Min-till message taken on in Eire
Min-till message taken on in Eire
Sensible soil management can make a big impact on both
environmental and economic goals, growers at a
Conservation Agriculture conference in Ireland heard last
week. Andrew Swallow reports
MINIMUM tillage is gaining ground in Ireland, overcoming pro-plough prejudices, as soil fertility and fixed cost advantages get through to growers.
This autumn over 10,000ha (25,000 acres) of crops across 100 farms were established without recourse to the plough, says Irish crop consultant John Geraghty.
Judging by the 300 plus turn-out for a Monsanto sponsored Conservation Agriculture conference in Carlow, Ireland last week, many more could soon follow suit.
"It has the potential to revolutionise cropping," says Mr Geraghty. "But – and it is a big but – that has to be accompanied by a complete change in mind-set among farmers, advisors and researchers. You have to go for it 100%, 90% is not good enough."
That is echoed by UK-based tillage consultant Steve Townsend. "In my experience many people have actually put up their costs by going to a reduced tillage system," he warns.
New equipment has been bought and savings in the strategic costs of tractors and labour not taken. "You have to decrease these if you are to make money."
But new equipment is not what reduced tillage is about, he stresses, a point shared by Mr Geraghty.
"Despite what people say you can do your minimal cultivation with a relatively simple machine, something you have on the farm already."
Knowing your own costs in detail, rather than relying on contractor or industry standard figures, is essential, continues Mr Townsend. The aim should be to reduce the number of tractors, with the same machine pulling the primary cultivator and drill.
"Costs are very personal. Take the time to work out what your costs are. If they are already low you may not have room to manoeuvre," he says.
One Irish grower who has done that is Co Kildare grower Jim McCarthy who presented his current costs at the conference (see table). Having started experimenting with minimum tillage six years ago he is now 100% committed to it, establishing 730ha (1800 acres) of autumn cereals a year.
"The cost savings are important, but the big thing for me is the soil improvments," he stresses.
Record yields of 1984 have yet to be beaten on many continuously ploughed farms, despite the introduction of strobilurins, better nitrogen management and annual variety improvements averaging 1.5%.
"Where has all that yield gone? I think it is because the organic matter in the soil is dropping. Organic matter is black gold – wheres that black gold gone?"
Reduced or no-till cultivation can rebuild the organic matter, he believes, a point supported by Monsantos Patrick OReilly.
EU data shows 50% of soil carbon has been lost in the past 20-30 years of cultivation and soil preservation is moving up the environmental policy agenda, he says.
"Some countries, such as Portugal are already paying different subsidies according to the tillage practice used as an encouragement to farmers to switch over."
Mr McCarthys yields have started to improve under his min-till system, albeit in part because late drilling has been eliminated, he admits.
But in five years time a clear trend will be seen, he believes, and other growers would do well to get to grips with the system sooner rather than later.
"Conservation tillage will be forced on us whether we like it or not, but as growers we should be leading the way," he concludes. *
Enviable establishment costs?
£/acre
Cultivation (7.5m Horsche FG) 4.96
Drilling (6m Vaderstad Rapide) 7.83
Ring-rolling 1.72
Spray-off (inc glyphosate) 4.40
Actual, all in, establishment cost 18.91
Includes depreciation, labour, fuel, spares and repairs on all machinery spread across 730ha (1800 acres) drilled. Excludes seed.
MIN-TILL MINDSET
Cut strategic costs – tractors/labour.
New tackle not essential.
No yield penalty.
Long-term soil gain.
MIN-TILLMINDSET
• Cut strategic costs – tractors/labour.
• New tackle not essential.
• No yield penalty.
• Long-term soil gain.
McCarthys costs?
*£ (sterling)/ha
Cultivation(7.5m Horsche FG) 12.26
Drilling(6m Vaderstad Rapide) 19.35
Ring-rolling 4.25
Spray-off(inc glyphosate) 10.87
Actual, all in,establishment cost 46.73
Includes depreciation, labour, fuel, spares and repairs on all machinery spread across 730ha (1800 acres) drilled. Excludes seed. *£1=IR£1.22