Fane Valley Farmers' Agronomy & Forage Hanbook

Head Office Staff

Jonathan Dunn

Agronomy & Forage Services Manager

028 9261 0485 07974 140 357

jonathan.dunn@fanevalley.com

Stephen Bell Technical Support Manager

028 9261 0485 07850 376 210 stephen.bell@fanevalley.com

Daniel Garvey

Fertiliser Manager

028 9261 0473 07816 451 749 daniel.garvey@fanevalley.com

Representatives

Gary Spence Technical Services Co-ordinator

028 9261 0485 07813 451 305 gary.spence@fanevalley.com

Rebecca Gregg

Sales Support Co-ordinator

028 9261 0485 075 8313 4041 rebecca.gregg@fanevalley.com

Claire Smith

Fertiliser Support Administrator 028 9261 0485 claire.smith@fanevalley.com

Christian Melly North 07970 380 799

Chris Frazer Central 07971 119 935

Stephen Hamilton West 07790 348 073

Clive McCoy South West +44 7721 914 806

James Wallace South 07899 790 990

Matthew Hendren North East 07704146176

Jonathan Crawford East 07971 658 341

Jonathan Hawthorne East 07855 812 540

Gareth McKee South East 07802 570 940

Trevor Neville East 07919 491 596

Altnamachin

87 Blaney Road

Altnamachin

Newry

BT35 0EA

Tel: 028 3087 8402

Armagh

6-8 Alexander Road

Armagh

BT61 7JL

Tel: 028 3752 0229

Ballymena Mart

1 Woodside Road

Industrial Estate

Woodside Road

Ballymena

BT42 4QJ

Tel: 028 2563 7778

Ballymena (Seven Towers)

29 Liminary Road

Ballymena

BT42 3HL

Tel: 028 2564 2464

Augher

38-40 & 42 Main Street

Augher

BT77 0BG

Tel: 028 8554 9330

Ballycastle

63 Leyland Road

Ballycastle

BT54 6EZ

Tel: 028 2076 8800

Banbridge

28 Rathfriland Road

Banbridge

BT32 4LN

Tel: 028 4062 8778

Claudy

123 Learmount Road

Claudy

Londonderry

BT47 4AL

Tel: 028 7133 8229

Dungannon

6 Cullion Road

Dungannon

BT71 4DS

Tel: 028 8774 0454

Eleven Lane Ends

61 Clare Road

Tandragee

Craigavon

BT62 2EZ

Tel: 028 3755 1223

Limavady

11 Broighter Road

Limavady

BT49 9DU

Tel: 028 7772 2639

Lisbane

9 Manor Road Comber

Newtonards

BT23 6AL

Tel: 028 9754 1087

Markethill Mart

12 Cladymilltown Road

Markethill

Armagh

BT60 1RS

Tel: 028 3755 2523

Omagh

Bankmore Way

Industrial Estate

Omagh

BT79 0NW

Tel: 028 8225 5350

Portadown

9 Cecil Street

Portadown

Craigavon

BT62 3AT

Tel: 028 3839 4900

Rathfriland

21 Banbridge Road

Rathfriland

Newry

BT34 5PE

Tel: 028 4063 0394

Welcome to our Agronomy and Forage handbook new for 2023.

Before looking ahead to 2023, we should look back upon 2022 and how the local agricultural industry responded to the challenges both seen and unforeseen including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the effects on world supply chains as a result.

Commodities including grain, oilseed, and dairy experienced record returns during 2022, and while prices have fallen from their highs, prices are still historically strong and provide positive indications for the year ahead. Unfortunately input prices have also experienced significant inflation and therefore efficiency is key to ensure optimum returns on farm.

As a farmer owned Co-operative Fane Valley are committed to working in partnership with you, our customers, and shareholders to provide solutions through a combination of advice and best value inputs to ensure sustainable, profitable local production.

The Agronomy and Forage team are fully qualified Agronomists (BASIS, FACTS) and are experienced in a range of fields including soil health and nutrient planning, seed selection, crop protection, grass and forage production, forage utilisation and rumen health. Our technical services, offer services, including G.P.S soil sampling, precision agriculture and nutrient plans tailored to your requirements.

Following the acquisition of a 50% shareholding in Drummonds (Ireland), Fane Valley offers an expanded range of cereal seeds from both the United Kingdom and Irish recommended lists,backed by extensive research and testing at our trial farm outside Drogheda

For more information about the products and services offered inside this guide please do not hesitate to contact your local Agronomist or call into any of our stores located across the country where we will be happy to assist you.

Dunn Agronomy & Forage Services Manager

Jonathan

Delivering a whole farm approach to Sustainable Farming

As the world continues to change and evolve, the challenges facing the NI agricultural sector are becoming more complex and daunting. Only together can we create a more sustainable and prosperous future for our farmers, our communities and our planet.

Investing in an integrated approach to: Animal Health, Animal Nutrition, and Soil & Plant Health represents a powerful shift towards sustainable agriculture, where farmers have the support and knowledge of our specialist team of experts; safeguarding the health and well-being of their animals, advising on forage and agronomy whilst protecting the environment and the wider community.

www.fanevalley.com

Soil & Plant Health Animal Health

Animal Nutrition

Soil & Plant Health

Animal Nutrition

Animal Health

Making More From Forage

Growing and utilising more high quality grass is key to driving profits on any ruminant farm in Northern Ireland. Fane Valley have the products and knowledge to help you improve both the quantity and quality of forage grown on your farm.

Northern Ireland has a climate well suited for growing forage. Grassland yields vary across farms in Northern Ireland but there is the ability to grow in excess of 16t DM/ha/yr. Currently the national average yield of grass for dry stock farms is 4.1t DM/ha/yr and the average on dairy farms is 7.5t DM/ha. Research conducted by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) has shown that by increasing grassland utilisation by 1t DM/ha/yr and improving forage quality through improved management, margin over feed can be increased by £334/ha on dairy farms and £204/ha on beef farms.

All swards deteriorate overtime with the level of sown species being reduced as lower quality grass species invade the sward and begin to increase as a proportion of the sward. Reseeding offers the opportunity to introduce the new plant genetics to help meet the needs of your farm. Reseeding also gives the opportunity to correct soil compaction, improve drainage and correct soil fertility helping to drive production from your sward moving towards the target of 16t DM/ha of potential production.

The Fane Valley and Morton’s range of grass seeds have been designed with quality at their core and include the best varieties for local conditions. You will see throughout this booklet the grazing and silage yields for each seed mixture. The values given are based on the recommended list although actual yields will vary based on sward management throughout the season and individual farm conditions.

The table below shows the value of maintaining a high level of productive perennial ryegrass (PRG) in the sward, in terms of milk and beef production.

Effect of perennial ryegrass content on production

ME = Metabolisable energy * assuming 100MJ per 1kg of gain for 350kgs growing cattle ^ based on 1.4p per MJ of ME

Table courtesy of AHDB

Grass: Still the cheapest feed!

Grass is the cheapest feed even at current nitrogen fertiliser prices

• Each kg of nitrogen applied will grow 20 – 25 kg of grass dry matter

• 20 – 25 kg of grass dry matter cost £1.50 to grow (1 kg of nitrogen costs £1.50)

• Purchased feed costs £0.46 per kg of dry matter (£400 tonne)

• Value of 20 – 25 kg of dry matter (£0.46 x 20 –25 kg) is £9.20 - £11.50

• Every £1 spent on nitrogen fertiliser delivers £6.90 in extra grass value

Grass Quality Pays Dividends

It is important not only to grow more grass but to grow more grass of better quality to improve the performance of animals from forage. One key measure of grass quality is D-value.

Although it is often thought there is a compromise between getting a good yield and not allowing quality to fall too much, some varieties are bred specifically to reduce this problem. The Fane Valley and Morton’s grass seed mixtures include these varieties. A drop of one unit of D-value can result in a loss of 5% in animal performance. Young leafy grass will have a D value in excess of 70% but once the stem begins to extend this can fall to 67% and when seed is set the D-value can be 60% or lower. Importantly there is a direct link between metabolisable energy (ME) and D-value.

1 unit of D-value = 0.17 MJ/kg ME

As a guide 1 litre of milk is the equivalent to 5.4 MJ ME or 1kg live weight gain in beef is the equivalent of 40 MJ ME. It is therefore important to improve the quality of the grass being grazed or ensiled on farm to ensure maximum performance and profitability from animals.

Aber High Sugar Grasses (HSG) have been bred specifically for increased levels of water soluble carbohydrate (sugar), compared to standard diploid perennials. Research has consistently shown a 14% increase in sugar which translates to higher grass ME and therefore improved animal performance.

Aber® High Sugar Grass for milk production

Results of several studies conducted on commercial dairy farms and by IBERS at Aberystwyth show that grass protein is used more efficiently for milk production when extra energy is provided by feeding HSG varieties.

Aber® High Sugar Grass for beef production

Research involved beef steers offered either a HSG or a recommended control ryegrass variety. No additional feed was given, grass intakes and live weight gains were monitored regularly.

Aber® High Sugar Grass for lamb production

In both upland and lowland situations, IBERS grazing trials have shown HSG varieties to be superior in terms of animal performance when compared with standard grass swards.

It is the most effective, broad spectrum weed control solution for grassland. Use it on permanent pastures or grazing leys to control long established or high populations of weeds.

