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Increasing the efficiency of
soil nutrient management in
Northern Ireland
Suzanne Higgins
Agriculture in Northern Ireland
Agriculture 998ha (74% total land area)
Farms: 25,000 Av. Farm Size:40.1 ha
Rich, fertile high organic matter soils, Ideal for grass
growth. Small field size
Dairy: Average Enterprise Size: 88
Milk: 27% of NI Agricultural Output
Beef: Average Enterprise Size: 17
Sheep: Average
Enterprise Size: 209
Small Areas Cereals
& Potatoes
High Rainfall Climate
1000-2000 mm rainfall
Annually
Soils can be
saturated
or above field
capacity
for >250 days per
year
• Soil Compaction
• Nutrient loss to
waterways
Challenges for Agriculture in NI
Soil Managing Nutrients
Water
Reducing P losses to
waterways
Air
Mitigating GHG & NH3 Emissions
Sustainable Production
Soil Nutrient Management
• The Agri-Food Strategy Board’s “Going for Growth” has set
ambitious targets for NI’s agri-food sector, including a target
of a 60% growth in sales by 2020.
• In a report published in 2016 ‘The
Sustainable Agricultural Land
Management Strategy for NI’ the
following was highlighted:
Grass utilisation is significantly below
optimum
Less than 10% of farmland has an up-
to-date soil analysis
64% of our soils are at sub-optimum
pH
Soil Sampling and Analysis Scheme
• EU funded
• Supported by
Soil Sampling and Analysis Scheme
• Objectives
• Improve PROFITABILITY
Increase grass and forage yields
Improve soil fertility
Improve the distribution of manure nutrients
• Improve the ENVIRONMENT
Reduce risk of nutrient loss to water bodies
Structure 1. The Open Scheme
2. The Catchment Scheme
The Open Scheme
• Open to all eligible livestock farmers
• 3,030 farms registered (Online registration)
• 522 farms randomly selected (12,218 fields)
The Catchment Scheme
Upper Bann River Catchment with 11 sub-
catchments to be soil tested in the Catchment
Scheme
The Catchment Scheme
• Open to all eligible livestock
farmers in 11 sub-catchments
• 513 farms registered out of total
of 654 (78%)
• 7,772 fields sampled out of 10,063
in 11 Sub-catchments (77%)
Dots are a graphical representation only, and are not indicative of
specific farm locations
The Catchment Scheme
• Open to all eligible livestock farmers
in 11 sub-catchments
• 513 farms registered out of total
of 654 (78%)
• 7,772 fields sampled out of 10,063
in 11 Sub-catchments (77%)
• LiDAR based P run-off risk maps were
generated all participating farms LiDAR
technology
Sample collection
Sample verification
Sample preparation
Sample reporting
Results – Soil P 50% of fields on dairy farms >
Index 2
37% of fields on beef farms >
Index 2
50
37
35
P Over-Supply (%)
Dairy Beef Sheep
Dairy farms 15% fields < Index 2
Beef farms 27% fields < Index 2
Sheep farms 31% < Index 2
Catchment Scheme – Run-off Risk
Mapping
• Risk maps for P run-off were prepared using LiDAR digital elevation data, soil Olsen and WSP
concentrations, soil wetness index and hydrology information
• Yellow = high risk of run-off of newly applied fertiliser or manure-P
• Purple dots = expected points of run-off entry into water-ways.
• Approximately 10% of farmland in Upper Bann to be at high risk of fertiliser/manure-P run-off
• Strategies to mitigate P loss to water could include avoiding slurry application to certain fields during
early spring, and use of targeted riparian zones to prevent run-off reaching water-ways.
Open Scheme – Soil K Status
24% of fields had
K < Index 2-
20
26
33
K Under-Supply (%)
Dairy Beef Sheep
Adding extra slurry or potash on 20% of dairy area and 26% of beef area
could result in 400 kt/yr extra grass DM worth £40 million
(gross)/yr
Soil pH and Lime Status
Overall 43% of grassland requires lime
Fields at sub-optimal soil pH could be losing 2 t DM/ha/yr
Correcting soil pH could result in an increase of
1.95 million tonnes DM (1 t DM/ha/yr for 5 years)
Potentially worth £195 million (£100/t DM)
• 71% of farmers in Open Scheme attended training sessions in Nutrient
Management Planning
• 42% of farmers in Catchment Scheme attended training sessions
• 57% over all
Farmer Participation in Training
More efficient management of nutrients
on farms • Soil test regularly – every 4-5 years
• Optimum soil fertility enhances nutrient cycling and soil health
• Improved yields
• Careful management to minimise compaction damage
• New technology can help increase efficiency
Thank You