soil management for grass growth manage… · soil management for grass growth dr george fisher ....
TRANSCRIPT
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Soil Management for Grass GrowthGrass Growth
Dr George Fisher
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Topics
• What is a ‘healthy’ soil?
• Soil structure• Soil structure
• pH, P and K
• Soil compaction (assessment and removal)
• Protecting water quality
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Topics
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Topics
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Topics
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Soil quality matters
• because:
Profitability comes from maximising your opportunity to grow
and use grass and forage
• That means:
4,500 – 5,000 litres milk per cow per year from grass and forage
700 kg liveweight gain/ha/year from grass and forage
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Med
Hig
h
Net m
arg
in (pence p
er lit
re)
Reducing costs increases profitLow
Net m
arg
in (pence p
er lit
re)
Low Med High
Cost of production (pence per litre)
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The cost of energyFeed Cost per t
DMEnergy content
(MJ ME/kg DM)
Energy cost per 5.4 MJ
Milk value(litres/kg
DM))
Grazed grass
£35 12.0 1.6p 2.2
1st cut silage £65 11.5 3.1p 2.13rd cut silage £120 10.5 6.2p 1.93rd cut silage £120 10.5 6.2p 1.9Wheat £160 13.6 6.4p 2.5Barley £150 13.2 6.1p 2.4High energy conc.
£265 14.0 10.2p 2.6
Medium energy conc.
£250 12.5 10.8p 2.3
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Topics
• What is a ‘healthy’ soil?
• Soil structure• Soil structure
• pH, P and K
• Soil compaction (assessment and removal)
• Protecting water quality
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Liming and productivity
• It means:
- Nutrient use efficiency (N and P)- Nutrient use efficiency (N and P)- Cost reduction (feeds and fertilisers)- Minimising risks to the environment
It’s a win/win/win/win – just take it!
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70
80
90
100
% o
f m
axim
um
DM
yie
ld
Grass
Soil pH and grass/clover growth
30
40
50
60
3 4 5 6 7
% o
f m
axim
um
DM
yie
ld
Soil pH
Grass/White clover
From Hopkins et al. (1990) Grass and Forage Science
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Impact of 5 t/ha lime dependent on soil structure
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8R
ise in
pH
(u
nit
s)
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Ris
e in
pH
(u
nit
s)
Soil structural quality (Sq)
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Sq 2.6
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Sq 4.5
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Impact of 5 t/ha lime dependent on soil structure
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8R
ise in
pH
(u
nit
s)
More compacted
Less compacted
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Ris
e in
pH
(u
nit
s)
Soil structural quality (Sq)
More compacted
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The pH status of soils on grassland farms
�Professional Agricultural Analysis group (PAAG)(180,000 soil samples)(180,000 soil samples)
�NRM Ltd.(11,000 soil samples from grassland)
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Soil pH – The state of play in
UK grassland soils
20
25
30
35
40
% o
f sam
ple
s
0
5
10
15
20
% o
f sam
ple
s
Soil pH
PAAG 2010/11
NRM 2010/11
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Soil pH – The state of play in
UK grassland soils
20
25
30
35
40
% o
f sam
ple
s
• 5 – 30% DM yield loss?• Reduced NPK efficiency?• Increased risk of N/P loss?
0
5
10
15
20
% o
f sam
ple
s
Soil pH
PAAG 2010/11
NRM 2010/11
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Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K)
� P for rooting and growth� K for N uptake and water
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How are your indexes?
Percentage of grass soil samples in P and K indices
P INDEX
K INDEX < target target > target
< target 20 12 10
target 10 8 8
> target 7 9 15
(PAAG, 2012 – 38,266 samples)
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Conclusion
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Topics
• What is a ‘healthy’ soil?
• Soil structure• Soil structure
• pH, P and K
• Soil compaction (assessment and removal)
• Protecting water quality
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Soil pH is basic…
Soil structure is fundamental
British Grassland Society, Unit 32C, Stoneleigh Deer
Park, Stareton, Kenilworth, Warkwickshire, CV8 2LY
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LIFT IT SPIKE IT
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Assessing the impact of compaction
Treatments:
1. Control – no traffic
2. Tractor compaction
3. Trampling compaction3. Trampling compaction
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No treatment Sward lifted Spike aerated
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Offtakes 2013
5
6
7
8k
g g
rass
DM
/ha
No Treatment
+4%
+11%
0
1
2
3
4
kg
gra
ss D
M/h
a
No Treatment
Spike
Lift
Lift and Spike
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3000
4000
5000
6000
Offtake
Grazing 2 Grazing 3
Grazing 1
SilageOfftakes 2014
0
1000
2000 Residual
Offtake totals
Control – 5840
Spiked – 6021 (+3%)
Lifted – 6607 (+13%)
S&L – 6648 (+14%)
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Soil compaction – reasons to be interested
Soil compaction reduces grass DM yield by 15%
Non-compacted
• 12 t DM/ha/yr grown
Compacted
• 10.2 t DM/ha/yr grown• 12 t DM/ha/yr grown
• 80% utilised = 9.6 t DM /ha
• 10.2 t DM/ha/yr grown
• 70% utilised = 7.14 t DM /ha
2.46 t DM/ha/yr @ 11 MJ ME/kg DM = 27,060 MJ ME
� £585/ha to replace in concentrates (£248/t)� £1,252/ha from 5,000 litres milk @ 25ppl
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Topics
• What is a ‘healthy’ soil?
• Soil structure• Soil structure
• pH, P and K
• Soil compaction (assessment and removal)
• Protecting water quality
![Page 32: Soil Management for Grass Growth Manage… · Soil Management for Grass Growth Dr George Fisher . Topics • What is a ‘healthy’ soil? • Soil structure • pH, P and K • Soil](https://reader034.vdocuments.us/reader034/viewer/2022050210/5f5cb9cf3931927bb404c56d/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Courtesy of The Environment Agency
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Courtesy of The Environment Agency
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Courtesy of Reaseheath College
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Courtesy of Reaseheath College
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Think about:- Source- Path- Receptor
Courtesy of Reaseheath College
- Receptor
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Courtesy of Reaseheath College
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Courtesy of Reaseheath College
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Courtesy of Reaseheath College
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Courtesy of Reaseheath College
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Thanks for your attention
George Fisher ConsultingGeorge Fisher Consulting
37, Portland Drive
Scholar Green
Congleton
Cheshire
ST7 3BS
07598 964388