How SOIL SAMPLES can TRANSFORM a FARM! // Silage Series pt1

What I love about farming is the detail, the figuring out what works and what doesn't and finding a way to make my farm more profitable! Soil Samples are some of the most important information we collect on the farm and hopefully this video shows why I regard soil samples as so important!
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[@sweed58]

Very interesting vlog

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@charlotteashleyfarm]

Super video everyday is a school day, come to think of it I’m learning more useful things from you than I ever did at school!!

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Why thank you! 😅 This is the side of farming I love. 👌👌

[@CraigyFarm]

Just started watching your channel, got a feeling I am going to enjoy your Silage Series!.....I am not a farmer but an Aid worker with a family history of farm workers Dad, Uncles etc.. But since I left home Farming Simulator is the closest I get these days...I am intrigued on the soil sampling...will keep watching...thanks and cracking accent pal :)

[@davidkernohan2030]

Great video. Real good farm theory in practice. Thanks for making these videos.

[@FarmTheoryNI]

No problem! I would have appreciated this kinda thing 10 years ago, hence why I decided to do it. 😅

[@tonymckeage1028]

Great Video, my soils education was get the pH right first, pH is the key to making those Elements available to the plant, In NZ that was mainly clover, the second issue was Phosphorus also important for clover health, because we don't make anything like the silage you guys do, Potash wasn't really an issue, I think the key to your system is cycling the K in your silage stacks back to the pasture faster, I believe there are two actions you can use to avoid "banking" K in your silage stack, firstly grazing the cows on pasture longer and secondly capturing and returning the slurry to the paddocks faster, clovers are the best measure of soil health, and they are the turbocharger of total dry matter production. Thanks for sharing

[@pjdee5879]

Very good Pharming science. You are adding a bit of insight into the interplay between Ph and NPK. It would be interesting to correlate rainfall to the mix and how it affects nutrients and Ph. It's amazing how farmers managed to farm before artificial fert and soil testing. Everything had to be worked out somehow for good or bad in the computer between the ears. And of course Nature has mechanisms which have been working well for thousands of years.

[@gethinjones7501]

This is the most useful video on the internet well done 👍. Did you find when you used to buy forage in it helped keep your K index higher?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

It was a very long time ago, never noticed.

[@ciaranconeely8579]

Great video again Andrew. Support for your KZbin Channel 👍👍👍.

[@maikmos]

Great video my friend, keep up informing us!!!

[@TheFarmerTheCheesemaker]

Thanks for the reminder to stop sitting on November’s soil tests. I managed to get the home farm done, which requires soil be sent to two different labs because we’re in a carbon sequestration, climate impact study. I didn’t manage to get my hay fields tested this year. In the spring…. Do you pay attention to the calcium & magnesium levels? I know they’re both tied to PH and which lime you use. I’ve been working hard to correct mine because of tetany concerns. Do you do any manure sampling? What are your views on field rolling to help with compaction? And lastly, are you selling your GPS /nutrient data package? I only farm 75 acres at the moment but I can totally see the savings in lime, manure, fertilizer and time with a nice graphic system like yours!

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Glad I could help! I just focus on ph, P and K. Its enough to try and get right! We have never had any tetany issues, I wouldnt be to worried about it unless you have. I have done some manure sampling, but its so variable I just use the RB209 avg. Never roll fields, it defiantly wont help compaction. I do sell my GPS/nutrient management systems. Drop me an email or message if you want more details!

[@matthewshaw3718]

@@FarmTheoryNI Interesting that you don’t roll. Have you ever rolled? We always do, bit of a because we always have thing, also have a few stones come up during the winter. How are you measuring compaction? Just by digging a hole?

[@andrewgeddis9301]

Have you ever looked into how sulfur car help with grass yields and protein

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Tried it, I think it's a gimic. Slurry has more than enough Sulphur.

[@philiptyndall4968]

Have you looked into monoculture varieties of grass Andrew ? I’m a big fan of certain varieties. See massive variations on graze outs/ total yeild and milk performance with different ones we’ve sowed

[@FarmTheoryNI]

I tried just two Aber varieties once and it was a disaster. Not tried anything like it since.

[@philiptyndall4968]

@@FarmTheoryNI cows here love the aber varieties. Have a fair % of the farm in 100 % swards of abergain

[@Farmer_Vet_Diaries]

Top tier video👌🏻

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Thanks!

[@mourne]

Very interesting video. Could you do a few videos at calving time.

