Dairy farmer will save with new slurry store
Soil testing also brings over £3600 of savings on fertiliser
A farmer from the Vale of Clwyd is to plough in a serious investment into his farm that will save him time, money and diesel in the coming Winter months.
Dairy farmer Gareth Hughes is planning to build a 136,000 gallon slurry store that will give him more control over when and how he applies slurry on his land.
Gareth keeps 60 dairy cows on the 105-acre Tandderwen Farm, Glascoed near Abergele, using a one or two cut silage system on 47 acres.
Increased slurry storage means he is not forced to spread over the winter when the conditions aren’t ideal as it compacts the soil and gives less benefit to the crop.
He can get the most of the free fertiliser value in his slurry by applying it during the growing season when his crops need it most.
It will save on labour costs, diesel bills and wear and tear on machinery and free up his time to carry out other jobs on the farm.
Doing it this way also reduces the risk of slurry running off his fields into rivers and streams affecting water quality.
At a cost of £30,000, it will also mean he is complying with the Slurry, Silage and Fuel Oil (SSAFO) regulations by having up to four months capacity.
Gareth said: "With more storage I will be able to apply slurry in the spring when the crops require it, rather than wasting my time and valuable nutrients in the autumn and winter."
Gareth has also saved around £3,600 a year after finding that he did not need to buy compound fertiliser and could get better silage crops by using his slurry better along with a cheaper nitrogen-based fertiliser.
Environment Agency Wales Catchment Co-ordinator, Nichola Taylor, offered to test five of Gareth’s fields for him.
The results showed that phosphate and potash in three of the fields were higher than they should be and they did not need liming because the pH levels were at or above 6.0, the ideal point for grass growth.
He has injected slurry on some fields to make sure the nitrogen is used to help the grass grow, rather than running off into streams and rivers.
Gareth said: "That worked really well. The silage continued to grow in those fields during the dry summer and I got a much better yield from them."
He is now looking to inject slurry on other fields rather than spreading it.
Gareth said: "The tests results really opened my eyes and made me see the value in soil testing and nutrient planning."
He has since tested more fields and is looking to take up Farming Connect’s Farming Advisory Service to create a nutrient management plan for the whole farm. This currently receives 80% funding.
Nichola Taylor from Environment Agency Wales, said: "Small changes in the way farmers use artificial fertiliser – based on soil test results – can make a big difference to their business.
"We are offering these tests free of charge in the Vale of Clwyd and Elwy catchment so hopefully more farmers will benefit in this way."
Environment Agency Wales recommends that farmers test their soils every three to five years to make sure they are applying the right nutrients.
Better control, use and application of nutrients from fertiliser and slurry is proposed as being a key part of Glastir – the new sustainable land management scheme for Wales.
Nutrient Management Plans can be funded through the Farming Connect Farm Advisory Service. Eligible businesses can claim back 80% funding towards producing a plan for the farm. The Farm Advisory Service has a list of approved advisors that can carry out this work on your behalf.
Nutrient Management planning is also of particular importance to farms in the NVZ areas.
• Farmers in the Vale of Clwyd and in the catchment of the Elwy can receive free soil testing to see how they might benefit by contacting Nichola Taylor on 01248 484173
• For further guidance on how to make the most of slurry storage, contact Martin Price on 01244 894537.
• Contact the Farming Connect team at your local Divisional Office for more information, or to register for Farming Connect, call 08456 000 813.
