Reminder: Zone A opens for slurry spreading tomorrow
Farmers in Zone A will be permitted to spread slurry and farm yard manure (FYM) from tomorrow, Monday, January 13.
Zone B counties will be permitted to spread slurry from Thursday, January 16.
The prohibited application period for chemical fertiliser remains in place and farmers in Zone A will be permitted to spread chemical fertiliser from Monday, January 27.
Farmers in Zone B will be permitted to spread chemical fertiliser from Thursday, January 30.
The counties in each of the three zones are as follows:
Finally, farmers in Zone C will be permitted to spread organic fertiliser from Saturday, February 1.
Farmers in Zone C will be permitted to spread chemical fertiliser from Saturday, February 15, of this year.
Slurry must be kept at least 10m away from rivers, streams, watercourses, drains and reverts for two weeks following the opening of the spreading period. This goes to 5m once this time period has elapsed.
The table below details the buffer margin for spreading organic fertilisers near water features:
| Water body / feature | Slurry / FYM / Soiled water |
|---|---|
| Water Supply > 100m³ or > 500 people | 200m |
| Water Supply > 10m³ or > 50 people | 100m |
| Water Supply < 10m³ or < 50 people | 25m |
| Lake shoreline | 20m |
| Exposed cavernous or karstified limestone features (e.g. swallow holes) | 15m |
| Any surface watercourse where the slope towards watercourse is >10% | 10m |
| All other water surfaces* | 5m* |
Weather and ground conditions can have a significant impact on nutrient loss to water when spreading slurry.
Slurry spread on fields that are frozen or snow covered, waterlogged, flooded or likely to flood is prohibited by the current regulation.
The timing of slurry applications has a major impact on on the uptake of nutrients by plants.
Ideally, slurry spreading should take place with no structural damage to the soil and a consistent soil temperature of 6˚C or above will mean that grass is growing and has the potential to take up the nutrients applied.
Farmers and contractors alike are reminded to be always conscious of the health and safety of both themselves and others when working with slurry.
Mixing slurry, open tanks and machinery all pose safety risks and taking your time to access the risks involves is always advisable when working with slurry.
