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Roughage tour Week 22

Doubts: irrigate or buy feed?

27 May 2020 - Redactie Boerenbusiness

This spring's drought is putting pressure on roughage yields. This creates doubts about irrigation or buying feed? Also among the participants of the Boerenbusiness Roughage tour is a relevant topic.

It has rained a few millimeters in the Netherlands in recent days. In Zuidbroek (Groningen) it rained about 24 millimeters on 8 May. This alone is not enough, says the farmer. That is why they are going to try to irrigate the plots in Zuidbroek. The focus is mainly on 13 hectares of maize and 20 hectares of newly sown or oversown grass.

Precipitation fields Roughage tour
Location plots Number of millimeters
Beerzerveld 6 millimeter
Jelsum 1 to 2 millimeters
Newerkerk 1 to 2 millimeters
Sint-Oedenrode 4 millimeter
Zuidbroek 8 millimeter


Do not sprinkle
In Beerzerveld (Drenthe) the plots are not irrigated. “Fertiliser was spread on 15 May and slurry was later applied to support and promote the moisture balance. The soil has to do it itself," says the farmer. They also do not irrigate in Jelsum (Friesland). Yet the grass continues to grow, just like the maize. Although the drought should not continue for another three weeks, according to the participant. There seems to be no need to buy food yet.

Raining North Brabant in full
In Overloon (North Brabant), the participant reports that they are already fully irrigating the plots. “Good grass is almost impossible to buy or very expensive,” said the participant. In Sint-Oedenrode (North Brabant) they are also irrigating the lawns. There are still doubts about the corn plots.

Do you have a tip, suggestion or comment regarding this article? Let us know

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