Best Practice with Slurry Spreading
Field Guide for Assessing Ground Conditions
Reduce compaction and nutrient loss on grassland farms
Download as a PDF here: Field Guide for Assessing Ground Conditions
Using a heal imprint and/or walking stick to measure penetration depth and resistance
(Stick penetration is dependent on depth of soil)
Soft/Heavy
- Stick penetrates 20-30cm with very low resistance
- Substantial give in the ground
- Easy to imprint heal
Yielding
- Stick penetrates 15cm with low resistance
- Some give in the ground
- Heal imprint with moderate force
Good
- Stick penetrates 10cm with medium resistance
- Little give in the ground
- Minimal heal imprint with force
Good/Firm
- Stick penetrates 5cm with high resistance
- No give in the ground
- Heal imprint not possible
Environmental risks working on difficult field conditions
- Operating machinery on soft /heavy soils can lead to soil compaction
- Applying Phosphorus on poorly draining soils, particularly in soft /heavy ground conditions can lead to P runoff to waterbodies
- Applying Nitrogen to free draining soils before heavy rain can lead to N leaching to groundwater
- Applying Nitrogen in soft /heavy ground conditions can result in N2O emissions
Is it safe to spread slurry?
