Spring Nitrogen is essential for grass growth on beef farms – Teagasc
Nitrogen applications are essential for grass growth on beef farms this spring, according to Teagasc’s Ned Heffernan.
The Business and Technology Drystock Advisor said that farmers should aim to apply 23 units of Nitrogen (N) in February.
The beef specialist also said that highly stocked farms should spread60 units of N by early April, which will allow for adequate grass growth in the second and third rotation.
The average spring N response is 10kg of grass dry matter for every 1kg of N applied.
Farmers should target their most productive swards or recently reseeded swards with early N applications, he said.
Urea verses CAN fertiliser
Heffernan also spoke about the cost difference between urea and Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN). He said that urea costs 75c/kg of N, which is cheaper than CAN (€1/kg of N), at current market prices.
Research from Teagasc shows that there is no difference in the grass growth response from urea or CAN, but urea may be a more efficient fertiliser in the spring time.
“Urea may be safer than CAN fertilisers for early N applications because there will be less nitrate lost, nitrate is prone to leaching in the soil,” he said.
However,the application of Nitrogen to grassland is dependent on a number of key factors. These include location, soil conditions, temperature and the length of the growing season.
Nitrogen should be applied when soil temperatures reach 5-6 degrees Celcius, as this is when grass begins to grow.
Farmers should check the forecast prior to spreading fertiliser to ensure that there at least 48 hours of reasonable weather after application, he said.
pH, P and K key for grass growth
Heffernan also discussed the importance of maintaining good pH, Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) levels.
He said that fields that have a low pH should be targeted first with lime to address the pH deficit. Correcting the soils pH has the potential to release an additional 80kg of N/ha on an annual basis, he said.
The Teagasc advisor also that soils that are low in P and K will have a lower response to N fertiliser applications, and so these paddocks or fields should be targeted with compound fertilisers or slurry.
(Source – Agriland – Sean Cummins – 03/03/2016)
Net margin increases by €100/ha for every extra tonne of grass used – Teagasc
Each extra tonne of grass used on beef farms has a positive impact on the profitability of the business, according to Teagasc Cattle Specialist James Keane.
Keane said that increasing the amount of grass used by one tonne results in a net margin increase of €100/ha on beef farms.
“No matter what feed you bring into the shed there is no feed as good or as cheap as grass,” he said.
The Teagasc cattle specialist said that young bulls have the potential to achieve average daily live weight gains of 1.4kg from spring grazing, which will have a positive impact on the profitability of these systems.
He also presented data at a recent farm walk in Teagasc Grange which shows that spring grass is the cheapest feed available for replacement or weanling heifers.
Grass is a much cheaper feed. It costs 0.60c to gain 1kg of live weight at grass, while it costs €1.66/kg indoors to achieve this weight gain.
Spring grass requires a plan
However, he said that it is important that every farm has a plan in place which allow them to use spring grass effectively.
“Most beef farmers turnout stock when growth outstrips demand. This is going against the whole concept of spring grazing,” he said.
It is important that beef farmers use a rotation planner and they should aim to have 60% of their farm grazed by the end of March, he said.
Farmers have to use a common sense approach when it comes to grazing. Every farm is going to different, but there is dry land on every farm where light stock or weanlings can be grazed.
Keane also said have the correct grazing infrastructure, such as roadways, paddocks and water troughs are important.
“Putting up a strand of electric fence wire is one of the cheapest jobs on farm. It costs about €1/m. But it can allow farmers to get out and graze in the spring,” he said.
(Source – Agriland – Sean Cummins – 02/03/2016)
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