In a year of high input costs, soil acidity correction and agri lime application will be key to achieving a maximum response from fertiliser applied. Maintaining soils at the correct soil pH will increase the release of soil N and improve the availability of soil phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) after application.

When liming, it is important to follow the 4 w’s of applying lime to help achieve maximum fertiliser response in the soil. 

1. What lime to apply?

Both Calcium Lime and Magnesium Lime are excellent at correcting soil acidity. In the South- East, most soils are predominately high in Magnesium and deficient in Calcium. If your soil is deficient in Calcium, this impacts on grassland productivity, and ultimately, animal performance.

Calcium ground limestone is the most common. Its fast acting, it has a rapid pH adjustment, and it improves soil structure and drainage.

Our Hi-Calcium Agri Lime is comprised of 98% Calcium Carbonate, which is essential to restore the soils lime status to the desired pH for optimum soil fertility and ensure improved soil structure and drainage. The calcium content is also essential for healthy plant and animal growth.

Magnesium (Dolomitic) ground limestone is a good source of magnesium for soils with low levels. Compared to calcium ground limestone, it is slower to react and does not have the same positive effect on soil structure.

Granulated Lime is fine limestone powder reformed into a granule, that is available to the soil immediately. It is recommended to apply as maintenance product where soil pH is in the optimum range.

2. When to apply lime?

Lime application is not subject to a farming calendar, however waiting until the end of the year can be risky due to poor weather and un-trafficable soil conditions.

Instead, it is recommended to apply lime in the spring and summer to ground that has been recently grazed or has recently had silage harvested so that covers are low to also reduce the risk of lime residues on the grass. With silage season in full swing, the next few weeks will present ideal spreading conditions.

Don’t forget, if you wish to spread slurry on fields that require lime, apply the slurry first followed by the lime 7 to 10 days later. Spreading slurry after applying lime where there hasn’t been sufficient rainfall to wash away the lime can result in losses of up to 50% of the available N in the slurry.

It is recommended to apply lime in the spring and summer to ground that has been recently grazed or has recently had silage harvested.

3. Where to apply lime?

For farmers to recognise the nutrient requirements of their soils, it is important to test soils on a regular basis (every 3 to 5 years) to determine lime requirements.

Lime should only be applied on the basis of a recent soil test report (1 to 3 years old). Typical lime requirements are 2.5 to 5.0 tonnes per ha, every 3-5 years. Apply a maximum of 7.5t/ha (3.0t/ac) in a single application, however on very acidic soils with a high lime requirement, apply 50% now and remainder in 2 years’ time.

4. Why apply lime?

Increased grass and grain yields of at least 1.5 t/ha are common when optimum soil pH is achieved. This represents a 7:1 return on investment; €7 in additional grass yield for each €1 invested in lime. Applying agri lime regularly releases up to 80kgs of N/ha/Year and unlocks P and K from organic soil reserves, reducing the need for applied fertilisers.

Earthworms and other soil organisms are sensitive to soil acidity, maintaining a neutral soil pH allows them to thrive and breakdown plant residues, animal manures and release nutrients. Applying agri lime regularly will help condition the soil, which in turn, will improve soil structure and drainage and allow for better root development and nutrient uptake.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Bennettsbridge Limestone is a member of GROLIME, Ireland’s only agricultural lime quality assurance scheme. For further liming advice or to learn more about our Hi-Calcium Agri Lime, 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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Mastitis in dairy cows is caused by udder infections, usually resulting from bacteria which can develop during milking or through the cow’s environment. Examples include poor milking procedures, teat injuries or direct exposure to bacteria such unhygienic cubicle beds and lying areas.

Cost of mastitis

There are underlying costs associated with the presence of mastitis, including a loss in milk production from reduced milk yield, and the volume of milk discarded due to the use of antibiotics. It is also important to note that farmers can face penalties for a reduction in milk quality as it may not be suitable for manufacturing when tested.

Other underlying costs associated with mastitis include veterinary fees and the cost of culling the animal or mortality. Taking all of this into account, it is therefore critical that prevention and control of mastitis should be a priority on all dairy farms.

Mastitis prevention and control

The use of cubicle lime is critical in order to increase the pH of cubicle beds and inhibit the growth of bacteria. In addition to a good cubicle lime routine, the below steps should be implemented to help minimise the growth of such bacteria.

1. 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 in order to reduce the volume of dung being brought onto the cubicle bed.
2. The use of rubber mats are also recommended as they make the cleaning process easier and increase hygiene levels.
3. 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. Although the pH in hydrated lime is significantly higher than the pH of cubicle lime (8.4), it does not irritate the cow’s teats and it also leads to increased cow comfort.
4. 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.

To learn more about the benefits of cubicle 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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