This year’s Grassland UK event takes place on 7 May. Here’s a look at what’s on offer

(1) GRASS MACHINERY IN ACTION

Mowers, tedders, forage harvesters, forage wagons, balers, wrappers and clamp machinery from all the major manufacturers will be working over 53ha (130acres) of grass.

(2) LOTS ON VIEW

Over 120 static trade stands + 22 working grass demo exhibitors + 9 muck and slurry working demonstrators will give a lot to look at.

(3) CLAMP MACHINERY DEMOS

A rare chance to see a range of telescopic handlers in action

Morning

• 10am Albutt heavy duty buckrake
• 10.25am Claas Scorpion 7040 and 6030 telehandlers
• 10.50am JCB loading shovel, pivot steer and rigid telehandlers
• 11.15am Merlo P40.7 and P32.6 telehandlers
• 11.40am New Holland LM5000 telehandler
• 12.05pm Manitou MLA628TL5U and MLT634TL5U telehandlers

Afternoon

• 12.30pm Albutt heavy duty buckrake
• 12.55pm Claas Scorpion 7040 and 6030 telehandlers
• 1.20pm JCB loading shovel, pivot steer and rigid telehandlers
• 1.45pm Merlo P40.7 and P32.6 telehandlers
• 2.10pm New Holland LM5000 telehandler
• 2.35pm Manitou MLA628TL5U and MLT634TL5U telehandlers

• Clamp machinery demos take place at the clamp at the top end of the site

(4) BRITISH GRASSLAND SOCIETY/DAIRYCO SEMINARS

• 10.30am Profiting from grazing whatever the yield – Adam Clay, DairyCo
• 11am NVZs: coping with the new rules – Martin Yeates and David Pettit, Kingshay
• 11.30am Strategies for slurry storage – Chris Coxon, DairyCo
• 12 midday Beating fertiliser price rises – Chris Duller, IBERS Grassland Development Centre
• 1pm Achieving good health and ferttility at grass – Paddy Gordon, Shepton Vet Group
• 1.30pm Field to Clamp: keeping the quality in forage – Adam Clay, DairyCo
• 2pm Exploiting the value in farm manures – David Munday, Creedy Associates

• Seminars take place in the Seminar Pavilion in the trade stand field

(5) ROTO-PRESS BAGGER DEMO

Kelvin Cave will be demonstrating its new range of Italian-made Roto-Press silage baggers. These can ensile both maize and grass silage under anaerobic conditions, preserving the protein content of the feed and protecting it from spoilage in airtight bags that need no special storage provision.

The range consists of a single compression auger version with a throughput capacity of up to 80t/hr and a double auger machine with a 130t/hr capacity. Both machines are tractor-powered, requiring 140hp and 260hp respectively at the PTO and there is also a single-auger self-powered model with a 100hp motor for use in limited space or where a tractor is not always available.

• Takes place adjacent to the clamp

(6) OVERSEEDING DEMO

A section of the Grassland UK site was overseeded in March to show the benefits of adding new fertiliser-treated ryegrass to the existing sward. Overseeding will be demonstrated adjacent to this area and the Masstock trade stand (100)

• Takes place at between the ALO and RECO stands

(7) TRACTOR AND TRAILER BRAKING LEGISLATION

Adjacent to the HSE stand will be an area showing how farmers can meet the tractor and trailer braking legislation.

• Takes place adjacent to the HSE stand

(8) SECURE COVERS PLUS TYRE BALING DEMONSTRATIONS

Thomas & Fontaine knitted polyethylene nets are used instead of old car tyres to keep silage sheets in place. The special knitted design breaks up the wind and prevents the silage sheet lifting.

The Secure Tyre recycling service compresses approximately 120 disused car tyres into 60in x 50in x 30in bales, weighing about 1t. These bales can then be used in on-farm construction projects such as gateway and track renovation, hard standings etc.

• Takes place at adjacent to the clamp

Muck area brings you up to speed with NVZ implications

The latest changes to the Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations, which now cover 68% of agricultural land in England, mean that farmers will have to make changes to their slurry and muck storage arrangements as well as their application systems.

Did you know, for instance, that livestock farmers now need to have five month’s muck and slurry storage (rising to six months for pig and poultry farmers after 1 Jan 2012)?

Or that average annual application levels across the farm of nitrogen produced by animals must not exceed 170kg/ha? Or that from 1 January 2012 spreading must be by low-trajectory equipment (less than 4m from the ground)?

This year’s Grassland UK event has a special area where you can get expert advice on what you can and can’t do. There will also be muck spreaders and slurry injection kit at work.

ADAS Soil Management Technology

ADAS services include farm and field-specific assessments of nutrient, manure and land management practices. Come and see the PLANET nutrient management/NVZ compliance software demonstrated at the Show.

Catchment Sensitive Farming (Natural England and Environment Agency):

The England Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative (ECSFDI) has been working with farmers in 40 priority river catchments across the country since 2006. It aims to reduce diffuse water pollution caused by agriculture and more than 6000 farmers have received free advice and grants for work on their farms. This work includes clean and dirty water separation in the farmyard, reduced soil wash and erosion of soils from fields by improving gateways, tracks and installing sediment traps.

Creedy Associates:

Creedy Associates will be demonstrating the potential of organic manures to provide the nutrients required by forage crops. It will have demonstration plots looking at target application rates of organic manures as well as “slurry/soup” demonstration buckets to highlight the importance of slurry dry matter (DM) when planning its use as a fertiliser.

It also plans to show the positives and negatives of injection, dribble bar and trailing shoe machines compared to splash-plate spreading.

Environment Agency:

Environment Agency agricultural staff will be on hand to give advice and information to farmers on the NVZ regulations.

Kingshay

In addition to its usual advice on promoting healthy soils, Kingshay independent dairy specialists will be offering a bring-your-own-soil sample service at the show.

Maize Growers Association:

The MGA’s nitrogen predictor software calculates the nitrogen requirement for individual maize fields.