round bales in Finland

Finland

In Finland we visited in 7 farms and one research station. Most of the farms were from 20 to 60 cows dairy farms. Most of the cows in Finland are Ayshires. We didn’t visit in organic farms. All farmers use crop rotation because it is good for the structure of soil and reduces the weeds. All farmers use fertilizers, usually NPK-fertilizes.  All farmers feed their cows by silage and concentrates. Ration of silage in Finland are 60% and concentrated feed 40% of total feeding.

 

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 Soil

 

Finnish soil consist of mineral soil and organic soil. The most common soil class is till but we found out that the most common soil class here in northern part of Finland is silt.

 

Finnish soil is very poor and there isn't enough important minerals. That’s why it has to be fertilized. Another reason to fertilize is to get better crop. Fields have to be fertilized usually every year, because the nutrients get lost from the soil every time the crop is harvested.

 

In winter the soil is frozen about 4-8 months. It has a good effect to soil composition, but then the growing season is shorter.

 

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Fertilizing

Fertilizing in Finland is necessary, because the soil is so poor and it doesn’t include enough minerals. Amount of fertilizing depends of the quality of soil and nutrient levels. In Finland they fertilize two times in a year, in the fall and spring. Time of fertilizing depends of the climate and temperature of  the soil. In Finland they fertilize after the harvesting of grass. Fertilizing have a good influence to the amount and quality of  harvest.

•         When plants have used all nutrients from the soil, it had to be added.

•         There is environmental supports in Finland, which determines how much fertilize you can use.

   Limits for silage:                    Limits for hay: 

            - N 180 kg/ha/year                  - N 90 kg/ha/year

            - P 30 kg/ha/year                     - P 15 kg/ha/year

 

• Using nutrients had to be based on soil-analysis

- focus fertilizes takes into account also the soil type, the needs of the plant and field estimate and using of nutrients have to be based on soil-analysis

- In basic level we use only nitrogen and phosphorous

• Typical precision fertilizes in Finland are NPK-fertilizes

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Roughage

 

In Finland they made most of the roughage in silage and hay. The silage is just for the cows, the hay is for getting more structure in the food.

In Finland is a short growing season. Two months they cane just there land to get silage and hay.

But in two months there is a lot of sun hours. The longest day light of the year is 24 hours. Every year their get two cuts of grass from the land. The optimal cases to cut the grass are one day before the plants go in bloom. When that moment is come, then there is optimal balance of structure and protein. After the cut they wait a few hours to dry the grass and then go get the grass of the land. And the grass going in to the balls or in to the silo. When the farm is small there will make round balls, but this is very expensive! each ball cost € 30,-. They put acid in the silage to make a better conserve for the wet grass. This is very important for keeping the minerals in to the silage, and the cow take more silage when they are eating. Corn is not grow in Finland, but grain well. The grain will crush. Corn needs darkness for a complete bloom. This is the biggest problem.

Minerals in the silage(g/kg)

Element	Low	Normal	High	Finland(average)	Netherland(average)
Phosphorus (P)	<2,0	2,5-5,0	>6,0	3	4
Potassium (K)	<12	15-30	>35	23	35
Nitrogen (N)	<25	27	>28	25	27
Protein	150	170	180	150	170

                         

             

             

             

             

 

Minerals in the soil

Element	Low	Normal	High	Finland(average)	Netherland(average)
Phosphorus (P)  mg P100g	27	33	39	-	-
Potassium (K) mg Kkg	18	22	27	-	-
Nitrogen (N)	-	-	-	-	not use
PH	4	5	6,5	5,6	5,5

 

 

 

 

 

Page updated 11.4.2006