Trials have shown that by increasing soil pH from 5.5 to 6.3, increased grass production of at least 1.5t DM/ha/year can be achieved, which represents a 7:1 return on investment; €7 in additional grass yield for each €1 invested in lime.

Correcting soil pH allows for more efficient use of Nitrogen (N) fertilisers, meaning less N will be required to grow the same amount of grass. A regular application of lime releases up to 80kgs of N/ha/year and unlocks phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) from organic soil reserves, which reduces the need for applied fertiliser.

Regular liming will also be a key requirement where clover swards are being established as clover has shown to have a lower tolerance for pH when compared to ryegrass.

Now is the time to lime

Unless you have plans to take a 3rd cut of silage, now is a great opportunity to act on your soil samples and spread lime. August and September are particularly good months for spreading on grazing grounds while rotations extend and ground conditions remain good.

• To reduce the risk of lime residues, apply lime to low grass covers and when rain is forecast. If the lime has been washed off the leaf by rain, animals may be let back in to graze again.
• If applying lime to a grass reseed, apply after ploughing and incorporate into the seedbed to increase the availability of nutrients (NPK) and maximise germination and establishment.
• There is no problem spreading CAN-based fertiliser and/or CAN- based compounds with lime. There is also no need to leave a gap between lime and protected urea as the protection on the urea reduces N losses as ammonia gas.
• If the slurry is applied first, allow it to wash into the soil for 7-10 days, and then apply lime. If lime is applied first, wait three months to spread slurry.
• If spreading urea before lime, leave 10 days between applications. If spreading lime first, avoid applying urea for 3 months.
• Apply a maximum of 7.5t/ha (3.0t/ac) in a single application. Where more lime is recommended, apply the balance after two years.

Unless you have plans to take a 3rd cut of silage, now is a great opportunity to act on your soil samples and spread lime. 

Lime Type

No two farms are the same, therefore it is essential to soil test every 3-5 years to identify the rate of lime required for your individual farm. Soil testing regularly and liming as per soil test is the best approach to maintaining soil pH and achieving long-term benefits.

It is also important to select the correct type of lime. Both calcium lime and magnesium lime are excellent at correcting soil acidity. Calcium ground limestone is the most common form of lime spread. It is readily available in most parts of the country and is fast-acting and gives rapid pH adjustment.

In the Southeast, most soils are predominately high in magnesium and deficient in calcium. Where soil magnesium is low (<50ppm), applying magnesium limestone to correct both soil pH and Mg levels is most efficient. If your soil is deficient in calcium, this impacts on grassland productivity, and ultimately, animal performance.

Applying calcium in the form of calcium carbonate will raise the level of calcium in the soil, which in turn will help condition the soil, improve soil structure and drainage, and allow for better root development and nutrient uptake.

Lime Quality

The importance of a good-quality lime product cannot be underestimated. Minimum standards for ground limestone include:

• The product must have a Total Neutralising Value (TNV) greater than 90 percent.
• 100% must pass through a 3.35 mm sieve (very coarse limestone is less effective at increasing pH due to lower reactivity and needs additional time to break down and dissolve).
• At least 35% must pass through a 0.15 mm sieve (finely ground).
• The moisture content must be less than 3.0%.

Here at Bennettsbridge Limestone, we undergo independent twice-yearly testing for TNV, moisture value, and grading.

Hi-Calcium Agri Lime

Bennettsbridge Limestone is a member of GROLIME, Ireland’s only agricultural lime quality assurance scheme. We undergo independent twice-yearly testing for TNV, moisture value and grading.

Our Hi- Calcium lime has a consistent Total Neutralising Value (TNV) of 98%, which is a measure of how effective a lime is at neutralising the acidity in the soil. Using lime with a high TNV will result in a large cost saving for the user as less material will be needed to adjust the soil pH.

At Bennettsbridge Limestone, we also place a large emphasis on lime fineness, consistently manufacturing lime with 33% more powder than the Department of Agriculture specification.

Need help and advice?  

For further liming advice or to learn more about our Hi-Calcium Agri Lime. 

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For most farmers, the use of cubicle lime is critical to increase the pH of cubicle beds kill bacteria and control mastitis cases. Once such farmer is Andrew Leeson, who is currently milking 360 cows on a 340ac platform in Co. Kilkenny.

In the video (below), Andrew discusses the key role that our cubicle lime has played in minimising the growth of bacteria and optimising herd health and performance.

Why Choose Bennettsbridge Limestone Cubicle Lime?

Our cubicle lime is a unique disinfectant product, that combines all the antibacterial benefits of a hydrated lime in a mild, super-absorbent blend which will inhibit the growth of bacteria, aid in the prevention of mastitis and provide excellent cow comfort.

