"Now is the time to lime and reseed"

PROMAR dairy consultant James Webster explains why liming and reseeding should be a priority at this time of the year for farmers in the North West...

In a time with low prices for farm produce and unstable commodities, farmers have considered liming and reseeding an unnecessary extra.

Yet over half of the farms visited through the Northwest Livestock Programme have acidic soils and unproductive pastures which are severely limiting crop yield and quality.

How important is soil pH and sward quality?

Soil, over time, will become more acidic due to fertiliser applications and rainfall deposition. Grassland requires 2.5t/ha of lime (ground limestone suitable for majority of farms) every 5 years to maintain soil pH at 6.0.

For every 0.1 pH point below this target, productivity and yield will be reduced by 10%, as acid soil restricts the availability of beneficial nutrients. At a time when wheat is coming of the combine at £145/tonne it makes more sense than ever to make the most out of your home grown feed.

The targets are:           • 6.0 for grassland                • 6.5 for arable

Grass leys over time become less productive through weed infestation (weed growth this season has been higher than usual due to the dry spring) and soil structure damage. Therefore it is crucial to rejuvenate and reseed swards every 5 years. New swards produce 16% more Dry Matter over 5 years than permanent pasture and have a 22% improved response to nitrogen fertiliser.

Reseeding from start to finish (including lime) should cost approx £100/acre

I strongly recommend starting a reseeding programme to ensure that 20% of your farm should be reseeded every year, thus meaning that no sward will be more than 5 years old at any given time. Again to link back to lime, there is no better opportunity to lime a field than when ploughing as it works the lime into soil, reduces waste and increases the speed at which the lime takes effect.

When should liming and reseeding take place?

With second cuts and cereal crops all but taken in the North West there is no better time than now. If done now this will allow the grass seed sufficient time to germinate and establish before winter. This will provide sufficient cover for soil protection over winter months and provide a fresh crop for the spring.

Cost vs. Benefit (per annum)

	Savings £/Acre)		Costs £/Acre
16% Improved Dry Matter Production	72	Reseeding cost	20
22% Increased Nitrogen Efficiency	17
Net Production Gain (Milk) from extra Dry Matter	129
TOTALS (£/Acre)	218		20
NET MARGIN (£/Acre) =	198

This partial budget outlines the costs and benefits spread over the life of a five-year reseeded ley.

To summarise, a liming and reseeding policy (over a 12 month period) can generate a margin of £198/Acre, and a staggering £992/Acre margin over 5 years.

To discuss these options and increase grassland and nutrient efficiency, contact Promar on 0870 870 7380 for a Nutrient Management Plan, or CLICK HERE to go to this website's support and grants pages for further details

 

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