Spread pig slurry for grass growth

Spread slurry a week before chemical fertiliser, to ensure no loss of nitrogen by de-nitrification, was part of the advice at the recent pig slurry for grass growth farm walk on Gerard Coughlan’s farm at Ballycoughlan, Innishannon, Co Cork.

The slurry on the Coughlan farm went on land which was index 1 for phosphorous (P) and index 2 for potassium (K). It was grazed in early March and once again the week before slurry application on The pig slurry was spread on April 19, followed by chemical fertiliser on April 26.

Per acre, pig slurry at 2,500 gallons suppled 47 units of N, 18 units of P and 43 units of K. CAN at 1.3 bags per acre supplied 35 units of N, and 1.6 bags per acre of 0-7-30 supplied 11 units of P and 48 units of K. The total per acre was 82 units of N, 29 units of P, and 91 units of K.