Project CEFN Conwy ‘Improving Catchment Environmental Quality through better Soil and Nutrient Management in the Livestock Farming Landscape.’ GLYNLLIFON Development Farm Open Day Diwrnod Agored Fferm Datblygu GLYNLLIFON 11/05/2011 Dr. Julie Williamson Canolfan Ymchwil Henfaes Research Centre, Prifysgol Bangor University Cyllidir y project hwn yn rhannol trwy’r Cynllun Datblygu Gwledig a gyllidir yn rhannol gan yr Undeb Ewropeaidd a Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru. This project is part funded through the Rural Development Plan which is part financed by the European Union and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Soil testing – 2 fields per farm, analysed for pH, P, K and Mg, with recommendations. Farm survey – nutrient management activities and economics, decision-making. 104 fields tested – total of 1,000 acres; 50 farms surveyed – total of over 22,000 acres; Area of land under agriculture in Conwy – 188,000 ac Farm survey covered 12% of agricultural land in Conwy. CEFN Conwy soil testing and farm survey Profi pridd ac arolygu ffermydd Conwy CEFN

Soil testing – RESULTS Profi pridd – CANLYNIADAU. Soil pH – 77% of fields required liming

Soil testing – RESULTS Profi pridd – CANLYNIADAU Soil P index – the P crop requirement of 32% of fields tested could be met by using slurry or manure effectively.

Soil testing – RESULTS Profi pridd – CANLYNIADAU Soil K index – the K crop requirement of 40% of fields tested could be met by using slurry or manure effectively.

Whole Farm Nutrient Balances Balans Maeth Fferm Gyflawn Based on: Information farmers gave us on products entering and leaving the farm gate over 12 month period; Using PLANET (Defra) methodology to calculate nutrient values; Allows comparison of CEFN whole farm surpluses with those of calculated ‘standard farm’ averages.

Whole Farm Nutrient Balances Balans Maeth Fferm Gyflawn Red bar represents ‘standard farm’ average surplus for beef suckler cow farms (Source: DEFRA report ES0124SID5, 2005). Potash surplus Nitrogen surplus Phosphate surplus

Comparative nutrient content of organic materials

1.Take into account the nutrients applied to fields as slurry / FYM - to avoid over-fertilising and economic inefficiencies. Take - home messages The advantages of building up organic matter in soils cannot be over-emphasised. 2. Make good use of slurry/FYM over as many fields as possible, bearing in mind CGAP / closed periods when spreading. 3. Consider using other locally available organic resources like sewage cake which, providing quality assurance is practiced, should not be any more odorous than applying slurry. 4. Organic matter is very important to soil health, if it is not replenished then other problems follow like more frequent need to lime, less resilience to poaching and compaction etc..