Mitigating heat stress in grass and livestock will be on farmers’ minds due to the recent warm weather, and relying on local knowledge from regional FACTS (Fertiliser Advisers Certification and Training Scheme) advisors can help tailor nutrient requirements to help withstand these extremes for longer.

Heat stress in crops during last season’s heatwave was evident across the country and led to many farmers having significantly reduced second and third cuts, or cutting arable crops earlier, with smaller than usual grains.

Extended periods of dry weather can slow grass growth and reduce quality, which creates challenges for managing livestock.

However, tailoring nutrition requirements, and equipping crops with the nutrients to better deal with heat stress can help and means getting advice from a regional agronomist who has experience with the soils, topography, climates, and crops familiar to the area.

Origin Fertilisers sales manager, Tom Edwards, who covers west of England and Wales, says that regional advice will be tailored to specific farms and fields, and will consider a wide range of factors.

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    “FACTS trained advisors will specify fertiliser based on crop requirements and the knowledge they have of the local area. We balance this with the farmer’s level of input to achieve the desired result. Without regional knowledge, there is a strong possibility that the fertiliser being supplied won’t offer the crops all they require, so it therefore becomes a very expensive operation.”

A good example of this is avoiding sodium deficiency within the soil and crop, which can lead to grass being more susceptible to drought conditions, and unable to withstand prolonged spells of heat.

Mr Edwards explains: “Grass uses salts such as potassium and sodium to regulate movement of water and sugars. The availability and balance of these salts is particularly important in dry conditions.

"If the ratio of potassium to sodium is high, there is an increased risk of hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers). Applying sodium in grassland fertiliser helps optimise the key potassium to sodium ratio which reduces the risk of staggers.”

Further benefits of applying sodium at 5-6kg/ha include increasing palatability and reducing stress in both livestock and grass.

Where grass is being supplemented with concentrated feed, sodium can help reduce the risk of acidosis by helping to buffer the pH in the rumen. It also reduces the risk of pica which has been highlighted as a common sign of sodium deficiency.

Asking a local FACTS advisor to undertake soil tests will identify where sodium levels need improving.

Advice from a qualified local advisor can also help manage application timings. For instance, applying nitrogen at 30kg/ha should also be paired with a sulphur application of 6kg/ha to increase nitrogen uptake and protein formation.

Local knowledge of soils and their response to different weather, will aid decision-making during dry spells.

“There are still opportunities to apply fertiliser in droughts, but checking field conditions and getting advice will help decide on timings. Some areas will be experiencing heavy overnight dews, which could deposit as much as 0.5mm of moisture, which is enough to start dissolving fertiliser granules.”

A soil moisture deficit of greater than 50mm will have been common last summer, and some of the driest areas will be close to this level already this year due to the lack of rain.

However, where grass is green, small fertiliser applications can still yield a growth response, but getting advice on this is key to ensure applications are as efficient as possible.

“Farmers should consider more than price when looking for the right fertiliser. If it doesn’t supply crops with what they need or consider how the soil makeup changes in drought conditions, the crop will be deficient in certain areas, and this means the fertiliser could go from being cheap, to the most expensive fertiliser,” added Mr Edwards.

Specialist regional advice can help farmers, and buying fertiliser from a qualified, reputable, and trusted supplier will ensure the right fertiliser is applied to crops during periods of extreme weather.