ONE OF onine Monitor Farms throughout Scotland has mentioned soil pH, discipline drainage and implementing a brand new grass and grazing plan at their summer season assembly.
The Stirlingshire Monitor Farm is a part of a programme – funded by the Scottish authorities – that goals to assist farms attain full financial, social, and environmental sustainability by optimising manufacturing.
The Duncan household runs the Stirlingshire Monitor Farm, which incorporates the farms and the diversified agritourism enterprises, similar to glamping pods and promoting home-grown lamb, hogget and mutton.
Throughout the assembly, precision agronomy supervisor Catriona McLean highlighted the significance of soil pH, explaining that an lively liming programme might enhance it to five.8 on everlasting pasture and 6.2 on momentary grass and re-seeds.
Nonetheless, using lime has been constrained by entry points, because the farm sits on a really slim again highway which is a battle for bulk artic lorries – the one supply methodology for lime.
Graham Lofthouse, grazing specialist, advises making a 10-year grassland plan for the farm, pH particularly: “Low pH is the principal think about grassland efficiency locking up macro and micronutrients.”
He additionally talks about sward administration: “The sward stick is a precious instrument; use it and deal with retaining the grass as vegetative as attainable – the leaf is the powerhouse.”
Jamie Dick, drainage specialist, emphasises the significance of fixing small drainage points within the farm’s heavy clay fields: “Get these small upkeep issues achieved and ensure shops are okay then after that, administration of the soils you’ve, discipline by discipline, is vital.”
Guests additionally mentioned inventory well being and vitamin, and what the host farmers had been doing since their first assembly six months in the past.
The Duncans defined their specialist plans on nutrient administration and reseeding, sheep vitamin, a brand new technique to sort out lameness in sheep, and obtained enter on illness administration in calves and on cow vitamin.
A part of the assembly included the presentation of Aerworx Aerator; a instrument with blades that penetrate and shatter the onerous pan in soils with out the danger of soil erosion, serving to to enhance rooting and nutrient uptake.
Over the following 4 years, different farmers and specialists can be introduced collectively to assist the Duncans assess farm efficiency, discover alternatives, and develop options to the challenges they face.
