Run up to housing - Spreading slurry in early October
Date published:
Autumn has arrived and with attention turning to housing cattle, Andrew Thompson, CAFRE technologist, reminds farmers to empty any remaining slurry from tanks while conditions are favourable, to ensure as much storage as possible is available for the upcoming winter period.
Farmers and contractors will be aware that the closed period, preventing the spreading of slurry and organic manures commences midnight 15 October (midnight 31 October for farmyard manure).
Andrew also points out that application rates of slurry applied in the run up to the closed period, during early October should be reduced. From 1 October- 15 October the maximum allowable volume spread per hectare in one application is reduced from 50m3/ha (4500 gallons/acre) to 30m3/ha (2750 gallons/acre)
Also buffer zones along water courses and lakes should be increased during 1 October – 15 October. Slurry should not be spread within:
- 15m of a waterway (increased from 10m) and
- 30m of a lake (increased from 20m) or
- 5m of a waterway (increased from 3m) if Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESSE) is used.
These restrictions will also apply during the month of February to reduce the risk of nutrient run-off to waterways.
Farmers should also remain vigilant when spreading slurry and should only spread when ground conditions are suitable and heavy rain is not forecast within the next 48 hours. Andrew added that care should also be taken when spreading on sloping ground to reduce the risk of nutrient run-off into watercourses.
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