Taste for more protein from your own grassland

Grass growth continues steadily and fresh green plots are a fact. In these times of high fertilizer prices, among other things, all options for fertilizing lawns are being looked at. And tests organised. Dairy farmer Roel Assies (Fl), one of the participants in the Roughage Tour, will be holding a fertilization demonstration this year. 

On a 12 hectare lawn of Assies in Zeewolde, the possibilities of leguminous nitrogen fixation, animal manure and circular nitrogen fertilizer from air scrubbers on dairy farms in the cultivation of feed protein for dairy farming are being examined. Various applications and concentrations are fertilized in strips, with the aim of closing the cycle further and increasing soil-boundness by growing more own protein. 

Progressive and interested in improvement
Assies also explains that he is a member of the Practice Companies network. In this way he constantly tries to look for improvements within his business operations, but also certainly for the sector itself. The Flevoland dairy farmer tries to obtain input from this to work more efficiently. Assies indicates that it is always progressive on a personal level and interested in improvement.

Here payroll company Vollekracht in action with the spoke wheel fertilizer on the plot of Assies

For the fertilization demonstration, strips of grassland are fertilized with circular nitrogen fertilizer from cattle farming. Of this, 320 liters of liquid per hectare is fertilized, which contains 45 kg of nitrogen.

In other strips, a liquid fertilizer is used, of which 250 liters of liquid per hectare are fertilized, which also supplies 45 kilos of nitrogen.

Here you can see the dead straight line after fertilizing the spoked wheel. The strip distribution is clearly visible, the left side has not yet been fertilized and the right side is.

Here is the cab of the tractor. The spoked wheel injector is accurately controlled by a state-of-the-art data program. The tractor is steered by GPS for the extra accuracy so that every surface is fertilized.

The fertilizer tines reach a depth of 8 centimeters and release the liquid here, so that the turf can absorb it well.

Reuben van der Maas

Intern at the Boerenbusiness Roughage tour

r.vandermaas@boerenbusiness. Nl

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