It is your cost effective alternative to a full re-seed, quickly increasing the amount of available grass.

Forefront® T is a high performance herbicide. It is the most effective, broad spectrum weed control solution for grassland. Use it on permanent pastures or grazing leys to control long established or high populations of weeds.

Forefront® T is a high performance herbicide. It is the most effective, broad spectrum weed control solution for grassland. Use it on permanent pastures or grazing leys to control long established or high populations of weeds.

Let your grass breathe again. Talk to your advisor or find out more at corteva.co.uk

It is your cost effective alternative to a full re-seed, quickly increasing the amount of available grass. Let your grass breathe again. Talk to your advisor or find out more at corteva.co.uk

It is your cost effective alternative to a full re-seed, quickly increasing the amount of available grass.

Let your grass breathe again. Talk to your advisor or find out more at corteva.co.uk

GRASS SEED MIXTURES

The Fane Valley and Morton’s range of grass seed mixtures have been proven to perform in Northern Irish conditions. Reseeding is a significant investment therefore, it is vital to get it off to the good start to ensure optimum performance and longevity to maximise the return on investment. A new sward needs the right nutrition to ensure it can establish successfully and out compete weeds.

Suitable soils and optimum pH

Grass seed will grow in most soil types however we have mixtures more suited to the challenges of heavy soils. The optimum pH should be between 6.3-6.5 to get the best from your new grass ley.

How to sow

There are many different methods of reseeding including conventional ploughing, minimum tillage and direct drilling, all of which can be successful provided the seed gets good contact with the soil, and it is not drilled too deep which will reduce establishment.

Management

Weed control plays a key role as it reduces competition for nutrients while also providing more space for the grass seedlings to tiller and establish. Post emergence weed control provides an effective opportunity for optimum weed control. Herbicide application should be made approximately 6–8 weeks after reseeding when there are 3 leaves on the grass plants and weeds are actively growing at the 2–6 leaf stage. The herbicide choice will depend on the weeds present and if there is clover included in the mixture. Early grazing is an essential part of successfully managing a reseed, however before grazing make sure to check the label of the post-emergence herbicide used to ensure withdrawal periods are followed and it is safe to graze the sward. Early grazing will help promote tillering building a denser sward for the following season. Grazing should commence when the reseed is 6-7cm in height and not easily pulled from the ground. Graze the sward down to 3.5-4cm, which will encourage the sward to tiller. Thereafter grazing should continue when sward is at 8-10cm in height and graze to 3.5-4cm.

Maximise the Value of your Leys

• 100% Aber® High Sugar Grass

• Outstanding season-long yield, quality and energy production for highest financial returns

• Leading varieties on the UK Recommended Grass & Clover List and the Teagasc Pasture Profit Index.

Grass Mixtures

Grass Seed Mixtures

Stoneleigh

• Leading Aber high sugar grass varieties with the addition of timothy.

• Very dense, hard wearing sward suitable to grazing or cutting.

Smithfield

Silage: 15.2 t DM/ha

Density: 6.9

• Highly palatable sward containing some of the top Aber varieties.

• Combines AberBann and AberWolf giving good sward density and the highly digestible AberSpey.

Grazing: 10.6 t DM/ha

Silage: 15.3 t DM/ha

Density: 6.5

AberWolf Perennial Ryegrass D 4.5 Kg Cert.

AberZeus Perennial Ryegrass D 3.0 Kg Cert.

AberBann Perennial Ryegrass

67D Value - 28th May 70D Value - 20th May 75D Value - 5th May 67D Value - 28th May 70D Value - 20th May 75D Value - 5th May

Grazing: 10.4 t DM/ha

Grass Mixtures

Benvarden

Killyleagh

• Specialist Diploid mixture for intensive grazing and cutting.

• Combines AberWolf and AberBann for excellent sward density.

Grazing: 10.3 t DM/ha

Silage: 15.3 t DM/ha

Density: 6.8

• Ideal mixture for high input silage production with mid/late season varieties to ensure quality is maintained.

• Fane Valley’s most popular grass seed mixture.

Grazing: 10.2 t DM/ha

Silage: 15.8 t DM/ha

Density: 6.7

AberWolf Perennial Ryegrass D 5.5 Kg Cert.

AberGain Perennial Ryegrass T 5.0 Kg Cert.

AberBann Perennial Ryegrass D 3.0 Kg Cert.

AberWolf Perennial Ryegrass D 5.0 Kg Cert.

Morton’s White Clover Blend 0.5 Kg Cert.

AberZeus Perennial Ryegrass D 3.0 Kg Cert.

AberGreen Perennial Ryegrass D 4.0 Kg Cert.

Grass Mixtures

Balmoral

Hillsborough

• Combining intermediate tetraploid with diploids AberWolf and AberBann give a dense sward with high yields.

• This is a highly digestible mixture, maintaining quality until late May.

Grazing: 10.2 t DM/ha

Silage: 15.5 t DM/ha

Density: 6.6

• Ideal mixture for intensive silage production with the inclusion of hybrid ryegrass.

• Winter hardy with good palatability and early spring growth.

Silage: 15.1 t DM/ha

Density: 5.4

AberWolf Perennial Ryegrass D 5.25 Kg Cert. AberEcho Hybrid T 6.0 Kg Cert.

AberBann Perennial Ryegrass D 4.75 Kg Cert.

Grass Mixtures

Digester Plus

• High yielding sward suitable for use in anaerobic digestions units.

• Aber higher grasses chosen for their high water soluble carbohydrate content and D value.

Silage: 15.7 t DM/ha

Density: 5.5

Castlecoole

• Leading Aber high sugar grass varieties with the addition of timothy.

• Clover free sward which is hard wearing and extremely dense.

Grazing: 10.1 t DM/ha

Silage: 15.4 t DM/ha

Density: 6.9

AberEcho Hybrid T 6.0 Kg Cert.

Comer Timothy 1.0 Kg Cert.

AberGreen Perennial Ryegrass D 4.0 Kg Cert.

AberWolf Perennial Ryegrass D 5.0 Kg Cert.

AberWolf Perennial Ryegrass D 3.0 Kg Cert.

AberZeus Perennial Ryegrass D 3.0 Kg Cert.

AberGain Perennial Ryegrass T 5.0 Kg Cert.

Grass Mixtures

Mountpleasant

Gold Label

• Contains mid season and late diploids.

• Contains timothy and clover and is well suited to heavier soils.

Grazing: 10.2 t DM/ha

Silage: 14.2 t DM/ha

Density: 6.7

• High yielding dual purpose mixture with clover.

• Contains new leading variety on SRUC list Strangford.

Grazing: 10.2 t DM/ha

Silage: 15.6 t DM/ha

Density: 6.0

Moyola

Massive spring & late summer yields

Fintona

Highest silage yields with excellent spring grazing yield

Quality grasses bred in Northern Ireland, perfect for local farmers

Our varieties are bred at Loughgall in partnership with AFBI.

Ballintoy

Ballyvoy

Glenariff

Gracehill

Late tetraploid, unrivalled first cut yield, excellent overall yield & quality

Late tetraploid, fantastic silage & grazing yields

High spring growth & massive silage yield

High silage & grazing yields with excellent quality

Galgorm

Intermediate diploid, very high grazing & silage yields with good spring growth

Glenarm

High yielding silage & grazing swards with excellent density

Dundrod

Performs well under grazing or cutting management

Drumbo

High grazing yields of highly digestible grass

Seagoe

Excellent grazing & silage yields, with excellent quality & digestibility

Callan

Caledon

Excellent silage & grazing yields

Late diploid, exceptional spring growth, high yields & quality

High silage yields & grass digestibility

Strangford

Excellent grazing yields coupled with very high 1st cut silage performance Gosford

Moira

Highest annual diploid silage yield

Grass Mixtures

Gold Special

Orange Label

• High yielding dual purpose mixture without clover.

• Contains new leading variety on SRUC list Strangford.

Grazing: 10.0 t DM/ha

Silage: 15.7 t DM/ha

Density: 5.9

• Well suited to heavier land for both grazing and silage.

• Contains clover and timothy.

Grazing: 10.1 t DM/ha

Silage: 15.3 t DM/ha

Density: 5.9

Grass Mixtures

Green Label

Blue Label

• Dual purpose mixture that will produce a dense sward.

• Contains new standout variety Strangford.

Grazing: 10.1 t DM/ha

Silage: 13.4 t DM/ha

Density: 6.2

• Dense sward well suited to areas prone to drought.

• Has good winter growth and well suited to low input systems.

Grazing: 9.9 t DM/ha

Silage: 14.9 t DM/ha

Density: 6.3

Grass Mixtures

Equestrian

Grazing/Hay 13 kilos per acre

Renovator

Overseeding 10 kilos per acre

• Very hard wearing withstanding the pressures of equestrian use.

• Formulated with a higher proportion of low fructan grasses to provide good quality grazing and reduce risk of laminitis.

• A dual purpose mixture for silage or grazing.

• Good sward density.

• Specially designed for over-seeding or patching.

Drumbo Perennial Ryegrass D 3.0 Kg Cert.

Fintona Perennial Ryegrass T 3.0 Kg Cert.

Polka Creeping Red Fescue 2.0 Kg Cert.

Baririse Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass 2.0 Kg Cert.

Cosmonaut Meadow Fescue 2.0 Kg Cert.