It is formulated using hydrated lime and a superfine limestone powder which comes from our high purity calcium quarry in Kilkenny.

The cubicle lime is finely ground for high surface area coverage and maximum absorption, ensuring cows are clean, dry and comfortable for longer. It successfully deactivates E.coli, salmonella and mastitis-causing bacteria such as staphylococcal and streptococcal by raising the pH above 12.5 (until deactivated).

We offers a full range of Cubicle Lime Blends, available in 1t bags. The stronger the hydrated lime blends, the longer it will sustain pH levels of treated areas for lasting animal protection.

• Superfine regular lime;
• 15% hydrated blend;
• 30% hydrated blend;
• 50% hydrated blend.

Bennettsbridge Limestone offers nationwide delivery direct to farm within two working days.

Steps To Minimise The Growth Of Bacteria And Increase Cow Comfort

The below steps should be implemented to help minimise the growth of bacteria:

1. The design of the cubicle can make a big difference when it comes to hygiene. The brisket board should be on, or just above the mat and is there to stop the cow from lying too far up the cubicle and to keep her rear end just off the back of the mat.
2. Passageways should be scraped down and cleaned twice daily. When using automatic scrapers, it is recommended to run these six to eight times per day to reduce the volume of dung being brought onto the cubicle bed.
3. The use of rubber mats is also recommended as they make the cleaning process easier and increase hygiene levels.
4. As mentioned above, hydrated cubicle lime is recommended as a cubicle disinfectant as its pH is 12.4 above the tolerance threshold for streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria; two of the most common causes of mastitis.
5. When applying cubicle lime, the optimum amount per cubicle is approximately a fistful. Other ways of administering cubicle lime include using a scoop to ensure an even amount is spread. Gloves and goggles should always be worn when applying cubicle lime as it can lead to severe eye irritation.

For more information or to place your cubicle lime order click here.

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Agri lime plays a major role in improving the 3 fundamentals of soil health namely:

• Soil chemistry – fertiliser use efficiency
• Soil physical structural quality – drainage
• Soil biological functioning including earthworm activity etc.

Maintaining the correct lime status of your soils will improve overall soil health and fertiliser use efficiency, and in turn, improve your crop yields and farm productivity. Increased grass and grain yields of at least 1.5 t/ha are common when soil pH is brought up to the correct level. This represents a return on investment of almost €7 in additional grass yield for each €1 invested in lime, or a 7:1 return.

Planning your liming programme

Using every opportunity or window throughout the season to spread lime, if required, is important. As we saw last year, waiting until October to spread lime is risky due to poor weather and un-trafficable soil conditions. Take advantage of low grass cover after silage cuts and plan to have the paddocks that also need lime grazed out at the same time so that lime can be applied to both areas.

Develop a liming programme for the individual fields on your farm is as simple as:

• Knowing which fields require lime, ideally based on soil tests
• Knowing what rate of lime is to be applied (t/ha) on each field
• Organize your grazing rotation to have paddocks that need lime grazed out at the same time as silage is cut
• Have this information to hand, ready to call your lime supplier when the opportunity / conditions are right

Impact of lime on fertiliser/slurry

Queries often come up about the interaction between lime and slurry or fertiliser. Here’s a quick guide to follow:

• CAN Fertilizer – no issue
• Protected Urea – no issue
• Urea:
  • Urea before Lime – leave 10 days between applications
  • Lime before Urea – avoid Urea for 3 months
• Slurry
  • Summer slurry has little N impact so interaction irrelevant.
  • Spring & Autumn – allow slurry to wash into soil (7-10 days) and then apply lime. Avoid applying slurry after lime.
• P & K – no issue

Need help or advice?  

For further liming advice or to learn more about our Hi-Calcium Agri Lime, click here 

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Optimising Lime

For the majority of farmers, they are not optimising lime due to the lack of knowledge around soil testing and pH levels. Similar to any business, it is important to ensure that your farm is achieving a positive return on investment. By optimising the pH of soils, farmers can increase their annual grass output by up to 1tDM/ha.

Planning

One of the biggest reasons for the fall in spreading of lime is the lack of planning; it is essential that farmers put together a pH plan as the application of lime can have a positive impact on grass growth. Although many farmers believe there are specific times lime can be applied, it can actually be spread year-round with mid-summer and autumn, following silage cuts, are the optimal times.

In order to put together a pH plan, farmers must first soil sample the farm to identify the pH requirements for specific soils. Following this, soil sampling must occur every 3-5 years in order to maintain the correct pH levels in the soil.

Bennettsbridge Limestone is a member of GROLIME, Ireland’s only agricultural lime quality assurance scheme.

To view our full range of agricultural lime products, click here. 

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