The closed slurry-spreading period will come to an end in some parts of Ireland as early as January 12th.
There are three designated zones in total, which determine, depending on your location, what dates when you can begin spreading farmyard manure, artificial fertiliser and slurry.
Zones:
- Zone A – Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Tipperary, Laois, Kildare, Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Carlow and Waterford.
- Zone B – Roscommon, Sligo, Mayo, Galway, Meath, Westmeath, Longford, Clare, Kerry, Limerick and Louth.
- Zone C – Leitrim, Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Antrim, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Armagh, Down and Derry.
When can I spread slurry?
| Fertiliser-type | Start date | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C |
| Chemical | 15th Sept | 12th Jan | 15th Jan | 31st Jan |
| Organic | 15th Oct to | 12th Jan | 15th Jan | 31st Jan |
| Farmyard Manure | 1st Nov to | 12th Jan | 15th Jan | 31st Jan |
Advice
Teagasc has issued the following advice to farmers ahead of the spreading season:
- Make sure to have fertiliser in the yard and slurry agitated in time to be able to avail of a good spell of weather, if the opportunity arises following commencement of the spreading period;
- Slurry is the cheapest form of N, P and K on farms. Slurry should be spread where grass covers are low and on soils deficient in P and K. Farmers can spread slurry on heavier covers (up to 1,200kg DM/ha) using applicators such as the trailing shoe in dry weather;
- Make sure to use protected urea or urea product when spreading chemical fertiliser this spring. This, the state agency explained, will minimise the risk of N leaching on farms.