HIGH CLOVER SWARDS

With the increased cost of fertiliser and environmental considerations there is renewed interest in the many benefits of clover. White clover has the ability to fix 100150kg N/ha (80-120 units N/acre) annually and is particularly suited to grazing and silage swards. Red clover can fix up to 250kg N/ha (200 units N/acre) annually and is suited to silage making and finishing lambs. Clovers are high in protein and are very digestible which can improve animal performance and reduce reliance on purchased proteins.

Suitable soils and optimum pH

Clovers will grow in most soil types and can perform well on dry land prone to drought. Legumes such as clover require a higher pH than grass and the target should be a minimum pH of 6.5.

How to sow

For good establishment clover swards can be sown from late March to early September into a well cultivated, firm seed bed. Clover seed is small so should not be drilled deeper than 10mm alternatively broadcast the seed on the soil surface.

Management

The establishment of clover in swards can be slower than grass and its competitiveness against weeds can be lower in the early phases. There are limited herbicide options to control weeds in clover swards therefore it is important to control weeds prior to sowing. Topping and spot spraying can be a valuable tool in controlling weeds in the established sward. Early grazing will help promote tillering building a denser sward for the following season. Grazing should commence when the reseed is 6-7cm in height and not easily pulled from the ground. Graze the sward down to 3.5-4cm, which will encourage the sward to tiller. Thereafter grazing should start at 8-10cm in height and graze down to 3.5-4cm

Unfortunately there are no herbicide options for weed control in the multispecies mixture containing herbs. When grazing to encourage tillering and control weeds, to aid establishment it is important not to graze before the 7 leaf stage of the Chicory.

Grass Mixtures

High Clover Swards

Cloverdale Sheep

Broughshane

• High clover mix with the ability to fix nitrogen and increase animal performance.

• Suitable to low input systems.

Grazing: 10.5 t DM/ha

Silage: 13.5 t DM/ha

Density: 6.5

• Excellent Source of home grown protein.

• Produces high dry matter yields of silage with the potential for finishing livestock on aftermaths.

Silage: 15.0 t DM/ha

Density: 5.2

AberGreen Perennial Ryegrass D 3.0 Kg Cert.

Grass Mixtures

Cloverdale Multispecies

• Specialist grazing mixture with some drought tolerance and ability to fix nitrogen.

• Studies have found multispecies swards to improve animal performance and reduce worm burden.

• There are no herbicide options for this mixture.

Grazing: 11.2 t DM/ha

Density: 6.4

Clover Overseeding Mixtures

Clover overseeding Mixtures are available in 5kg packs that will sow between 2.5-5 acres depending on the level of clover desired in the sward. Tips for establishing clover into existing swards:

• Ensure soil pH is 6.5 or above using calciprill as required.

• Take a cut of silage or tightly graze the old sward before sowing.

• Spread clover seed using a fertiliser sower, mixing seed with calicprill or a non-nitrogen fertiliser. You could also stitch the seed in using an Einbock type machine.

• Graze sward 5 days after sowing and every 21 days thereafter grazing tightly each time to promote the establishment and growth of the clover.

Grow the Future

YaraBela™ AXAN™

27%N + 9% SO3

• Optimum N:S ratio for maximum silage yields

• Quality complex compounds delivering every nutrient in every granule

• Even spread for even growth

• Immediately available, reliable and consistent source of N

• Very low ammonia emissions

Why use sulphur on grass?

• 10 – 20 % increase in grass yields (up to a 30 % increase in some cases)

• An extra 2 round bales per hectare on 1st cut

• Sulphur costs £5 - £6 per hectare for 1st cut, value of 2 extra round bales is £70

• Every £1 spent on sulphur delivers £12 in extra 1st cut yield

13% more Digestible fibre up to Uniquely combining the rapid action of L. hilgardii CNCM I-4785 and long-term protection from L. buchneri NCIMB 40788, Magniva Platinum forage inoculants:

■ Rapidly lower pH

■ Increase aerobic stability for early and conventional clamp opening

■ Reduce waste and increase energy from silage helping maximise the value of your forage

Quality Forage

Ensiling Quality Forage

When ensiling forage, there are a number of parameters which should be considered and addressed in order to minimise losses and enhance forage.

These include:

• The dry matter content at harvest

• The length of cut

• The type of additive to be used i.e. crop specific

• Site management and filling of the clamp

• The type of cover and sealing

Checklist

1. Make a plan

• Book contractor

• Clean clamps

• Set targets for timings, tonnage and quality

2. Feed the sward

• Analyse soil and slurry

• Choose correct fertiliser

3. Cut at the correct stage

• Cut early when grass is still young and leafy

• Don’t mow below 6cm to achieve fast regrowth

A poor quality silage cover could cause between 5 and 10% in losses. Dry matter and nutritive value losses in silage come from four origins: two of them are visible – losses through leakages when fodder is ensiled (effluents) where DM is less than 25-27%, and mouldy parts which are unfit for consumption. The other two are not visible, however these account for the majority of losses – gases from respiration and from anaerobic fermentation after opening the silo. These can lead to a decrease in the nutritive value of the feed and consequently may have a harmful effect on the herd if mycotoxins are present.

A high quality silage film is increasingly recognised as an essential element of minimising losses and enhancing forage quality.

4. Ensile quickly

• Mow in early afternoon when grass is dry and sugars are high

• Wilt to achieve target of 28-32% dry matter

• Aim to have grass harvested within 36 hours of mowing

• Apply Magniva Silage additive to ensure efficient fermentation

5. Consolidate and cover

• Fill the silo in thin layers no more than 15cm deep

• Apply as much weight as possible to remove air

• Seal with a high quality oxygen barrier and silage cover

Soil Health

Having a healthy soil is key to driving long term profitability on farm and by working with the Fane Valley Agronomy and Forage team we aim to help you build healthy soil. Soils across Northern Ireland vary from heavy clays to light sands. Each come with their own benefits and challenges which mean they need to be treated differently but all have potential to be a healthy and profitable.

Definition of a healthy soil?

Provide

As farmer’s we focus on our need for soils to provide an environment to grow healthy plants for harvest or to produce quality feed for our animals. However a more general term for soil health is one that is defined as the continued capacity for a soil to function as a living ecosystem that performs all of the functions above.

Indicators of soil health

Soil health can be divided into three groups which include physical, chemical and biological all of which are equally important in a healthy soil.

Physical

• Soil structure

• Water holding capacity

• Water infiltration

• Bulk density

How can we help?

Chemical

• Soil pH

• Nutrient fertility

• Balance of nutrients

• Cation exchange capacity

Biological

• Earthworm numbers

• Microbiology indicators

• Organic matter

Filter

The Fane Valley Agronomy & Forage team can give advice identifying issues in your soil through our soil sampling service and physically examining your soil. We will then work with you to plan a healthy soil that will support your farming practices. This can be achieved through our range of seed mixtures, nutritional products and new range of biological products.

Soil Sampling and Analytical Packages

Under the Nutrient Action Programme (NAP) soil sampling is required to produce Nutrient Management Plans (NMP) which are a requirement for farmers using fertiliser containing phosphorus or high phosphorus manures. Our Advance soil sampling package includes the standard pH, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium with the addition of calcium, sodium and cation exchange capacity. This allows a better understanding of soil fertility and can help our agronomists give you the best recommendations for your farm.

All samples taken by Fane Valley will come with a Farm Fertility Map to easily understand the fertility status of your farm.

We also analyse organic manures such as slurry, to find the accurate nutrient value and build this into your fertiliser requirements to bring more accuracy and the ability to improve profitability. Other Analytical services include forage analysis, plant tissue analysis and anaerobic digester feed stock analysis.

Fane Valley wants to help you get the best out of your soils with our sampling and analysis services. Soil sampling allows you to optimise the use of manures and fertiliser and get the most from your crops. Our GPS sampling packages can be used to bring greater accuracy to your soil sampling and help bring precision agronomy to a sub field level.

SOIL CONDITIONING FOR A MORE PRODUCTIVE WORLD

Improve nutrient use efficiency by managing soil pH with Calciprill

Acid soils affect farm productivity in many ways, from poor crop establishment to reduced nutrient use efficiency. Omya Calciprill corrects soil pH rapidly and effectively to improve soil health, plant nutrition and crop productivity.

Managing soil pH is essential for full nutrient use efficiency. At an optimal pH of 6.5, 100% of applied fertilisers become available to the crop, maximising the return on investment and improving crop yield.

Calciprill is a 2 – 6 mm granule produced from finely-ground, high purity calcium carbonate. It contains 37% calcium and 0.6% magnesium and should be applied regularly at low rates to maintain optimal pH. Calciprill can be applied to grassland and tillage crops throughout the season using standard spreader equipment.

To find out more about how Calciprill can improve productivity on your farm, visit www.omya-agriculture.com.

Omya recommends regular soil testing and advice on application rates from a qualified agronomist.

Importance of Liming

Lime deficiency can be accurately assessed by soil sampling and subsequent analysis. Routine soil analysis is essential if you are going to maximise crop and grass production.

Calciprill is produced from finely ground, calcium limestone sourced in County Antrim. There is a body of work demonstrating the effect of particle size on liming efficiency. It is now widely accepted that the finer the particles (less than 75 microns in diameter, see Table 1) the more efficient the lime and the faster the reaction time (reactivity). This increased efficiency allows a smaller application rate to have the same effect as a heavy application of coarser material, i.e. ground lime.

