More grass and reduced fertiliser bills – why soil fertility matters to this Future Beef farm
Farming 43ha in Leckaun, Co. Leitrim, Future Beef farmer Oliver O’Hara has focused on improving soil fertility, and he’s seeing the rewards through more grass growth and reduced fertiliser bills.
To track improvements in soil fertility since 2022, Oliver recently re-sampled his farm. Some 31 soil samples were taken in all across the farm, including the out block. The results showed that 51% of the farm now has good soil fertility, defined by a pH above 6.2 and index 3 or higher for both phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). This is a major leap from just 14% in 2022.
Oliver O’Hara’s approach to improving soil fertility
For Oliver, building soil fertility isn’t just about better grass yields. He’s seeing a better response to fertiliser, more grass growth, lower input costs and a reduced carbon footprint as a result. However, to achieve this improvement, a plan – based on a Nutrient Management Plan – needed to be formulated, incorporating lime spreading and effective use of organic and chemical manures.
Lime is applied on a little and often basis, with a strong focus placed on the out farm. This raised the pH above 6.2 across an extra 19% of land in just three years. Additionally, by using 18-6-12 compound fertiliser and targeting slurry to silage ground, Oliver increased the percentage of land in P index 3 or 4 from 57% to 95%.
Although improvements have been achieved, Oliver plans to continue his focus on improving soil fertility. Looking ahead, his new samples recommend spreading 160 tonnes of lime over the next two years. Because his P indexes are now high, he’s restricted in using chemical phosphorus. Instead, he will use protected urea as his straight nitrogen source to cut costs. He’ll also target fields low in K (15% of the farm) using muriate of potash or a compound like 29% N + 14% K + S.
Oliver O’Hara is a participant in the Future Beef Programme, carrying 28 suckler cows and 120 ewes in Leckaun, Co. Leitrim. The suckler stock is mainly sold as weanlings or forward stores and the lambs are either sold live or to the factory.
The above article first appeared as part of the Future Beef Newsletter for July.