A Lincolnshire farm recorded a groundbreaking harvest of spring oats this year, delivering an average yield of 11t/ha – that’s more than double the national average.

This was the first time spring oats were grown at Happy Days Farming, run by farm manager Mark Popplewell, who couldn’t quite believe his eyes when the harvest results came in.

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“The yield numbers on the display were so high, we initially thought the equipment was faulty.

“The grain tank was filling much faster than expected, even compared to a strong wheat crop.

“It quickly became clear that we were looking at something exceptional,” said Mark.

The unprecedented yield, achieved by the variety Merlin, was put down to several factors including optimal nutrition and good varietal strengths, despite the unusually wet spring.

The average yield was 11.5t/ha with the monitor reaching 14t/ha in some places, explains Mark, who farms 2,000ha of arable land plus some B&B pigs, spread over 50 miles.

Wet winter

“We planted 300ha of oats on 30 March after a very wet winter, with a 135kg/ha drilling rate, following winter wheat in 2023 and before that, oilseed rape in 2022.

The Merlin was seed treated with Vibrance Duo. It had two growth regulators, two fungicides and micronutrients applied, and 119.88Kg/ha of nitrogen plus 39.96kg/ha SO3.

Unsurprisingly, the plan is to grow more oats in 2025. “Oats fit into the rotation well. We would plant more, but we have an issue with wild oats in many fields, so this limits us.”