Conditioning soil by applying lime is perhaps the single most important step that can take place on any farm. This is because it has an impact on a wide range of properties that affect production. Grassland pH in Northern Ireland is well below the target of 6.3-6.5 and this has a significant impact on soil structure, grass growth and fertiliser efficiency (see Table 2). Soils are constantly being subject to forces that lower pH, including leaching of calcium by rainfall, effects of nitrogen release from fertilisers, crop demand and decomposition of organic material. The top layers of the soil present the highest level of leaching and the acidification mechanisms are more active in the surface (mineralisation of organic matter, biological activity, acidifying fertiliser etc). Consequently, the soil acidity is concentrated at the soil surface (0-5cm) where the pH can be as much as one point lower that the soil at the bottom layer (15-20cm). This means the surface pH could be 5.8 and 6.8 at 20cm (see Table 3).

Table 1: Results of trials

Table 2: pH effect on nutrients/availability

Table 3: pH levels at soil depths

Source: Assessments on sandy soil at OMYA MEAC, France, experimental station

Benefits of Liquid Fertiliser

With the increased cost of chemical fertiliser and increasing environmental legislation, the accurate and efficient application of fertiliser has never been more important. Liquid fertilisers offer an alternative to traditional solid granular fertilisers, with improvements in application accuracy and utilisation.

Liquid nitrogen contains two sources of nitrogen – ammonium, nitrate and urea providing phased release to crops and grassland reducing the risk of losses through leaching. Liquid nitrogen has similar performance to granular CAN but will have less volatilisation than granular urea. An inhibitor can be added to reduce the risk of volatilisation even further. When compared with granular fertiliser, nutrients are almost immediately available to crops (3-4 days for liquid fertiliser vs 7-10 days for granular fertiliser) even in dry conditions. Granular fertiliser can lie on the soil surface and be inactive for many days during a dry spell and typically requires 1015mm of rainfall to be made available to the plant roots for uptake.

With liquid fertiliser applied through a sprayer this leads to increased accuracy of application particularly at headlands and field boundaries, resulting in reduced waste while also increasing yields particularly on headlands as the full nutrient can be applied to the field boundary without the risk of product being sprayed into the hedge or ditch. This accuracy can’t be matched when applying granular fertilisers, even modern granular fertiliser spreaders have a coefficient of variation approaching 20%, sprayers should be less than 5%.

When a sprayer is covering both the application of liquid fertiliser and crop protection products there is only the need for one machine, helping to reduce fixed costs and depreciation of machinery. As tramline widths increase, the limit of how wide granular spreaders can spread is surpassed, whereas sprayers can be upgraded to match the wider tramline widths ensuring improved work rates. One change to note is that fertiliser nozzles are required as the spray pattern is much different to that from standard pesticide nozzles.

Using liquid fertiliser also offers the benefit of a wider application window compared to granular fertiliser since applications aren’t as weather dependent. Liquid fertiliser can be applied even during rainfall and generally wind is less of a problem as the nozzles produce a very course pattern with the soil the target, rather than plant.

Liquid fertiliser can be applied to any crop including grassland with research showing increased protein percentage, metabolizable energy and improved digestibility of swards along with faster grass regrowth and higher growth rates particularly during drought periods.

Fane Valley as well as supplying a wide range of liquid fertilisers also supply application nozzles and storage tanks for the on-farm storage of liquid fertilisers with deliveries scheduled as required. Nutrient Management Plans and recommendations are available from our FACTS qualified agronomists, with advice tailored to individual requirements.

Cereals

Seed Selection and Production

As a co-operative with our own local seed production and links with the largest seed breeders in Europe, we continually invest significant resource to ensure the most suitable varieties are available to our customers for Northern Irish conditions. This is further supported following the 50% acquisition of Drummonds, with varieties trialled at our research farm in Drogheda, ensuring only the most suitable varieties are placed onto the local market. Through the Morton’s brand you can be sure you are purchasing quality seed with Morton’s seeds recognised as a high-quality product since 1856.

Working with local growers, varieties of cereal are selected for production, with the multiplication of seed carried out on partner farms. DAERA and our own agronomists carry out field inspections at critical points through the season checking for weeds, and disease. Once harvested seed is dried and delivered to the seed plant, where it is cleaned, dressed, packed and certified. Local seed meets some of the highest standards worldwide for certified seed, having a zero tolerance for wild oats.

Our seed plant provides flexibility, fast turnaround and the capability to service individual grower needs with respect to seed dressings, pack sizes and delivery direct to farm.

The cereal section of this handbook provide variety information and characteristics to help in the decision making process, with respect to the selection of varieties best suited to your business.

Agronomy Services

Our team of agronomists (page 4) who provide province wide service are fully trained and BASIS/FACTS registered, ensuring advice provided is not only proportionate to need but also compliant with DAERA and Quality assurance schemes.

Fane Valley provides ‘full line’ agronomy or a bespoke package depending upon your requirements.

Agronomy services include:

• Soil sampling.

• Nutrient application plans.

• Crop rotation planning.

• Variety selection.

• Pesticide recommendations (Muddy Boots).

• Tailored nutrition with fertiliser and trace elements.

• Harvest advice.

Cereals

Seed Treatments

Redigo Pro and Kinto Plus, the single purpose dressings (SPD) of choice provide good control of a wide range of seed borne cereal diseases including loose smut in barley. Latitude is the only effective fungicide for reducing the risk of take-all in cereal rotations. Latitude can be applied to winter barley, winter and spring wheat.

More technical seed treatments such as Vibrance Duo and Kick Off can also be applied to seed, these help improve crop vigour and resilience offering added protection to boost the seedling through establishment and get your crop off to the best possible start

Manganese, applied as a seed treatment is particularly beneficial to crop establishment especially in second and third cereals, where cereals follow grass, in high pH soils, soils which have recently been limed, high P low K soils, or where drainage is poor.

ICE ICEAAAAX

BARLEY

Barley is the most popular cereal crop grown in Northern Ireland with over 20,000ha grown annually. The majority is used for animal feed with a small amount grown for malting. Barley is a flexible crop which can be used for combining, crimping and whole crop silage.

Establishment

Seed beds should be fine, moist, and well drained with a target soil pH of 6.5. Establishment can range from 55-70% in poor seed beds up to 80-95% in good conditions.

Nutrition

Apply phosphorus and potassium in the seed bed as per soil analysis. Spring barley has a nitrogen requirement of 150kg/ ha (120 units/acre) and winter barley will require 185kg/ha (150 units/acre). Barley has a high requirement for manganese and an early application followed again with the first fungicide will be beneficial especially following grass and in high pH situations.

Disease control

The major diseases to watch out for in barley are mildew, net blotch, rhynchosporium and ramularia.

Yields

Target yields for spring barley should be 6-7.4t/ha (2.4-3t/acre) and 7.4-10t/ha (3-4t/acre) for winter barley.

Cereals

Spring Barley

Skyway

• Very high treated and untreated yield and good grain quality.

• Medium maturity, medium straw height with good resistance to lodging and brackling.

• Very high resistance to mildew, medium resistance to rhynchosporium.

Resistance

Prospect

• High treated and average untreated yield with good grain quality.

• Medium maturity, medium straw height with good resistance to lodging and brackling.

• Very high resistance to mildew, good resistance to rhynchosporium.

SY Splendor

• High treated and average untreated yield with good grain quality.

• Medium maturity, medium straw height with good resistance to lodging and brackling.

• Very high resistance to mildew, medium resistance to rhynchosporium.

Cereals

LG

• Good treated and untreated yield with good grain quality

• Late maturing, medium straw height with mediumhigh resistance to lodging and brackling

• Very high resistance to mildew, medium resistance to rhynchosporium.

Rockway

• High yielding with very good grain quality

• Medium maturity and good resistance to lodging

• Very good resistance to mildew, good resistance to rhynchosporium and net blotch.

Evelina

• Good yields in West region.

• Tall variety with good resistance to brackling.

• Vigorous early growth and early maturing.

Cereals

Winter Barley

KWS Tardis

• Very high treated and average untreated yields with very good grain quality.

• Medium maturity, medium straw height with very good resistance to lodging.

• Medium resistance to mildew and net blotch, medium-high resistance to rhynchosporium.

Bolton

• Very high treated and average untreated yields with very good grain quality.

• Medium maturity, medium straw height with very good resistance to lodging.

• Medium resistance to mildew, net blotch and rhynchosporium.

Bordeaux

• Very high treated and good untreated yields with excellent grain quality.

• Medium maturing, mediumshort straw height with very good resistance to lodging.

• Medium resistance to mildew and net blotch, low resistance to rhynchosporium.

Cereals

KWS Cassia

• Lower yielding, yet consistent performer with outstanding grain quality.

• Slightly later maturing, medium straw height and mediumhigh resistance to lodging.

• Medium resistance to mildew, net blotch and rhynchosporium.

Cereals

Hybrid Winter Barley

Kingsbarn

• Very high treated and average untreated yields with very good grain quality.

• Tall straw with good resistance to lodging.

• Good disease resistance.

Belfry

• High treated and good untreated yield with good grain quality

• Medium maturing, tall straw height and medium resistance to lodging and brackling

• Medium resistance to mildew and net blotch, medium high resistance to rhynchosporium

Bazooka

• Very high treated and average untreated yields with very good grain quality.