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Absolutely.

[@johnmcelroy1146]

Great video AW. Keep them coming. Are you able to get your field boundary data from DAERA or have you had to draw these yourself in the new?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

You record the boundary using the GPS. Either first time round sowing or from a painted area map.

[@CraigyFarm]

Ok, stupid question coming, do you spread potash yearly or after certain amount of cuts?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

I usually spread twice. Sometimes only once.

[@murtyFitzgerald]

Did you ever consider using Foliar nitrogen instead of granular?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Yes, it's good but not worth it if you have to buy the equipment.

[@FionaWoulfe]

Hi Andrew,Great video,,,Is it all protected urea you use or do you use ordinary urea in the spring

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Always ordinary urea. Protected urea is a waste of money. All you need is rain to minimise urea N loses... We get lots of rain!!

[@eoghanhayes7699]

That nutrient section of the gps gives me the tickles

[@FarmTheoryNI]

It's great. 🤣

[@jasonmaughan812]

What rate are you spreading potassium on the lower index fields? Is it a single application per year? What time of the year are you applying it?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

I don't really have a hard and fast rule, it tends to be once a year if fields need it. Usually after first or second cut. Maybe applying 100-150kg/ha of product

[@Alejandrogarcia-fp1fr]

interesting video

[@nthnmcclure3020]

Just wondering about the liming andrew, how much ground lime do you put on per hectare at reseeding to increase ph by 0.1? How do you find liming without reseeding? Is it best done after slurry in the springtime, or is there too much grass at that stage?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

I try and do it when reseeding, usually 2t/ac, I sometimes vary it but usually not. I find lime done on grassland is slower to show up on soil samples, not sure why.

[@DM-eq1fq]

Can you do a video or TikTok on how you take your soil samples?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Sure. 👍

[@DM-eq1fq]

@@FarmTheoryNI thanks. This has came at a good time as i have some ground that i need to sample and improve.

[@eoghanhayes7699]

You always talk about the financial implications of quality silage, for a farm not winter milking and grazing close to 300 days only buffer feeding through drought etc does it still pay when silage is mostly for maintenance?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Great question, I think so. Extra energy can be put down as fat, and better quality isn't a big extra cost, it's the same principle as bad grazing Vs god grazing.

[@counietom]

Whats your reseeding practice,disc or power harrow straight

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Plough, the PH. Will definitely do a video on it.

[@jeffwheeler7244]

Any thoughts on aeration and what machinery work or not.

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Aeration is a total waste of time, subsoiling is almost always the same. Keep off the soil is the best advice.

[@jeffwheeler7244]

Thank you.

[@daireharlin181]

Whats your thoughts on sulphur

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Slurry has enough Sulphur, it's added value for the fert companies. I have tried it two years now, never notice a difference. ONLY N all last year, best yields and quality to date. Have to use some K this year for sure mind you.

[@daireharlin181]

Thanks for reply

[@grahamsmith9756]

To feed cows correctly you first need to feed the soil or learn how to By increasing milk from forage be it grazed grass grass silage maize or barley silage you do produce more profit We are currently achieving 55% of our milk from forage at 4.6 / 4.7 % butterfat Cant complain

[@FarmTheoryNI]

VERY nice! Our fat and proteins are pretty poor, 4.1% fat, 3.3% prot. 7800l/cow

[@thomasmccarthy9855]

How long is that field closed

[@FarmTheoryNI]

We stopped grazing Mid October, this field would have been.... ~ 5th Oct

[@geoffreymoore2204]

No sound

[@j.r8213]

You've good knowledge of the chemical side of soil health You look at the biological side of soil health way more interesting arguably the most important ecosystem on the planet

[@FarmTheoryNI]

Good luck altering and monitoring soil bacteria imo. The vast vast majority (Inc me) struggle enough with the basics of soil health without going near soil bacteria.

[@FarmTheoryNI]

We do check for worm numbers and put a lot of focus on soil compaction, but it's not quantified.

[@j.r8213]

@@FarmTheoryNI bacteria need green foods fungi dead woody grasslands are bacteria dominate and to keep bacteria healthy need to keep ph balanced acidic soils extremely bad for healthy bacteria function a long with order soil microbiology have read 80 -120kgs of N/Ha soil bacteria.

[@davidloughridge1988]

You ‘DID’ a degree not ‘done’. Did you miss a day at Primary School when they taught proper grammar?

[@FarmTheoryNI]

I done not know that! Thanks!