used LESS technology, followed by the trailing horse and injection, at 63%, 59% and 47% respectively.
It also contains details on the duration of bovine animal housing periods; the different types of slurry and manure storage facilities; the proportion of manures generated by different animal types; the extent of seasonality of manure application; and the extent to which various slurry application and manure storage methods are employed.
According to Teagasc, all of this information is key in the calculation of national emissions data for greenhouse gases (GHGs) and ammonia.
Commenting on the results of the study, Dr. Cathal Buckley of Teagasc said the report will provide policymakers with “critical information to support the continued development of Ireland’s national inventory accounting system” of GHGs in the agricultural sector.
“As farmers implement changes to farm management practices, such as the adoption of LESS, it is important that we are able to capture and reflect this activity in the greenhouse gas and ammonia national inventory accounting systems,” he said in a statement.
The information used to inform the survey was collected in Teagasc’s National Farm Survey (NFS) over a five-year period.
“The Teagasc NFS has been adapted in recent years to collect a wider suite of management data relevant to the environment.
“This will allow the Teagasc NFS to provide greater support to policy development and ensure that the sector gets recognition for the progress it makes in addressing environmental objectives,” said Trevor Donnellan, head of agricultural economics and farm surveys with Teagasc.