Soil Nutrient Management

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Soil Nutrient Management

• Level II Agricultural Business Operations

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Soil Nutrient Management
Nutrients In
Nutrients Out
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Major Nutrients in Soil

• Nitrogen (N) most important for plant growth
• Phosphorus (P) in the form of Phosphate (P2O5)
• Potassium (K) in the form of Potash (K2O)
• Other nutrients are Sulphur (S), Magnesium (Mg)
  and Calcium (Ca)

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Soil Analysis

• Provides information about pH, P, K
• Soil sample every 4-5 years
• Soil sample after 3 months from application of
  slurry, manure, fertiliser, lime
• Correct sampling technique required

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Understanding a Soil Analysis
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pH Targets for Grassland
Mineral soils pH 6.0 6.5 Peaty soils pH 5.6
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Why Lime?
Benefits of Optimum pH / Liming

• Correct pH
• Nutrients in soil more available
• Nutrients in fertiliser more available
• Needed for ryegrass/clover
• Encourage earthworms
• Improves soil structure
• Less weeds

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Choice of Liming Material
Soil pH   Ground Limestone/ Magnesium Limestone Granulated Lime
pH 5.7 kg/acre required 1000 400
Cost/acre 20 45 application
pH 5.2 kg/acre required 2000 800
Cost/acre 40 90 application
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Understanding a Soil Analysis
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Phosphorus Index
Index Description
0 Deficient
1 OK for extensive
2 Optimum for grazing or silage.
3 High
gt4 Excessive
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Understanding a Soil Analysis
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Potassium Index
Index Description
0 Deficient
1 Low
2- Optimum for grazing or silage.
2 High
3 above Excessive
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Averages for NI 2008-2013

• 31 of samples below index 2 for P
• 44 of samples below index 2- for K
• 64 of samples below 6.0 for pH
• Only 18 are optimum for P, K and pH

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Nutrient Management Planning

• Getting the balance right!

Nutrients In
Nutrients Out
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Available Nutrients in Dairy Cow Slurry

• 4.5 m³ (1000 gallons) of dairy cow slurry applied
  in
• the spring supplies
• 5 kg (10 units) Nitrogen (N)
• 5.5 kg (11 units) Phosphate (P2O5)
• 14 kg (28 units) Potash (K2O)
• Availability of Nitrogen decreases as season
  progresses

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Using Slurry Efficiently

• When 1st February 15th October in suitable
  weather ground conditions
• Aim to apply slurry manure in the same
• conditions and weather as when applying
• bagged fertiliser. Leave 3-4 days after applying
• slurry before applying bagged fertiliser N loss
• minimised .
• Where 10m from water course, 20m from lakes,
  50m spring, well or borehole 250m public water
  supply

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What Method?
Inverted splashplate
Trailing shoe
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Benefits of Alternative Slurry Spreading Systems

• Better N utilisation
• Produces higher grass yields
• Trailing Shoe 24
• Band Spreading 16
• Less grass contamination
• Slurry spreading up to 4 weeks after cutting
• Can spread within 3m of watercourse rather than
  10m

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Nutrient Management Planning
Getting The Balance Right
Nutrients In
Nutrients Out
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Nutrients in Fertiliser

• A 50 kg bag of 201010
• fertiliser contains-
• 20 Nitrogen (N) -
• 10 kg (20 units)
• 10 Phosphate (P2O5)
• 5 kg (10 units)
• 10 Potash (K2O) -
• 5 kg (10 units)

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Fertiliser Types

• Examples-
• 27-0-0 (CAN)
• 34-0-0 (Superstart)
• 46-0-0 (Urea)
• 24-6-12
• 27-4-4
• 20-10-10
• 25-0-13
• 0-46-0
• 0-0-60

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Crop Nutrient Requirement
Establish crop to be grown. Calculate nutrients
required by Referring to crop recommendations
in RB209 Or Referring to DARD Crop Nutrient
Recommendation Calculator at www.dardni.gov.uk
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Nutrients Required for 1st Cut Silage
P index 2
K index 2-
34m3/ha (3000 gallons/acre)
312kg/ha (2.5 bags 2700/acre)
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Summary

1. Assess nutrients available in the soil - soil
   analysis
2. Assess crop nutrient requirement
3. Assess nutrients supplied by slurry
4. Balance crop need with chemical fertiliser

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Nitrates Phosphorus Regulations 2011-2014

• EU Regulation
• Aims to improve water quality by making better
  use of farm nutrients

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Main Areas to Consider

• Livestock manure Nitrogen limits
• What land to include
• How to calculate the manure Nitrogen
• Storage requirements
• Closed periods and spreading
• Nitrogen and Phosphate fertiliser
• Record keeping

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Livestock Manure Nitrogen Limit

• Annual stocking rate Jan-Dec
• Farm limit of 170 kg N per hectare (ha) per year
• (Derogation to 250kg N per ha per year)
• How is it calculated?
• Total nitrogen from livestock excretions
• Agricultural area controlled

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Livestock Manure Nitrogen Calculation
Example- Agricultural land area 48 ha
Enterprise Stock Numbers N Excretion per stock (kg) Total N (kg)
Dairy Cows 70 91 6370
Cattle over 2 years 4 54 216
Calves 1-2 years 20 47 940
Cattle 0-1 year 20 19 380

Imported/exported livestock manure Imported/exported livestock manure 0 0
Total 7906
Average stock numbers based on 6 counts
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Annual Livestock Manure Nitrogen Loading

• 7906 kg N/year produced
• 48 hectares
• 165 kg N/ha/year
• Livestock manure nitrogen loading calculator
  www.ruralni.gov.uk

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What if I am above the 170kg N/ha/year limit?

• Options
• Reduce stock numbers
• Farm additional land
• Export livestock manure
• Apply for a derogation

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What is a derogation?

• Approval from EU to operate up to 250 kg
  N/ha/year (higher stocking rate)
• Eligibility criteria for individual farms
• 80 grassland
• 250kg N/ha/year limit (grazing enterprises)
• P balance under 10kg/ha
• Additional plans and records required i.e.
• fertilisation plan
• fertilisation account

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Livestock Manure Storage

• 22 weeks storage for slurry
• 26 weeks pig poultry
• Calculate using Livestock Manure Storage
  Calculator at www.dardni.gov.uk or guidance
  workbook

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Closed Periods

• Closed periods for
• Fertiliser N 15 Sept 31 Jan
• Slurry 15 Oct 31 Jan
• FYM 31 Oct 31 Jan
• Dirty water no closed period
• Strict guidelines for applying manures and
  fertilisers
• Sludgigators are banned

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Fertiliser N and P

• Fertiliser N
• Grassland - averaged over total grassland area
• - maximum 8.25 bags/acre
• Non-grassland - limits for each individual crop
• - establish N requirement (SNS)
• - account for N in slurry
• Fertiliser P - must have soil analysis to show
  crop need
• - take account of P in organic manures

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Record Keeping

• Basic records
• Copy of SAF/IACS form
• Herd/flock register (APHIS)
• Fertiliser invoices
• Dimensions of storage tanks
• Additional records required if
• Not claiming SFP on land taken (control
  agreement)
• Importing/exporting slurry
• Spreading fertiliser P

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Summary

• Legislative requirement
• Operate at 170 kg N/ha per year or 250 kg N/ha
  per year
• Closed periods for fertiliser, slurry and FYM
  application
• Minimum 22 weeks slurry storage