Take advantage of ideal autumn conditions!

Whilst the wet weather in August may have been frustrating for arable farmers, for livestock farmers it has created conditions that are ideal for reseeding.

In many years September can be too dry to guarantee a good take from a grass reseed. However this year, whether you are ploughing and working down the soil, or just wanting to top up productive grass levels with an overseed, there is moisture throughout the soil profile.

Subsoil compacted areas

Beware though, that many fields have suffered considerable compaction damage from livestock or silage equipment as it has been so wet - this needs rectifying to get the best out of grassland during the winter and spring next year.

However, take care if planning to subsoil grassland as subsoiler points and wings can smear and pan the soil if the subsoil is too wet when the operation takes place, and it’s possible to create as many problems as you are solving. If the finer weather continues into late September, then conditions for grassland subsoiling will improve so it may be best left until later in the month, especially in clay-based soils.

Reseeding

Take a look at your grass swards. Many of them may have suffered during the dry conditions in April and early May, and the productive grasses could well have been killed off leaving less productive lower feed value indigenous grasses. These are more hardy and can take over the sward – so remove them with an appropriate herbicide. Then fill in the bare patches by harrowing and over-seeding with a suitable grass seed mixture this autumn, so that grazing and silage is not affected during the spring.

Remember consolidation with a good heavy roller will improve the germination and early growth of the overseed as well.

Soil temperatures are now probably too low to successfully establish red clover, except for areas in the south and south-west of England. However, until the end of September, they are still sufficiently warm for successful establishment of grass and grass and white clover leys.

Grass seed prices are set to increase by at least 25% when seed from the 2007 harvest comes onto the market next spring. This is due to the wet weather affecting the seed harvest in the UK and Europe, and the high price of wheat forcing higher payments to herbage seed growers.

Another knock-on effect from the wheat price is an increase in feed costs - so it’s more important than ever to ensure maximum production from grassland and forage crops.

Autumn weed control

September is also a good time to take out perennial weeds. The mild and recent wet weather has encouraged grass and weed growth, making it an ideal time for herbicide application. If grass and/or a clover mixture is to be stitched in following treatment, then for advice on the minimum time period required between treatment and sowing, consult your advisor or ring the Dow AgroSciences Hotline on 0800 6898899.

New sown leys should always be protected against frit fly and leatherjackets.

Leatherjacket infestations were high in the spring and a lot of grassland has been left untreated. So there is a high reservoir now in the ground. September is the main egg laying period for crane fly (Daddy-long legs) so take a look through the sward to spot crane flies on the wing.

The risk of frit fly is highest where grass leys are grown successively. If you want to assess the likely situation on your farm then you can download a Frit fly Risk Assessment Chart (http://www.dowagro.com/uk/cereal/fritfly.htm )

Plan now for next spring

Fertiliser prices are firm and are likely to stay so for the foreseeable future: Phosphate TSP 45% has increased by 70% to £255, Potash has risen by 17%. Nitrogen prices are rising as well.

So serious consideration must be given to the nutrient value of all livestock inputs ie feed, fertiliser and straw, before considering the extra fertiliser needed to produce grass profitably next year. Animals are fertiliser manufacturers and their contribution has in the past been sadly underestimated.

The autumn is a good time to get organised for next spring so that you are ready to apply fertiliser as soon as conditions allow.

As part of its service package to customers, Kemira GrowHow uses a crop nutrient planning tool called Encompass, which takes into consideration all of the managerial aspects of the farm including soil analysis, manures, storage, feed regimes and output. For those purchasing their NPK fertiliser through a recognised GrowHow distributor there is a 50% discount against the cost of the service.

As well as nutrient plans, manure management plans can also be drawn up as part of the Encompass package. This will involve a walk around every field on the farm to produce a detailed map of buffer zones and an individual field risk assessment. The nutrient plan will gain two points/ha and a manure management plan a further two points for the Entry Level Scheme.

Increases in the areas designated Nitrate Vulnerable Zones have also been proposed, as well as tougher controls on closed periods. Farmers in NVZ areas can get help from their GrowHow advisor or GrowHow distributor fieldsman, to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

Home-grown forage

Significant increases in feed costs, due to the high wheat price, have already been declared by feed manufacturers. So maximising the productivity of grassland, and reducing reliance on bought-in feeds is essential if livestock farmers are to maintain gross margins. Ensure grass leys are checked this autumn and reseeded or renovated as appropriate, to ensure optimum performance is delivered next season.