Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Twitter LinkedIn
    • FREE Email Newsletters
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
    Twitter LinkedIn
    Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    • News
      • Arable & Agronomy
      • Dealership News
      • Environmental Land Management Scheme/Policy
      • Event News
      • Health & Safety
      • Machinery
      • People
      • World News
    • Farm Machinery
      • Amenity & Maintenance
      • Cultivations
      • Drilling
      • Grassland Equipment
      • Harvesting
      • Muck & Slurry
      • Sprayers
      • Telehandlers
      • Tractors
      • Tractor of the Year
      • Tyres & Tracks
      • Whatever happened to?
    • Precision Farming
    • Markets & Policy
    • Profiles
      • National Arable and Grassland Awards
      • Company Profiles
      • Reader Profiles
    • Livestock
      • Beef
      • Dairy
      • Sheep
    • Magazines
      1. June 2025 issue
      2. Cereals event guide 2025
      3. May 2025 issue
      4. April 2025 issue
      5. March 2025 issue
      6. 2025 Tyre Developments supplement
      7. February 2025 issue
      8. National Arable and Grassland Awards supplement
      9. January 2025 issue
      10. December 2024 issue
      11. November 2024 issue
      12. October 2024 issue
      13. September 2024 issue
      14. August 2024 Issue
      15. 2024 Drills and Seeds supplement
      16. July 2024 Issue
      17. Cereals Supplement
      18. June 2024 Issue
      19. May 2024 Issue
      20. April 2024 Issue
      21. Tyres and Tracks Supplement
      22. March 2024 Issue
      23. National Arable & Grassland Award – Meet the Finalists
      24. February 2024 Issue
      25. January 2024 Issue
      26. December 2023
      27. Agritechnica Preview Supplement
      28. November 2023
      29. October 2023
      Featured

      Cereals event guide 2025 available now

      By Matthew TiltJune 20, 2025
      Recent

      Cereals event guide 2025 available now

      June 20, 2025

      June 2025 issue available now

      June 2, 2025

      May 2025 issue available now

      May 1, 2025
    • Events
    • Podcast
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer
    Environmental Land Management Scheme/Policy

    Vogelsang offers top tips for slurry legislation

    Matthew TiltBy Matthew TiltJune 25, 20244 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

    As Defra seeks to ban splash plates from 2025 onwards, and grants for slurry application equipment look likely to end soon, farmers have a short window to comply. Andy Hayhurst from slurry specialist Vogelsang suggests that there are options available to farmers and stresses that short-term fixes may not offer long-term cost savings.

    “One of the cheapest ways to comply with the splash plate ban is likely to be retrofitted tanker dribble bar systems. Whilst these will be a lower investment than a trailing shoe applicator, we suspect that dribble bar systems are not a truly sustainable option,” he says.

    Andy adds that parts of Europe have already banned dribble bar systems and that the UK is likely to follow suit. He further suggests that it could be a false economy for farmers to choose the lowest-cost option.

    “The use of tankers with smaller, lower cost applicators is often not as efficient as wider working width alternatives. More hours are needed to cover the ground, during which the tractor is compacting more land and using more fuel. Making use of grants to invest in a wider trailing shoe system would help to mitigate against this and offer a future-proof solution,” he adds.

    Further legislation that will require all slurry to be covered by 2027 will also have an impact on machinery efficiency.

    “When storage is no longer receiving rainwater, the slurry will become thicker and present a greater challenge for any dribble bar or trailing shoe applicator. A good macerator can help with this. However, using a separator is likely to alleviate the likelihood of slurry damaging application equipment,” he says.

    Read about Vogelsang’s range of slurry separators here.

    The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) is offering £7,613 towards a separator, based on a purchase price of £19,033, as an investment with the potential to reduce storage requirements by up to 30%.

    “Keeping slurry homogenous using mixers, and separating dry matter, will provide the best quality liquid for application. Using a trailing shoe will ensure the crop is parted to enable the slurry to be applied to the soil and not tarnish the crop. This will also make it easier for the soil to absorb and make plant available the nutrients in the slurry,” says Mr Hayhurst.

    More grants will likely be available this year. However, following years of the FETF and the Slurry Infrastructure Grant, the end of these grants looks to be coming soon.

    “Securing a grant now could reduce the investment cost of a longer-term option such as a trailing shoe before it is too late,” he says.

    Dribble bar applicators, with a working width of at least 6 metres and an expected purchase price of £10,500, will be met with £4,200 of grant funding. Larger dribble bars, with a working width of at least 10 metres and an estimated cost of 13,500, will qualify for £5,400.

    Trailing shoe and injection systems qualify for a more generous 50% grant, with the government estimating that a 6-metre injection system will cost £17,968 and the same-sized trailing shoe £14,750. There is a further grant for larger trailing shoe systems with working widths of more than 8 metres.”

    “The writing is on the wall. Farming is being asked and encouraged to reduce emissions, reduce runoff and make better use of all-natural fertilisers. We expect that, during this decade, all farms will be moved towards trailing shoe applicators. It is also apparent that because there are soil and crop health benefits, along with operational savings, that farmers who take advantage of the grants and invest now will save money,” he concludes.

    For more information go to www.vogelsang.info

    Tweet
    Share
    Share
    Pin
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
    Previous ArticleSharmans extends sales area for Claydon equipment
    Next Article British Ploughing Championships return to Nottinghamshire
    Matthew Tilt
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn

    Machinery editor for Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer. Matt has worked as an agricultural machinery journalist for five years, following time spent in his family’s Worcestershire contracting business. When he’s not driving or writing about the latest farm equipment, he can be found in his local cinema, or with his headphones in, reading a good book.

    Read Similar Stories

    Calls for government to include food redistribution into SFI

    July 2, 2025

    Kuhn to highlight potential cost savings at Groundswell

    June 18, 2025

    Mzuri closes down UK production

    June 16, 2025
    Most Read Stories

    Calls for government to include food redistribution into SFI

    July 2, 2025

    Kramp launches own-brand PTOs

    July 1, 2025

    Turney Group to take on Merlo brand with new dedicated depot

    July 1, 2025
    Farm Contractor & Large Scale Farmer

    The UK's leading agricultural machinery journal

    Twitter LinkedIn
    © 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

    Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

    • Farmers Weekly
    • AA Farmer
    • Poultry News
    • Pig World

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.