Select the correct fertilisers and save €25/cow

Over the coming weeks, with increasing day length and improving soil conditions, it will be time to start applying fertilisers to meet the growing nutrient demands on grassland farms. Mark Plunkett and Seamus Kearney take a close look at the cost saving benefits of selecting the most appropriate product.

The cost of fertilisers have remained relatively high compared to prices before the fertiliser crisis in 2021/2022. All market indications are that fertiliser will remain expensive due to new carbon taxes and trade tariffs internationally.

Nitrogen type

Select fertilisers that will deliver best value for money and that will reduce nutrient losses to both air and water over the coming months. For example, for the first/second round of fertiliser, select a stable form of N such as Protected Urea, which is best value for money compared to a nitrate-based N (such as CAN) which is quite expensive and increases N loss risk.

Fertiliser blends

When it comes to selecting fertiliser blends, choose blends with the correct P:K ratio depending on soil fertility levels such as 18-6-12+S / 13-6-20 +S / 10-5-25 etc, as they tend to be the best value for money on a per unit basis. Don’t forget to include sulphur (S) to improve the efficiency and uptake of N while reducing nitrate leaching.

Fertiliser planning and shopping list

Now is a great time to update the farm fertiliser plan for 2026, as it will guide the use of valuable nutrients such as cattle slurry.  It will provide recommended rates of N, P and K while applying nutrient limits to ensure farms don’t exceed regulated N and P rates.

An up-to-date farm fertiliser plan will provide N and P regulated limits and recommended K rates. From these figures, a fertiliser shopping list can be created as to the most suitable and cost-effective products depending on the farm.

Table 1 below shows that by selecting a traditional fertiliser blend such as 18-6-12 + S to deliver cost-effective balanced nutrients, partnered with a Protected Urea to deliver the most cost effective and sustainable form of N for grassland systems.  Furthermore, the ingredients in this fertiliser programme help deliver up to an 8% reduction in total farm carbon emissions.  This is critical now – and in the years ahead – to reduce total farm carbon emissions while improving the profitability of milk production systems.  With the current cost-price squeeze on, select the most sustainable fertilisers to make a saving of €25/cow or 0.5c/L in 2026.

Table 1: Example farm, fertiliser options and savings

For more on the benefits of using protected urea, visit the Signpost Programme webpage here.