• Tall stiff straw with good resistance to lodging.

• Good disease resistance to rhynchosporium.

WHEAT

Wheat is a high yielding cereal crop used in animal feeds. It can be used for combining, crimping and whole crop silage.

Establishment

Seed beds should be fine, moist, and well drained with a target soil pH of 6.5. Establishment will range from 55-70% in poor seed beds up to 80-95% in good conditions.

Nutrition

Apply phosphorus and potassium in the seed bed as per soil analysis. Spring wheat has a nitrogen requirement of 180kg/ ha (145 units/acre) and winter wheat will require 250kg/ha (200 units/acre). Trace elements should be applied as required using tissue and soil analysis as guides.

Disease control

The major diseases to watch out for in wheat are mildew, yellow rust, septoria tritici and fusarium.

Yields

Target yields for spring wheat should be 6-7.4t/ha (2.4-3t/acre) and 8.6-11.1t/ha (3.5-4.5t/acre) for winter wheat.

Cereals

Spring Wheat

KWS Cochise

• High yielding variety with good grain quality.

• Slightly later maturing, medium -tall variety.

• Moderate disease resistance.

KWS Fixum

• Very high yielding variety with good grain quality

• Later maturing, medium tall variety

• Medium-high resistance to yellow rust and medium resistance to mildew

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Cereals

Winter Wheat

Extase

• High treated and very high untreated yield with very good grain quality.

• Medium-early maturity, medium-tall variety with good resistance to lodging.

• Excellent resistance to yellow rust and septoria.

Theodore

• Good treated and high untreated yield, good grain quality.

• Medium maturity, short straw, high resistance to lodging.

• Outstanding resistance to yellow rust and septoria.

Cereals

Graham

• Very high treated and good untreated yield with very good grain quality.

• Medium-early maturity, medium straw height with good resistance to lodging.

• Good resistance to yellow rust and septoria.

Mayflower

• Good treated and high untreated yields, excellent grain quality.

• Medium maturity, medium-tall straw, good resistance to lodging.

• Excellent resistance to yellow rust and septoria.

Spearhead

• Very high yielding

• Moderately early maturity with moderate resistance to lodging

• Good resistance to yellow rust and moderately susceptible to septoria.

OATS

Oats are a flexible crop which can be grown for milling or animal feed. Oats can also act as a break crop for take all. When growing for animal feed it can be combined or used to make whole crop silage.

Establishment

Seed beds should be fine, moist, and well drained with a target soil pH of 6.5, however oats can tolerate pH as low as 5.8. Establishment will range from 55-70% in poor seed beds up to 80-95% in good conditions.

Nutrition

Apply phosphorus and potassium in the seed bed as per soil analysis. Spring oats have a nitrogen requirement of 125kg/ha (100 units/acre) and winter oats will require 180kg/ha (145 units/ acre). Oats have a requirement for manganese and will benefit from application of foliar manganese.

Disease control

The major diseases to watch out for in oats are mildew and crown rust.

Yields

Target yields for spring oats should be 6.2-7.4t/ha (2.5-3t/acre) and 7.4-8.7t/ha (3-3.5t/acre) for winter oats.

Cereals

Spring Oats

WPB Isabel

• High treated and untreated yields.

• Good resistance to lodging.

• Excellent kernel content.

Husky

• Very good treated yields.

• Short stiff straw with good resistance to lodging.

• Moderately resistant to mildew and susceptible to crown rust.

Winter Oats

Mascani

• Moderate treated yields.

• Average straw length.

• Excellent milling quality.

RYE

Rye is a versatile, relatively low input cereal crop which can be grown for grain with an increasing area planted locally for whole crop providing a useful second forage on livestock farms.

Establishment

Ideally sow winter hybrid rye from mid-September to midOctober. Seed rates are lower than for conventional winter cereals at around 100kg/ha depending on TGW and planting date. Rye should not be drilled too deep, 2cm of firm soil over the seed is ideal. Rye is susceptible to slug damage and the ground should be rolled to reduce slug movement and crop damage.

Nutrition

Apply phosphorous and potassium in the seed bed as per soil analysis to meet crop requirements. Rye requires 20-30% less nitrogen compared to wheat, typically 150kgN/ha (120 units/ acre).

Disease control

Main threats come from mildew early in the season following a mild autumn/spring and brown rust which usually appears later in the season as the ears emerge.

Yield

11-13 t/ha (4.5-5t/acre) of grain from relatively low level of inputs, comparable to a first wheat but outyielding barley and wheat as a second or third cereal in the rotation with the added benefit of up to 30% more straw. For whole crop you can expect fresh yields of 35-40t/ha (14-16t/acre).

Spring Rye Varieties

Ovid

• Hardy variety suitable to a range of land types.

• Rapid growth with high dry matter yields.

• Comparatively high crude protein content.

Winter Hybrid Rye Varieties

KWS Serafino

• High yielding variety from KWS.

• Strong defence against leaf diseases, ergot, and ear disease complex.

• Pollen Plus gene.

SU Arvid

• Very high and stable yield due to a longer grain filling phase.

• Short growing type with good lodging tolerance and high dry matter.

• Highest yielding variety during 2018 drought.

Bojko

• An alternative rye suitable for spring and autumn sowing.

• Fast growing with high yield.

• Good disease tolerance.

KWS Tayo

• Multi-purpose variety (AD, wholecrop or grain).

• New benchmark for grain yields.

• Better standing power.

• Number one harvest index (grains/ear) to drive grain yield.

Unlike wheat or barley, rye is a cross pollinating species which means it can be more susceptible to poor flowering and pollinating leading to lower grain yields and in some cases high incidence of ergot. Breeders have tried to overcome this problem by using an additional variety as a pollinator with the variety purchased.

KWS has found a solution to this by introducing a gene into all their hybrids that increases the formation of pollen, ensuring good quality flowering and pollination of grain sites. As a result, grain yields are more consistent from season to season helping ensure some of the highest total biomass yields and high quality crops with a good grain yield

POLLENPLUS from KWS

TRITICALE

Triticale is cross of wheat and rye. The benefit of this crossing is to combine the quality and yield potential of wheat, with the robust nature and wider growing conditions of rye. Triticale in Northern Ireland is mainly used for livestock forage.

Establishment

Seed beds should be fine, moist, and well drained with a target soil pH of 6.5. Establishment will range from 55-70% in poor seed beds up to 80-95% in good conditions.

Nutrition

Apply phosphorus and potassium in the seed bed as per soil analysis. Spring triticale has a nitrogen requirement of 140kg/ha (110 units/acre)

Disease control

Triticale has a very high resistance to disease however you should monitor for yellow rust, septoria and fusarium.

Yields

Triticale can yield upwards of 28t/ha FW (11t/acre) of forage, or as grain will yield 5-6.25t/ha (2-2.6t/acre).

Cereals

Triticale

Why Triticale?

Triticale is a cross between wheat and rye and offers a number of advantages over conventional cereals. It has been bred to combine the higher yield of wheat with the improved disease resistance of rye.

• Lower inputs.

• Excellent wholecrop results.

• Use as a replacement for wheat in marginal fields.

• Some resistance to rabbit attack.

• Can be used in mixtures with lupins.

• High grain quality.

• Improved disease resistance.

• Suitable for pig rations.

• Drought tolerance.

• Cover/feed ingredient in game mixtures.

Triticale for Wholecrop

Many farmers are now recognising the benefits of triticale for wholecrop. Wholecrop triticale can be fed to both dairy and beef cattle with excellent results. A recent trial in Holland showed that wholecrop triticale fed equal to wholecrop maize silage with no difference in either intake or lactational performance.

Spring Triticale Dublet

• High yielding.

• Tall but stiff straw.

• High grain specific weight.

Triticale vs. Maize dairy diet

Cereals

Grain Preservation

With energy prices at record highs, drying grain has become an expensive method of preserving grain. Storing moist grain requires the grain to be treated with certain products to prevent the growth of moulds and deterioration of grain quality.

Prograin

Prograin is a highly concentrated propionic acid for preserving grain. This versatile product can be used to treat cereal grains and pulses to help protect against the formation of moulds, yeasts, and mycotoxins during storage. The product can be applied to both whole and rolled grains. Available in 1000l and 197l packs.

Magniva Platinum Crimp

Crimped grain is a cost-effective way to preserve grain and legumes for feeding livestock. Freshly harvested grain is processed through a crimping machine and treated with Platinum Crimp and then ensiled in airtight storage. The product can then be fed after three weeks.

MAGNIVA Platinum Crimp is available in 25t treatment packs and can be applied to crimped grain with a moisture content between 25% and 40% First a concentrated dilution should be prepared by mixing the inoculant with a smaller amount of water to ensure the inoculant has dissolved and then dilute this concentrate further to an application rate of between 2 and 4 litres per ton of crimp produced.

Maxammon

Maxammon is a grain treatment process that increases the protein, pH and digestibility of the grain. Maxammon is a urea treatment of grain in which the urea is converted to ammonia which preserves the grain and makes it more digestible to the animal. The addition of urea also increases the protein content of the feed. Maxammon can be used to treat grain between 15-20% moisture. Maxammon is available in 30t and 60t treatment packs.

