Sprayer frost damage becomes apparent after the thaw and often when the machine is needed next and on this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, Dermot Forristal, a researcher in Teagasc, joins Michael Hennessy to talk about protecting sprayers and tractors from frost over the winter.

Dermot highlights the importance of getting the dilution of the antifreeze correct.  He says farmers need to factor in the water that is already in the sprayer in the overall dilution calculation.  

Dermot also touches on tractor maintenance especially for batteries and he stresses farmers should ensure replacement batteries are correctly sized (amp capacity) for cold weather starting. 

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

In the second of a two part series on drainage, Michael Hennessy continues his discussion with Pat Tuohy, a researcher in Teagasc dealing with soil hydrology and drainage, to talk about field drainage issues on tillage farms.

Pat discusses how it is important to identify the sub-surface layer to a depth of 2.5m.  This layer will dictate how the overall area should be drained.  Where the layer is generally impermeable to water (like grey marl), shallower and more frequent drains will be needed. 

However where there is evidence of water movement at depth deeper drains are more suitable. 

For more information on drainage go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/environment/soil/Teagasc_Drainage_Manual_2022.pdf

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com 

Very few of the emerged winter cereal crops have received a herbicide this autumn.  Pre-emergence herbicides are generally the corner of weed control in winter cereals but this year alternative options will be needed.   

Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, both tillage specialists in Teagasc, join the Tillage Edge podcast to discuss the options for weed control in winter cereals over the coming weeks.

Both specialists agreed that crop health had to be foremost in mind before applying a herbicide and you should delay the application of herbicides to crops, especially winter barley, which are struggling due to wet soils, slugs, etc.  

The herbicide choices for winter wheat are broader than for barley or oats.  Grass weeds need to be considered first for control.  

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The wet autumn has shown up areas in all farms which are wet and may need some drainage attention in the coming months or years.  

This is the first of two episodes where Michael Hennessy talks to Pat Tuohy, a researcher in Teagasc dealing with soil hydrology and drainage, about how to deal with field drainage issues on tillage farms.

Pat advocates regular maintenance of drains to be the starting point of any work.  He says more frequent interventions will prevent larger problems and will help to protect rivers from excessive sediment loss during clean-up operations. 

For more information on drainage go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/environment/soil/Teagasc_Drainage_Manual_2022.pdf

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Farmers in the UK are struggling with wet conditions and Andrew Mahon, an Irish farm manager in the heart of England, is on the latest Tillage Edge podcast to chat about the farm he manages and the wider experience of farmers across the UK.  

Andy says they missed the very heavy rains and he managed to plant almost all the crops on time.  However, about 40 hectares of the planted crops are not in a great condition.  

Andy also talks about the threat of blackgrass on the farm. Where crops were thin last year blackgrass took over and trimmed about 2 t/ha of the yield.  

Consequently, the herbicide load to keep blackgrass at bay is heavy and this comes with a high cost of £100-£140/ha (€115-172/ha).     

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Brendan Burke, the farm manager in Teagasc Oak Park, Carlow, joined the Tillage Edge this week to talk about the progress on the research farm over the past few months.  

Similar to other farms in the area, Brendan said there is about 80% of the normal plantings completed to date.

Brendan talked about the extra difficulties of planting around trial plots and having to be careful with the application of manures to land so that these do not interfere with future trials.  

Brendan does not have any herbicides applied this year but hopes for a break in the weather in November to get started. 

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Planting progress of winter cereals has been slow in most places and at a virtual stop in others and on the latest Tillage Edge podcast, Ciaran Collins and Shay Phelan, both tillage specialists in Teagasc, chat through the current progress and what actions farmers can take as the year closes in.

Ciaran said the recent floods in Cork have been difficult to cope with and recently planted cereals will suffer as a result. 

Both Ciaran and Shay agreed there is a substantial area of cereals yet to be planted, with farmers in the northern half of the country more advanced than those in the south.

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

Brian Caldbeck, a Laois man living in Kentucky, talks to Michael Hennessy on this week’s Tillage Edge about his experiences in the US over the past 20 years.  

Brian is very much involved in agriculture, running a business called Rubisco Seeds.  The company supplies oilseed rape seed for the food grade market, with much of the seed coming from Europe.  Why Europe?  Because the market wants a non-GM product.

Brian explains that Kentucky is a small state in terms of overall gain production but it is still about one and a half times bigger than Ireland.  

Maize and soya are the biggest crops and Brian says that, where resources are available, many farmers can achieve two harvests in the same year comprising of winter wheat and June sown soya.  

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

In the third of a three part series from a recent Signpost farm walk on Don Somers’ farm in Wexford, Michael Hennessy chats to Don Somers and Dermot Forristal, a machinery researcher in Teagasc, about how he utilises the information from the combine yield monitor to inform agronomic decisions each year. 

Don outlines how he aligns the yield maps to better target soil sampling and then applies the precise nutrients load to each area.  

Dermot Forristal expands on the capacity of machinery to record this data and also around the set up to maximise information flow.

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com

The practice of fattening store lambs on cover crops is becoming more popular and Michael Gottstein, Head of Sheep Production in Teagasc, joins the Tillage Edge podcast this week to discuss how to get the most from the cover crops whilst maximising animal performance.

Michael explains that lambs will take a little time to get used to the taste of the new crop and a gradual introduction over a week will help.  Once the lambs are used to it their intake will rise and they will thrive on the crop.  

Michael also say that lambs will happily graze a mixed species of cover crops and in general they should perform well on these crops.    

For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast go to:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/crops/the-tillage-edge-podcast/
                               
Produced on behalf of Teagasc by LastCastMedia.com