Providing Irish farmers with high-quality grassland fertilisers
Grassland Fertilisers
At Target Fertilisers, we are committed to providing high-quality fertilisers to grassland farmers in Ireland. We pride ourselves on producing dust-free granules for our customers to achieve optimum results. For many years the value of grass has been highlighted as a critical factor in the overall profitability of grassland farms. Ireland’s climate is ideal to maximise grass growth. Grass is by far the cheapest feed available and for this reason, great care is required in the management of the crop to optimise the balance between supply and demand, as well as the nutrition provided to maximise total grass yield during the season.
When developing your fertiliser plan, it is essential to ensure that the soil has the main nutrients required to optimise grass growth. We recommend undertaking soil samples every 3-5 years to ensure that your soil is receiving the key nutrients and correct any nutritional deficiencies. This is also critical when planning to reseed ground, for the seed to germinate and to ensure good root establishment.
On Farm Support
At Target Fertilisers, we are available to provide technical advice and recommendations through your local merchant or Co-op for issues including grassland yield and quality and fertiliser planning for both grazing and silage platforms. We can work with you to develop specific, customised blends to suit your current grassland and soil requirements.
Increase your grass yield with our range of grassland fertilisers
| NPK(S) Silage & Grazing | N | P | K | S | B | Mg | Ca |
| 18-6-12 +/- S | 18 | 6 | 12 | 3 | |||
| 20-4-10 + S | 20 | 4 | 10 | 3 | |||
| 21-2.2-10 + S | 21 | 2.2 | 10 | 3 | |||
| 21-6-6 + S | 21 | 6 | 6 | 3 | |||
| 23-10-0 + S | 23 | 10 | 0 | 3 | |||
| 23-2-6 + S | 23 | 2 | 6 | 4 | |||
| 24-2-5 + S | 24 | 2 | 5 | 3 | |||
| 24-2.2-4.5 + S | 24 | 2.2 | 4.5 | 3 | |||
| 24-2-4 + SOP 4% S | 24 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |||
| 24-2.5-10 + S | 24 | 2.5 | 10 | 2 | |||
| 25-4-0 + S | 25 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |||
| 27-2.5-5 + S | 27 | 2.5 | 5 | 3 | |||
| NPK(S)+Trace Elements | N | P | K | S | B | Mg | Ca |
| SeleniXtra (incl 0.001 Se) | 24 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| Selenigraze (incl 0.015 Se) | 25 | 3 | 2.5 | ||||
| Richgraze (0.1 Cu, 0.1 Mn, 0.15 Zn) | 22.7 | 2.5 | 5 | 3 | 1.7 | ||
| Sweetgraze (incl 6% Na) | 23 | 2 | 2 | ||||
| N & S Compounds | N | P | K | S | B | Mg | Ca |
| ASN 26%N 14%S | 26 | 14 | |||||
| CAN 27%N | 27 | ||||||
| SuperCAN 27%N 4%S | 27 | 4 | |||||
| SuperCAN CCF | 27 | 4 | |||||
| Urea | N | P | K | S | B | Mg | Ca |
| Urea | 46 | ||||||
| Urea + S | 38 | 7 | |||||
| UreaMax 46%N | 46 | ||||||
| UreaMax + S (38%N + 7%S) | 38 | 7 | |||||
| 29-0-14 + 4%S Max | 29 | 14 | 4 |
More Information:
To learn more about how you can increase grassland quality and yield, view our brochure below.
GRASSLAND FERTILISER
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
When is the right time for me to use early Nitrogen?
The “right” time to apply early Nitrogen (N) is dependent on your requirement for grass and your intended grazing start date. As the response time for N following application is approximately three weeks, it is recommended to apply N three weeks before your intended grazing start date.
Grass growth initiates once soil temperatures reach 5 to 6 degrees centigrade. The opportunity to apply fertiliser will however depend on ground conditions and the forecasted weather; therefore, ground must be firm and not subject to wheel damage causing ruts and the risk of compaction.
It is not recommended to apply N during or prior to expected high rainfall events due to the risk of de-nitrification or run-off. It is also best to avoid application during a period of severe frost cover due to the risk of grass burning at the tyre tracks. It is best practice to apply Urea just before 4 – 5mm of rain is forecast within the next 12 hours to ensure good soil incorporation.
What application rate of Nitrogen should I use?
The general rule of thumb is to apply 30kg/Ha or 24 units of N on the first application which equates to a half bag of urea or one bag of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) +/- Sulphur (S). It is important that your N application rate is linked to your stocking rate; the amount and timing of your N application should be carefully considered to meet the current Nitrates Regulations; therefore, it is recommended to discuss your N application plan with your local advisor.
What sources of Nitrogen should I use?
There are two sources of N available for application: organic or chemical.
- Organic N is usually cattle slurry and while the opening dates are the same as with chemical fertilisers, the level of N within cattle slurry is low. Unless you are under pressure to spread slurry, it is recommended to retain it for application on silage ground, as it has a nutrient balance more suited to a harvested crop. Every 1,000 gallons of cattle slurry of 7% DM applied per acre is the equivalent to 5 Nitrogen (N) – 5 Phosphorus (P) – 30 Potassium (K) when using a splash plate. The level of N will increase by 3 units when using Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) i.e., a dribble bar or trailing shoe.
- CAN (27%N) is in the form Ammonium Nitrate and is immediately available for plant growth. Both forms are available for plant utilisation but normally, the Ammonium fraction is changed to Nitrate for plant uptake by soil micro-organisms.
- Urea is the product of choice for early grass growth once soils have an adequate pH of 6.3 for maximum N use efficiency. Urea undergoes hydrolysis after its incorporation within 3 – 7 days. Urea is then converted to Ammonium and this must be nitrified to convert to Nitrate before it can be utilised by the plant. The table below shows the conversion time of Ammonium to Nitrate depending on soil temperature
What Protected Urea products are available?
Target Fertilisers offer a range of Protected Urea products. The Target Max fertiliser range is protected by Limus®, a unique urease inhibitor that slows down the conversion of Urea to Ammonium and thus reduce Ammonia losses by up to 98% whilst protecting the environment.
There are 3 products available from the Target Max range to suit different soil fertility requirements.
- UreaMax (46N)
- UreaMax +S (38N 7S)
- 29-0-14 +S Max (ideal for fields with low K status)