With fertiliser costs under pressure, farmers are increasingly turning to slurry as a valuable nutrient source - particularly where tramline systems allow for precise application.

That is where the Vogelsang BackPac umbilical dribble bar is proving its value, as a tried and tested technology in Irish slurry conditions.

Designed for controlled traffic tramline farming, the BackPac system with rigid hosing, places slurry in narrow bands close to the soil surface, helping reduce nutrient loss to the atmosphere and improving crop uptake.

This reduces soil compaction and protects soil structure.

Available in working widths from 21m-32m, the BackPac is designed for modern tramline systems and combines section control, tramline hose shut-off, automatic folding, GPS and flow rate measurement with hydraulic levelling and heavy-duty macerators proven in demanding Irish slurry conditions.

Full Isobus control also allows operators to manage key functions directly through the joystick.

Offaly farmer moves to 24m application

One farmer already seeing the benefits is pig and tillage farmer Mattie Moore from Croghan, Co. Offaly.

Moore runs 1,000 sows alongside 450ac of cereals, using pig slurry produced on the farm to grow barley, wheat and rye.

Fertiliser costs were one of the largest annual expenses in the business, leading Moore to look at ways of making better use of the nutrients already available on farm.

Previously, Moore operated a 12m umbilical system on 24m tramlines, requiring every second pass through crops.

To improve efficiency and reduce fertiliser costs, he upgraded to a 24m Vogelsang BackPac system.

Mattie said: “We wanted to see could we push the boundaries of our current system even further.

"It can be difficult to use organic fertilisers on growing grain crops at the optimum time, so the aim was to grow as much of the crop as possible using pig slurry and reduce our chemical fertiliser bill.”

As part of his research, Moore visited a tillage farmer in Northern Ireland who was already operating a 24m Vogelsang system.

"I chose Vogelsang for their expertise, build quality and the knowledge their team has of the equipment,” Mattie said.

That experience ultimately led to the investment in the 24m BackPac system earlier this spring.

Precision application delivering results

The 24m BackPac includes section control in 3m widths and 2x3 tramline hose shut-off, ensuring slurry is only applied where needed and not wasted on tramlines.

“So far, we have covered 250ac of our winter crops with a single 3,000 gallons per acre application," Mattie explained.

Operating solely on tramlines also allows later-season slurry applications with minimal crop damage.

“The Vogelsang BackPac has allowed me to use valuable organic manure on growing crops at the right time, which has made a big difference to input costs.

"It’s also much more time efficient when applying organic manure,” Mattie said.

For Moore, slurry analysis has reinforced the value of organic nutrients.

Recent testing showed that 1,000gal of sow slurry at 4.3% solids delivered the equivalent of 50kg of 19-7-20 fertiliser.

“The sales and support from Vogelsang have been excellent so far, and we’re already looking at adding Vogelsang’s NightShfit boom lights for night-time application,” Mattie said.

As pressure on input costs continues, the Vogelsang BackPac is helping tramline farmers and contractors reduce fertiliser spend while maximising the value of every drop of slurry.