There’s a new alternative to chemical fertiliser and it comes in an organic form, that is pig slurry. According to the latest findings farmers have resorted to this alternative as it contains a high source of Nitrogen. The finding comes as the country faces inflated fertiliser prices with farmers concerned about the matter.
Latest figures released by Teagasc indicate that pig slurry is worth €48/1,000 gallons and has double the normal nutrient value. It also shows that 1,000 gallons has the equivalent nutrient value to a 50kg bag of 19:7:20. The Fertilizer Association of Ireland says that pig slurry has a relatively high N, P and K content compared to other organic fertilisers. But according to Teagasc research pig slurry is a valuable source of nitrogen (N), as every 1,000 gallons contains approximately 19 units of N at 4% dry matter.
The advantage of using pig slurry has benefits as it results in reduced storage and transport costs for pig farmers, whilst being an organic fertiliser with a high nutritional value. Teagasc research has shown that land obtaining slurry applications annually will release extra nitrogen over time. This offers a further saving in terms of reduced crop N requirements, while the organic matter improves soil quality and enables retention of fertilising elements.
LSL News.