Before making fertiliser purchase decisions, farmers are advised to review an array of factors which will determine a crops need, be it the type or quantity of fertiliser.
Over the last 20 months, we have seen a hike in fertiliser prices due to the war in Ukraine and so it is more important than ever that farmers are making informed decisions around fertiliser applications.
Modern grass varieties have the potential to deliver superior yields and excellent feed values if managed correctly, with soil nutrition and pH being prioritised and maintained throughout the year.
Know what soil reserves you have in the ground, get your fertiliser on early and use little and often applications, is the advice CF Fertilisers' arable agronomist Allison Grundy has for growers planning spring crops.
The evidence that most grassland soils require the application of sulphur from fertilisers to maximise grass silage and grazing yields still mounts. Most farmers now appreciate that all light and medium soils, and even some heavier loam soils, do not release enough sulphur from organic matter to allow grass growth and quality to meet potential. They also realise that there is not enough available sulphur in slurries and manures to meet demand.
The first thing to consider when looking at the finer details of grassland management is whether you have a full understanding of your soil and its nutritional status. If the answer is no, then to get the maximum benefit from a reseed or established leys, I would always advise checking the soil structure and sampling on a field-by-field basis. This will help to determine key factors such as the pH of your soil which is essential for nutrient availability, as well as the current levels of N, P, K and other elements.
Grass breeder, Germinal, recently identified that soil which is moderately damaged – with poor soil structure and which is suffering
The 2021/22 AHDB Recommended List sees several high yielding varieties introduced in the wheat and barley groups. For maximum potential yield to be achieved, crops need to be provided with the correct balance of essential nutrients throughout the growing season.
Improving Nitrogen fertiliser Use Efficiency (NfUE) will be one of the most important ways in which UK growers can improve their business productivity in the future.
The single most important decision you can make to maximise your NfUE lies in the type of fertiliser you choose in the first place, says CF Fertilisers’ head agronomy Dr. Sajjad Awan. Whilst good management can help finetune the effectiveness of your applications, start with the wrong Nitrogen source and you’ll be locked into lower levels of NfUE with little you can do to lift it, he says.
“NfUE is essentially a measure of how much of the Nitrogen applied ends up in the crop. “In simple terms, if you apply 100kg N/ha and only 50kg N/ha is taken up by your crop, you will have an NfUE of 50% and half of the N you have paid for has gone somewhere other than into your crops as intended “Improving NfUE benefits your crop, your pocket and the wider environment.
Whether you are looking at it from the perspective of clean air, reducing your carbon footprint or increasing production efficiency, loss of N from the cropping system is a major problem.”
Gas prices have eased from the peaks we have seen in the last few months. At the time of writing, it is at similar levels to the price which triggered the initial production plant closures in the UK and across Europe.
Energy and protein feed costs look set to remain high through the remainder of the year, so maximising clamp fill and forage quality will matter more than ever. As you will be aware however, fertiliser pricing and availability on farm are proving challenging, so what are your options?
With the terrible events in Ukraine unfolding before our eyes, the consequences are being felt immediately at home.
The Boss of Yara, Svein Tore Holsether has warned in a BBC interview that the situation could get even tougher and has spoken of the Ukraine war as ‘catastrophic for global food’.
What was already a difficult situation with gas prices at 400 – 500% up on last year and the consequent issues with supplies, caused by increased manufacturing costs, production facilities closing, plus shipping and road transport shortages being known for the last 6 – 12 months, things have now become considerably worse. Gas and oil have both doubled in the last fortnight!
Russia is a significant player in energy and commodity markets, including nitrogen’s, phosphates and potash. As the sanctions take effect, the worldwide supply becomes ever tighter pushing prices even higher, regardless of where domestic markets traditionally source products. The combination of the increased manufacturing costings and a restricted supply is a double hit.
The efficient use of fertiliser has never been so important. Without fertiliser applications crops will not reach yield potential. In a grassland scenario, home grown forage is still the most efficient way to feed livestock. With the forecast of these high prices being the norm for the foreseeable future, a good quality silage for the winter months will be essential to keep what we will be higher feed costs, down. At Wynnstay we can offer a soil sampling service to ensure that the best suited products are used in the most cost-effective way through a nutrient management plan. The plan can include your organic manures and can be followed up with plant tissue, manure and silage analysis to give a true picture of the silage feed values to maximise on farm savings.
Please note: This information was correct at the time of drafting on 09/03/2022 and is subject to change at any time.