Cereals

Cereals for Wholecrop

Cereals

Cereals for wholecrop are now an established method of producing winter feed for livestock that is productive, gives animal benefits and is cost effective to produce. A wide range of crops are suitable and choice will depend on individual farm plans.

Choice of variety of cereal type can have an equally important bearing with yield, disease resistance, protein content and place in rotation all being factors which will have an effect on both the quality and yield of the final forage.

Relative values by cereal crop

* - ***** Low to high

The benefits of Wholecrop

• Reduce cost.

• Improve milk quality (protein and fat) and yield.

• Improve rumen function.

• Very flexible.

• Total starch and sugars can be increased in diet.

Relative values by forage type

† Limited data suggests it is second only to oats as a break crop. * Monaco is a mix of Spring Triticale and Lupins.

• To buffer autumn and spring grass.

• Improved liveweight gain.

• Can be be fed to all stock.

• Lower acid levels when compared to grass and maize silage.

• Ideal transition cow forage.

Cereals

Wholecrop Mixtures

Wholecrop Mixtures

• Combine the high starch energy of cereals with the high protein of a legume crop.

• Reduce concentrate requirement to minimum for beef finishing.

• Reduced Nitrogen application.

• Enable direct cutting (remove the need to wilt protein crops).

• Increase total DM yields (from a spring crop) .

• Increase overall protein of forage .

Monaco

• A mixture of spring triticale and spring lupins.

• Yields in excess of 30% more than traditional barley and pea mixtures.

• Expect protein contents between 11 and 15% –approximately 50% more than a straight cereal wholecrop.

Maxiyield

• Traditional “catch crop” mixture of barley and oats.

• High yielding, tolerant of a wide variety of soil types.

• Can be under sown with grass seed.

Silverstone

• A mixture of spring barley and peas.

• Traditional mixture offering protein and starch as a whole crop.

• Relatively early to ripen, 12 weeks from sowing to harvest.

OILSEED RAPE

Oilseed rape is an important oilseed crop which can act as a profitable break crop to cereals.

Time of Sowing

Sow as soon as possible from mid-August (early sown crops tend to be more successful) up until early-mid September.

How to sow

Aim for a firm, fine seedbed (similar to a grass re-seed) while avoiding compaction. Traditional plough-till-sow provides consistent results, however using subsoiling equipment with sowing capability can also be successful provided conditions are suitable.

Sow to achieve an established plant stand rather than by seed weight. The target plant population (in the spring) is in the region of 25-30 plants/m2, evenly spaced across the field. Avoid sowing too heavily and take account of TGW as big variations can occur between varieties.

Nutrition

Apply phosphorus and potassium as per soil analysis requirements. Oilseed rape has a nitrogen requirement of 220kg/ ha (175 units/acre). Sulphur is an important nutrient in oilseed production and 50-80kg SO3/ha (40-65 units/acre).

Disease control

The man diseases of Oilseed rape are light leaf spot, phoma and stem canker. Oilseed rape is particularly vulnerable to pests such as slugs and pigeons.

Oilseed Rape

Spring Oilseed Rape

Lumen

• A high yielding hybrid variety.

• Medium stiff straw, early flowering, and medium maturity.

Winter Oilseed Rape

PT303

• A high-yielding hybrid variety.

• Tall, very stiff stem with high resistance to lodging.

• Medium earliness of flowering and medium maturity.

• High resistance to light leaf spot and medium resistance to stem canker.

Ambassador

• A high yielding hybrid variety.

• Medium height, very stiff stem with high resistance to lodging.

• Medium earliness of flowering and medium-early maturity.

• High resistance to light leaf spot and stem canker.

DK Exstar

• A high-yielding hybrid variety.

• Medium height, very stiff stem, and high resistance to lodging.

• Medium earliness of flowering and medium maturity.

• Very high resistance to light leaf spot and stem canker.

DK Expectation

• High yielding hybrid variety.

• Medium height, stiff stem, and high resistance to lodging.

• Early flowering variety with medium-early maturity.

• High resistance to light leaf spot and stem canker.

BEANS

Beans are a useful protein crop with no nitrogen requirement and fixing nitrogen in the soil for the following crop. Beans also act as a break crop between cereals. Beans can be combined or crimped and used to offset purchased protein on farm.

Rotation

Like all legumes, beans should not be grown more than once in every five years as this avoids the potential issues with soil borne nematode. Populations of this pest will increase with closer rotations.

Sowing

Beans benefit from good drainage so action should be taken to minimise compaction and any potential water logging in fields. Beans do not require a fine seedbed and can tolerate cloddy conditions, although this will influence the level of weed control achieved with herbicide. Winter beans are normally sown from mid-October onwards and spring beans from February onwards. Aim to establish 18-32 plants sq/m depending on variety for winter crops and 45-50 plants sq/m for spring crops this can be reduced to 35-45 plants per sq/m on fertile soils. Beans should be covered by a minimum 3cm of soil, but can be sown deeper, depending upon establishment method.

Plant Population/Seed Rate

Planting density has a large effect on yield. Seed rates should be calculated, according to thousand grain weight, germination and expected establishment, with sowing date having a major effect upon sowing rate.

Weed & Disease Control

Pre-emergence residual herbicides, which require soil moisture for activity, should form the backbone of weed control programmes in beans, as the post-emergence options are limited. Chocolate spot, downy mildew and rust are the main diseases and these can be controlled successfully with a fungicide programme. In some years, it can be necessary to control Black Bean aphid and Bruchid beetle.

Harvest

The winter bean harvest usually takes place after wheat from mid-August into September. Spring Beans harvest from midSeptember to mid-October. Beans are relatively tolerant of wet weather at harvest due to the indehiscent nature of the pods on modern winter bean varieties. Weed-free crops do not always require desiccation, unless late set pods are still green. Where desiccant is required, it should be applied when 90% of pods are dry and black. Pods are easily threshed and the seed fit for combining at 18% moisture

Protein Crops

Protein Crops

There is renewed interest in protein crops because of increased market demand, the need for more sustainably sourced protein and the introduction of the Protein Payment Scheme. Protein crops include peas, lupins and beans. Under Northern Ireland conditions field beans (winter or spring) offer the best potential to growers, with a combination of yield and harvest ability other proteins cannot match.

In general experience with combining peas and lupins has not been good locally and we would recommend that these species are only used in mixtures for wholecrop rather than for combining purposes.

Winter Beans

Tundra

Tundra is a market leading winter bean variety. It is pale skinned with a pale hilum colour, suitable for both the human consumption and feed markets.

Spring Peas

Stallion

Stallion is a high yielding variety that has good agronomic characteristics. It has good standing ability and protein content.

Spring Beans

Lynx

Lynx is one of the highest yielding varieties. Its very good standing ability at harvest makes it particularly suitable for local conditions. Lynx has good downy mildew resistance but will need treated for rust.

Caprice

Caprice is a high yielding variety with good early vigor. It has good resistance to both chocolate spot and bean rust. It is also an early maturing variety.

MAIZE

Successful maize is not just a matter of yield, the key is quality. Quality silage starts with quality varieties suited to local growing conditions. Varieties need to have reliable pollination and a Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) classification below 190 (heat requirement) to ensure maturity at our latitude. As the crop matures, sugars produced in the leaves and stem are transported to the cob and converted to starch which is the valuable source of silage energy. If a variety fails to convert the sugars the result can be silage with lower intake qualities and feed value lost in effluent. The mature crop should have an optimum whole plant dry matter of 30% to allow maximum benefit from the silage.

Time of Sowing

Sow as soon as possible from April up until early May.

Site

Ideally fields should be south facing, a slope of up to 45 degrees, free draining deep soil and not over 400 feet above sea level. Avoid fields where soils are compacted or known to be prone to frost pockets.

How to sow

Avoid soil compaction at all cost, the maize plant is not able to extend its route through a soil compaction layer. Sub-soil the previous autumn if required. The crop requires a firm, fine tilth that will retain as much moisture as possible particularly on lighter soils.

Nutrition

Apply phosphorus and potassium as per soil analysis requirements. Maize has a nitrogen requirement of 85-115kg/ha (70-90 units/acre).

Maize

Scandinav FAO 170

• Good early vigour on all soil types.

• Excellent standing power.

• Can be grown in the open.

LG Resolute FAO 190

• Very high yielding.

• Good standing power and early vigour.

• Suitable for forage and crimping.

KWS Severus FAO 170

• Outstanding early vigour on all soil types.

• Very high starch and ME.

• Can be grown in the open.

MAS 08F FAO 190

• High standing power and early vigour.

• Excellent digestibility and ME.

• Good resistance to eyespot.

Maize mulch film

Where maize is being sown under film, two types of mulch are available for use with the Samco system.

Samco compostable

• A 1 acre roll using new technology made with bioplastics which results in a film which is fully biodegradable and compostable, resulting in minimal environmental impact.

Samco Clear mini pinhole

• A 1.5 acre roll which is Oxo-Biodegradable, the film degrades when exposed in the field to oxygen and weathering. This film has been tried and tested over many years.

Forage is in my Clamp

How Much Forage is in my Clamp?

Grass silage – Kg/m3 at different dry matter percentages

Maize silage – Kg/m3 at different dry matter percentages

DM - Dry matter

FW - Fresh weight

Fermented wholecrop silage

• The density of fermented wholecrop silage 35-45% DM is approximately 500kg/m3 (freshweight).

