The Smart Farming team examined soil fertility, energy use, grassland management, water use, feed, inputs, waste, time, and machinery management on Robert’s farm and identified savings of €5,990
Grassland – €1,080 saving
- Good reseeding plan in place.
- Where weather permits, costs can be reduced by targeting a stock turn out date of mid-March, with an extended grazing season.
- Potential savings of €1.50/cow/day.
Feed – €600 saving
- Quantity of meal fed should be tailored based on silage analysis results.
- Savings can be generated through bulk buying and increased price checking.
Soil fertility – €4,150 saving
- Most soils are index 1 and index 2. Index 3 is optimum.
- Lime deficiency on the farm is reducing grass growth.
- Spread 42 tonnes of lime.
- 5 Year programme of additional phosphorus (P) proposed. Use of organic P proposed.
Energy – €70 saving
- Review energy supplier.
- Switch from T8 to T5 lights.
Machinery – €90 saving
- Turn off engine, don’t leave engines ticking over
Time management – Minimum saving
Water – Minimum Saving
Inputs & waste – Minimum Saving
Total Savings – €5,990
Reducing the climate impact by 20%
During the Smart Farming Cost Saving Study, a carbon reduction strategy for Robert’s farm was developed using the Carbon Navigator decision support tool developed by Teagasc and Bord Bia.
Potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% was identified. Many of the measures, such as nitrogen efficiency and slurry spreading timing will also lead to other positive environmental outcomes and reduce risks to water quality. Take a closer look at the Carbon Navigator results.
