- NEWS
Martin wades into abortion debateAs the Dáil committee hearings continue on the abortion bill, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has waded into the debate saying it is important that Christian believers "be, and seen to be, on the side of life, especially when life is most vulnerable".
Payment cuts see families pay rent shortfallLimits on rent supplement payments set by the Government are forcing thousands of families to make undeclared top-up payments to landlords to secure places to live.
- WORLD
Anger as North Korea launches another missileNorth Korea fired a short-range missile from its east coast, a day after launching three more of these missiles, a South Korean news agency said.
How Star Trek predicted the futureWHEN Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry first dreamed up the concept of a television show based in the unexplored universe of Outer Space in 1964, the world was a very different place.
- BUSINESS
Warnings over future of eurozoneThe eurozone is heading towards a break up unless there are moves towards much closer political and fiscal union, according to chief economist with State Street Global Advisers, Chris Probyn.
Bruton defends corporate tax rateIreland will be able to maintain its current corporation tax code in the face of international pressure to prevent multinational corporations avoid paying their fare share of tax, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton said yesterday.
- SPORT
Mayo’s statement of intentGalway 0-11 Mayo 4-16 Five minutes to go in Salthill yesterday and James Horan was still cajoling his men to sew it into Galway.
Wilkinson inspires Toulon to gloryASM Clermont Auvergne 15 Toulon 16 Not for the first time this season, a matchday performance and the result have made a mockery of the statistics.
- LIFESTYLE
What Lenny Abrahamson did nextLENNY Abrahamson has directed three feature films: Adam & Paul, Garage and What Richard Did.
Why do women love to dress up?Trying on clothes, said Ewart, produced "sensations which bring deep peace and perfect contentment" to the female mind.
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Costly fertiliser must be used efficiently
In the wet weather this year a lot of nitrogen was lost, especially on water-logged soil.
Unfortunately, fertiliser costs have risen dramatically in recent years — which makes it a priority to use them as efficiently as possible.Fertiliser price and fertiliser value are two very different concepts. Even with the increase in price, they are very good value for money where they are required, because without adequate fertiliser and lime production will be very poor.
In the peak growing season, one bag of CAN can grow an extra 340 kg of feed dry mater, equivalent to about two tonnes of fresh grass or silage, for a cost of about €15. That is a financial return of over five to one on good quality ryegrass pastures that have adequate P, K and lime.
Of course, there are many situations where nitrogen can be cut back without loss of production, such as with the proper use of slurry (applied in spring) and clover.
There are other farms where grass is under-grazed, or badly utilised, where less N fertiliser might even improve animal production.
As with N fertiliser, P, K and lime are still very good value for money, where they are required for optimum production. However, great care has to be taken to ensure that they are properly applied, based on soil test results and in line with regulations.