Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Nitrates figure for sheep

  • 01-12-2014 7:28pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 181 ✭✭


    Got a letter saying I was way over the allowed nitrates level of 170/ha for 2013. Bought no fert and spread no slurry, had about 7 ewes to the ha, so hopefully just a mistake by dept. Anyone know where to find the figures to be used for figuring nitrates from ewes and lambs?


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,004 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    I'm guessing it's a mistake. I was getting texts from the department about making nitrates returns. I rang the department up in dublin. I stock similar amount of ewes to the hectare as yourself. your man in the department told me I was way under the limit. Said I'd want to be heavily stocked and spreading more then 6-7 bags to the acre to be over the limit. Hope this help as I'm no expert. Give them a buzz. As I said at the time the nitrates section was located in dublin.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    Vandy West wrote: »
    Got a letter saying I was way over the allowed nitrates level of 170/ha for 2013. Bought no fert and spread no slurry, had about 7 ewes to the ha, so hopefully just a mistake by dept. Anyone know where to find the figures to be used for figuring nitrates from ewes and lambs?

    A lowland ewe counts as 13kg/ha, so you're well under the limit


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 351 ✭✭Duke92


    Vandy West wrote: »
    Got a letter saying I was way over the allowed nitrates level of 170/ha for 2013. Bought no fert and spread no slurry, had about 7 ewes to the ha, so hopefully just a mistake by dept. Anyone know where to find the figures to be used for figuring nitrates from ewes and lambs?

    Check are ha right I was getting text messages but it turned out my ha was wrong.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,004 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    rangler1 wrote: »
    A lowland ewe counts as 13kg/ha, so you're well under the limit

    Does that mean that if you had 10 ewes to the hectare, it would be 10 x 130 =130kg /ha therefore leaving you 40kg/ha in fertilisers ?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    Does that mean that if you had 10 ewes to the hectare, it would be 10 x 130 =130kg /ha therefore leaving you 40kg/ha in fertilisers ?

    There's a complicated (to me) formula for working out how much nitrogen you can spread, but as far as I know, at 130kg stocking rate, you'll be unlikely to need as much as you're allpwed :confused:...... iykwim


  • Advertisement
  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,004 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    Thanks rangler..,.

    I know . Complicated. When I spoke to the guy on the phone last year he told me I was way under the limit. Said I could keep sheep and grow more grass then I'd ever need before going over. I think the nitrates thing is something the big dairy farms need to be more aware of with the slurry spreading etc.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    Thanks rangler..,.

    I know . Complicated. When I spoke to the guy on the phone last year he told me I was way under the limit. Said I could keep sheep and grow more grass then I'd ever need before going over. I think the nitrates thing is something the big dairy farms need to be more aware of with the slurry spreading etc.

    Yea, I'm stocked at 130kg, and I worked it out years ago that I could spread up to 6-7 bags CAN/acre per year before I'd hit the limit


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,004 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    rangler1 wrote: »
    Yea, I'm stocked at 130kg, and I worked it out years ago that I could spread up to 6-7 bags CAN/acre per year before I'd hit the limit

    Your calculations weren't too bad so rangler, at 6- 7 bags per acre more or less identical to department advice. A fertiliser spreader is the next thing on my list. At the moment if I spread up to 2 bags to acre a year, that be a lot for me.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    Your calculations weren't too bad so rangler, at 6- 7 bags per acre more or less identical to department advice. A fertiliser spreader is the next thing on my list. At the moment if I spread up to 2 bags to acre a year, that be a lot for me.

    That's around what I use, 1 bag in 1st march and 1.5 on 1st Sept


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,004 ✭✭✭Green farmer


    A bag for early grazing and to extend the grazing season later on rangler ? How's your system going with the straw and meal this year as I remember you saying you don't make any fodder ? Have you seen any savings in meal prices. Don't this neck of the woods most fodder are cheaper this year, except the millers who are slow to reduce ration prices.


  • Advertisement
  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭Username John


    rangler1 wrote: »
    That's around what I use, 1 bag in 1st march and 1.5 on 1st Sept

    Do you soil test Rangler?

    Is it only CAN you put out?
    Would you not be going down a bit in P&K all the time?
    Edit : although I suppose if you put out the dung it would keep the P&K up?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    Do you soil test Rangler?

    Is it only CAN you put out?
    Would you not be going down a bit in P&K all the time?
    Edit : although I suppose if you put out the dung it would keep the P&K up?

    Every where was index 3 + 4 when I last tested 3 years ago, so going to soil test this winter again, Have to be careful with P at that level, especially adding in the Phosphorous that's supposed to be in the meal, anyway we'll see what the soil tests show


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,748 ✭✭✭ganmo


    rangler1 wrote: »
    Every where was index 3 + 4 when I last tested 3 years ago, so going to soil test this winter again, Have to be careful with P at that level, especially adding in the Phosphorous that's supposed to be in the meal, anyway we'll see what the soil tests show

    Are u complaining that P is low in meals?
    P is never added in so only comes from the ingredients


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    ganmo wrote: »
    Are u complaining that P is low in meals?
    P is never added in so only comes from the ingredients

    No, but the rules say that every ton of concentrate contain 5 kgs of Phosphorous and you have to reduce your phosphorous use by that amount., ie if you feed 20 ton meal, you have to reduce phosphorous use by 100kg on your farm


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 181 ✭✭Vandy West


    Thanks for the advice. Emailed department and got a response back within a few days. Problem sorted, they had the wrong amount of land so that caused the problem.


Advertisement