Featured in Dairy Farmer Januray 2011
Does your slurry hold the key to a more profitable dairy farm?
Increasing pressure is being placed on farms to keep input costs down this winter due to soaring feed and fertiliser prices. Slurry and land are two important assets of dairy farms that can offer valuable returns in a time of volatile market prices.
On dairy farms, milk production is as efficient as the system allows but more can always be done to take advantage of slurry and farmland. DEFRA, the EA and ADAS are actively encouraging farmers to value their slurry and improve the management of this naturally available nutrient source which is often neglected.
Investment in sufficient storage offers excellent return on capital; the slurry should be stored during the coldest part of winter and applied when the soils warm in the spring. This improves nutrient application, increases microbial populations and humus formation in the soil leading to improved crop growth.
Fresh cattle slurry can lose up to 80% of its nitrogen value by the time it is spread, which is through gaseous emissions, loss of ammonia and leaching from the soil. The high cost of protein in feed and subsequent losses to the slurry means farmers investments in the slurry nitrogen is even higher this winter.
Finding a way to introduce aerobic bacteria into fresh slurry as near to the cow as possible is a cost effective way of ensuring nitrogen is retained in its organic form in the slurry. Trapping this nitrogen in bacteria ensures the volatile nitrogen is fixed, and when spread this nitrogen encourages soil micro-organisms and worms which contributes to humus levels.
Crusting is a sign of lost nutrient as the watery slurry under the crust is generally anaerobic which is due to less light and oxygen entering the slurry. Stirring slurry is an effective way of removing crusts and oxygenating the liquid, however this is costly and nitrogen compounds such as ammonia and nitrous oxide can be lost to the atmosphere. Aerobic slurry inoculants are designed to digest fibrous crusting and condition the slurry into a homogenous solution.
The decision to manage the nutrients in your slurry will return long term benefits. At least one bag of ammonium nitrate per acre can be saved on 1st cut silage if slurry is treated with an additive such as SlurryBugs and Booster. Spreading becomes easier, smells are significantly reduced and the soil benefits from increased organic nitrogen.
Farm assets of slurry and land really do hold the key to a more sustainable and profitable farming future.
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