• The density of high dry matter processed 45-75% is approximately 400kg/m3 (freshweight).

Fodder beet

• The density of fodder beet is approximately 530kg/m3 (freshweight).

• Allow 5% respiratory loss per month clamped.

ALL-ROUND PROTECTION

WITH THE COMPLETE VISQUEEN SHEETING RANGE

• Lightweight and strong

• Longer lifespan – better value

• Centre folding – easier to unfold

• Fully recyclable

• Significantly stronger Side Sheets

• Excellent tear resistance

• High resistance to weathering

• Easy to apply and longer lasting

• Significant reduction in side spoilage

• Clings to the surface of the silage

• Reduces air pockets

• Reduction in surface spoilage

FODDER BEET

The yield potential of fodder beet is greater than that of any other forage crop grown in the United Kingdom. Crop yields of up to 40t/ac coupled with high dry matters (18-23%) can push yields up to 9t DM/acre, a high energy and dry matter yield, a valuable source of home-grown feed. Before growing fodder beet have a plan as to how you are going to use it on your farm or how and when your customers are going to require it.

Growing Guide

Select high dry matter varieties – Enermax, Gerty and Magnum have proven to be successful varieties for local conditions producing high dry matter yields per acre. They produce consistently sized beets that are easily harvested and offer good long-term storage potential. Some tend to sit lower in the ground and can be quite dirty so will need washed and chopped prior to feeding.

Suitable soil and optimum pH

Best grown on flat light to medium free-draining soil with pH 6.87.0, that is free from compaction and capable of carrying heavy harvesting machinery in the autumn.

How to sow

Aim to drill 40-50,000 seeds per acre – seed is packed in 50,000 or 100,000 seed packs which will cover between 1.25 -2.5 acres depending on drill settings and pack size. Roll after drilling where possible to conserve moisture and obtain good soil to seed contact to encourage germination.

Management

Attention to detail with weed control is critical, after drilling weeds will need to be controlled by pre and post-emergence herbicides offering a mix of contact and residual chemistry for grass and broad-leaved weeds. Start the programme when weeds are small, just as they are germinating and barely visible. Sodium and boron are required to maximise beet yield and quality. Sodium can be applied as agricultural salt while boron can be applied in the fertiliser and topped up with foliar applications. Foliar applications of boron are essential to reduce the risk of internal blackening and rotting known as hollow heart. The crop will also benefit from applications of magnesium and manganese to keep the canopy green and optimise yield potential.

HIGH PERFORMANCE FERTILISERS FOR GRASS & TILLAGE FARMS

OPTIMISE YOUR YIELD POTENTIAL WITH NITROFERT & ACHIEVE NUTRIENT RICH, PRODUCTIVE, HEALTHY SOILS

Nitro-Guard - a granular urea range protected by Limus which is the most effective urease inhibitor on the market.

For more details on our products contact your local Fane Valley branch or advisor.

www.nitrofert.ie

HOW DOES IT WORK

• Very fast response on grass

• Available with sulphur

• Easy to spread

• Efficient & effective

• Excellent value

Due to the smaller grain size, DairySelect gets closer to each grass plant & dissolves quicker into the soil. This means nutrients get to the plant faster as plant roots don’t have to travel as far to find them, leading to a much faster growth response in swards

FODDER CROPS

Fodder crops provide essential feed at times of the year when grass supply is limited. These brassicas provide large amounts of fodder in a short period of time. The crops also provide a valuable break crop to grassland disrupting the life cycle of pests such as leatherjackets. These short-term crops can reduce feed costs through late summer or winter depending on when the crop was sown.

Growing Guide

Suitable soils and optimum pH

These mixtures will grow in most soil types provided they can produce a fine tilth when cultivated. If sowing for winter grazing a well-drained site should be selected.

How to sow

Fast growing brassicas such as forage rape and stubble turnips can be grown from spring through to early autumn. Lower growing kales, swede should be grown in late spring. All these crops can be direct drilled into stubbles or burnt off grassland but can also be sown using conventional cultivation methods. Forage crop seeds can be drilled or broadcast however swedes should be sown with a precision drill.

Management

The crop should be strip grazed to get the best utilisation of the crop. Bales of silage should be placed in the crop shortly after sowing as livestock have a requirement to be supplemented with fibre when grazing the crop.

Fodder Crops

Fodder Crops

Kale

Sowing rate 2-3kg/acre

Maris Kestrel

• A leafy hybrid variety with short stems.

• Bred for low stem fibre content and high digestibility.

• Resistant to lodging.

Caledonian

• High yielding giant kale.

• Good clubroot tolerance.

• Excellent tolerance to frost.

Forage Rape

Sowing rate 2-4kg/acre

Stego

• High yielding variety.

• Excellent disease resistance, especially to mildew.

• Extremely digestible stems, which allows. complete use of the whole stem.

Rampart

• High yielding.

• Good regrowth potential.

• Good disease resistance.

Hybrid Brassicas

Sowing rate 2-3kg/acre

Redstart

• Very rapid and vigorous growth.

• Good regrowth potential.

• Good late season yield potential.

• High energy and good protein source.

Swift

• Very fast growth.

• High yielding.

• High energy grazing for cattle and sheep.

Stubble Turnips

Sowing rate 2-3kg/acre

Vollenda

• Large bulbed, leafy variety with good early vigour.

• High dry matter and yields making it suitable for use between November and January.

• Good resistance to clubroot.

Barabas

• Medium bulbed with high leaf to bulb ratio.

• Highly palatable with good yields.

• Can be grazed in 60-90 days.

Appin

• A fast growing, leafy grazing turnip providing a rapid source of palatable, easy to digest fodder for sheep and cattle.

• Multi-crowned.

• Good regrowth potential.

Swedes

Sowing rate 200g/acre

• High yielding, with high dry matter content.

• Good disease resistance.

• Low production cost for high quality feed.

Fodder Crops

Fodder crop feeding summary

Feeding guide estimator

Stubble Turnips

Kale

One acre can feed 40 lambs for two months

One acre feeds 20 cows for two months

Rape In general, one acre can feed 30 lambs for one month

Grazing Rye

One acre will provide a three-week grazing period in early spring for 6-7 cows and 25-30 sheep

COVER CROPS

Cover crops are becoming increasingly popular in crop production as they can improve soil structure, capture nutrients for the following crop, prevent erosion and provide grazing for livestock. We offer a range of cover crops specifically designed for Northern Ireland conditions which provide the benefits as mentioned above.

Growing Guide

These mixtures will grow in most soil types with a pH above 5.7.

How to sow

Mixtures can be drilled or broadcast to 1cm deep into warm soils as soon as possible after harvest. Roll after sowing to improve soil to seed contact. Cover crops may benefit from a small amount of nitrogen after a high yielding cereal crop, particularly if you plan to use for winter grazing.

Management

These crops can be grazed or sprayed off, mulched, and incorporated into the soil.

Cover Crops

Cover Crop Mixtures

Structure Improver

Sowing rate: 20kg/acre

This mixture is designed to break up tight, compacted soils using species with large root systems. The aim of Structure Improver is to leave the soil with a friable structure in the spring for the following crop.

• Oats

• Mustard

• Tilage Radish

Sowing dates: July-mid September

Nitrogen Fixer

Sowing rate: 20kg/acre

This mixture is designed to fix nitrogen with the inclusion of vetch and fit into the rotation on farms which include oilseed rape or oats in their rotation.

• Rye • Vetch

Sowing dates: July-mid September

Summer Booster

Sowing rate: 5kg/acre

This mixture is more of a catch crop designed to improve fertility in a short period of time. The crop can be incorporated or grazed in as little as 8 weeks allowing a winter cereal to be established after another winter cereal.

• Red Clover

• Crimson Clover

• Egyptian Clover

• Buckwheat

• Forage Rape

Sowing dates: June-mid August

Straights

Mustard

Sowing rate: 8kg/acre

Mustard is one of the quickest growing, green manuring species and is very good at suppressing weeds. Mustard can also be used as a biofumigant to control pests in the soil. It is not frost tolerant and will break down through the winter leaving it easy to incorporate.

Forage Rape

Sowing rate: 4kg/acre

Fast growing leafy brassica, will hold soil through winter and catch nitrogen left over from previous crop preventing it from being leached through the winter. The root system will also help to open the soil and create better structure. It has the added benefit of having a high grazing value.

Phacelia

Sowing rate: 4kg/acre

Fast growing high biomass plant which will prevent nitrogen leaching, suppress weeds and provide feed for pollinators. The dense root system will hold soil and improve structure into layer of the soil.

Vetch

Sowing rate: 15kg/acre

Vetch is a legume which will fix nitrogen for the following crop. Its smothering growth habit will suppress weeds, improve soil structure and provide valuable forage for livestock.

ENVIRONMENTAL MIXTURES

Environmental seed mixtures are one way of improving biodiversity across farmland by providing food and shelter for wildlife. Each of the mixtures have their own benefits focused on providing winter feed for farmland birds, pollen for bees and other pollinators or habitat for game birds. Some of these mixtures are eligible for the Environmental Farming Scheme.

Sowing and Growing Guide

Suitable soil and optimum pH

Suitable to grow on all soil types however wetter soils and those with higher fertility will be more prone to grass weeds. Wildflower mixtures prefer low fertility sites.

How to sow

Sow from early April through to early June. Mixtures can either be shallow drilled or broadcast. If drilled the seeds must be sown shallow at 1-2cm deep to allow the small seeds to germinate successfully. After sowing the seedbed must be rolled to give good seed to soil contact.

Management

Weed control is difficult in these mixtures with limited chemical options therefore creating a clean seed bed before sowing is important. Wild bird cover mixtures should remain in place until March of the following year to provide feed through the “hungry gap”. Some of the mixtures including the game cover can be kept for two years. When managing wildflowers follow the environmental farming scheme management guidance it is best to cut and remove the flowers in autumn to reduce the fertility of the site.

Environmental Mixtres

Wild Bird Cover

Wither being used for the EFS scheme or to bring biodiversity to your farm these wild bird cover mixtures can deliver significant benefits to wildlife.

Wild Bird Cover Mixtures

Linnet

Oats

Triticale

Linseed

Game Covers

Finch

Oats

Triticale

Linseed

Quinoa

These game cover mixtures have been designed to provide cover and feed for game birds throughout the winter. The Labrador mixture has been proven in recent years in Northern Irish conditions and the Springer mixture is new for this year.

Game Cover Mixtures

Labrador Springer

Kale

Forage Rape

Triticale

Quinoa

Sunflower

Maize

Wildflowers

Kale

Forage Rape

Linseed

Fodder Radish

Mustard

Quinoa

There has been growing interest in growing areas of wildflowers on farm in in recent years. Wildflower areas give a burst of colour through the summer months and provide valuable feed and habitat for pollinators and other insects.

Flowering Meadow

Corncockle

Redshank

Cornflower

Corn Marigold

Corn Poppy

Scentless Mayweed

Corm Chamonile

Ox-eye Daisy

Yellow Rattle

Purple Coneflower Birdsfoot Trefoil

Cornflower Common Vetch

Corncockle Yellow Prairie Coneflower

Shasta Daisy Yarrow

Foxglove Calendula Art Shades

Smooth Blue Aster Sheeps Fescue

Rudbeckia Slender Creeping Red Fescue

Oxeye Sunflower Crested Dogstail

Ribwort Plantain Browntop Bent

Corn Poppy

Tufted Hair Grass

Corn Chamomile Chewings Fescue

Lance-leaved Coreopsis

Salad Burnet

Tall Oat-grass

Yeast Farm Packs

The Lallemand Powermix range con the highly effective rumen specific live yeast Luvecell SC which is proven to significantly improve fibre digestion and rumen efficiency. It does this by improving the conditions in the rumen, increasing the population and activity of the fibre digesting microflora including fungi which play a crucial role in breaking down lignified fibre.

Levucell SC Digestaid

• Improves feed efficiency and milk yield by up to 7%.

• Stabilise rumen pH.

Dairy cows 25-50ghd

Beef cattle 20-40ghd

Calves 10-20ghd

Levucell SC Acidease

• Combines benefits of Levucell SC Digestaid with a digestible yeast extract (prebiotic) to combat acidosis.

• Proven to be more effective than traditional rumen buffers stabilising rumen pH over 10x faster.

Dairy cows 25-50ghd

Beef cattle 20-40ghd Calves 10-20ghd

Levucell SC Toxisorb

• Combines benefits of Levucell SC Digestaid and a high-quality yeast cell wall to mitigate mycotoxins.

• Improves rumen microbial balance, rumen wall integrity and reduces the absorption of specific mycotoxins.

Dairy cows 25-50ghd

Beef cattle 20-40ghd Calves 10-20ghd

Levucell SC Rumignition

• Combines Digestaid, Acidease and Toxisorb to tackle any nutritional challenge faced by the animal.

• Increasing feed efficiency, animal well being to increase performance.

Dairy cows 25-50ghd

Beef cattle 20-40ghd Calves 10-20ghd

Efficient rumen function and effective fibre digestion is vital for profitable ruminant production. Improving the digestibility and degradability of fibre increases the energy available for growth and production, and by optimising the use of forage will reduce costs.

every fibre

Feed a rumen specific live yeast

Levucell SC is available with TITAN protective coating for use in minerals, blend and compound feed. Also available as a farm ready-to-use Powermix:

+1.1KG cow/day

■ Improves e ciency of bre digestion, reducing waste and increasing margins

■ Improves feed e ciency and milk yield by up to 7%

■ ROI of more than 6:1

To learn more about Levucell SC visit LallemandAnimalNutrition.com

To learn more about Levucell SC visit LallemandAnimalNutrition.com

YOUR SUCCESS

Minerals

UF Country Minerals and Vitamins

The UF Country range of minerals and vitamins are well-established products that are trusted by farmers. The range is designed to be stable and easy to handle while ensuring high bioavailability and can be offered as feed choice minerals or included into the total mixed ration as desired. UF Country minerals and vitamins are specifically designed to not only meet requirements, but deliver the enhanced support and performance needed for high production systems. The UF Country minerals and vitamins have recently been updated and improved, using knowledge of local mineral deficiencies.

UF Standard Dry Cow 150 GHD

The UF Standard Dry Cow minerals and vitamins are designed to meet the requirements of the dairy cow during the dry period when fed at 150 grams daily. It contains low calcium, high magnesium, and vitamin D3 levels to help support the dry cow and prepare her for calving. UF Standard Dry Cow contains good vitamin E and selenium levels to help maintain an effective immune function around calving. Also contains good iodine levels to help support the new born calf.

UF Hi Spec Precalver 150 GHD

The UF Hi Spec Pre-calver minerals and vitamins are specifically designed to meet the requirements of the dry cow during the last 8 weeks of pregnancy when fed at 150 grams daily. The enhanced magnesium and vitamin D3 levels, along with low calcium content, help to prepare the cow for the increase in calcium demand (milk fever) at calving. UF Hi Spec

Pre-calver also contains enhanced vitamin E and selenium levels along with protected zinc, copper, and selenium, to further support immune function and health around calving. Enhanced levels of iodine also further support the new born calf.

UF High Mag Suckler 150 GHD

UF High mag suckler is a good specification mineral and vitamin supplement, specifically designed to supplement suckler cattle with high levels of magnesium during risk periods for grass tetany. It is also well-balanced to help maintain health and productivity at grazing when fed at daily rate of 150 grams.

UF Milking Cow 150 GHD

UF milking cow is a high quality and well-balanced mineral and vitamin nutritional solution designed to meet the requirements of dairy cattle when fed at daily rate of 150 grams. Contains a good specification of vitamins and minerals to maintain immune function and health. UF milking cow is suitable to balance a range of grazing and winter dairy rations to help maintain performance and fertility.

UF High Performance Fertility 150 GHD

UF high performance fertility is a high specification mineral for use with higher yielding cows to maintain, fertility, performance, immune function, and health. It has an elevated phosphorus content making it suitable to balance a range of grazing and winter dairy rations when fed at a daily rate of 150 grams. To support the high-performance cow, UF high performance fertility delivers higher levels of the trace elements copper, zinc, and selenium, along with enhanced levels of vitamin B12 and vitamin E.

UF Intensive Beef 100 GHD

Intensive Beef is a high quality and well-balanced mineral and vitamin supplement designed to balance a range of intensive beef rations, including when cereals are high, when fed at daily rate of 100 grams. The good balance of minerals helps maintain growth and meat quality, while zinc helps maintain hoof health and vitamin E helps maintain health.

UF Sheep GP 25 GHD or 25kg Inclusion

The UF Sheep GP minerals and vitamins meet the requirements of sheep when fed at daily rate of 25 grams. Importantly, it contains no added copper, while being well balanced and having a good specification to help maintain health and productivity. The UF sheep minerals and vitamins are suitable to balance sheep grazing and winter diets.

Milk Replacer

Country Milk Replacers

Country Formula One and Kalvostart are premium milk replacers for rearing calves, suitable to be used immediately after colostrum.

The range contains 100% dairy proteins and is enriched with the unique gut health formula IMAGRO. IMAGRO includes prebiotics, probiotics, organic acids and an emulsifier to support the digestion of feed, uptake of nutrients and a robust immune system.

There is an optimal protein to energy balance to support efficient growth. All the oils are spray dried for high digestibility, while there is a high proportion of coconut oil which also has antimicrobial properties.

Kalvostart Unique

A milk replacer for calves containing a high amount of dairy protein. One-third comes from caseinate, a high-quality raw material from skimmed milk. Kalvostart also contains lactoferrin to support the calf’s immune system.

• High quality Caseinate protein

• IMAGRO health concept

• Unique emulsifier

• 40% coconut milk

Formula One

A milk replacer for calves containing high quality whey proteins

• High quality whey proteins

• IMAGRO health concept

• Unique emulsifier

• 40% coconut milk

Conversion Tables

HELPING TO KEEP YOUR POT ATOES P ROFI TABLE

At Bayer, we know that potato growers are facing continued challenges from crop agronomy, to loss of actives and tightening market specifications. Our expert team is here to support you, providing trusted advice throughout the year, alongside our range of innovative, class-leading products. This season we are going even further to protect your crop’s performance with the launch of Caligula for Alternaria control and more flexibility in the application method of Velum for PCN, alongside the tried and trusted Emerger and Infinito for weed and blight control.

To find out more, and to subscribe to our new Potato Monthly digital newsletter, visit cropscience.bayer.co.uk/potatoes

Trust Bayer to keep you one-step-ahead for potato growing success