Mr. John Keane:

I might hand over to Mr. Fitzgerald to comment on soil-sampling and the liming programme. On mixed species, we would welcome the sentiment of the biodiversity element, the carbon element and the production in terms of livestock. When we look to research and practical implications from an on-farm point of view, we see that some of the herbs contained in some of the mixed-species swards currently out there, such as chicory or plantain, do not survive for more than two years under current grazing conditions, and that is with the help of research and on some of the best farms implementing best practices.

Our concern is that if we set the bar at six or seven species in the sward and the farmer has 6% of his or her area under the mixed-species sward, when there is an inspection in year 3 or whenever, the six species may not be in the sward through no fault of the farmer but because the herbs, such as chicory, plantain or whatever it might be, have not survived for longer than two or three years. There is an element of that uncertainty regarding the mixed-species sward and its persistence over a number of years, particularly in the context of grazing.

There are also implications from some of the research, as well as some practical implications that our members have raised regarding mixed species on farms, that in wetter conditions the poaching element is not as durable as grassland species on wetter soils, so on wetter days it is not possible to graze. Again, the herbs and so forth will die out of the sward, and the early spring and late autumn management is particularly weather dependent as well. There are a number of elements concerning what mixed-species swards offer for farmers, and research will, I hope, develop over the coming years. We recognise the role clover has to play in mixed-species swards, in terms of reducing nitrogen, increased protein in the diet and a reduced reliance on forage or imported feed. There are also benefits from reduced nitrogen and the environmental impact from that. From a clover point of view in a perennial ryegrass sward, the benefits and the science are shown.

I might ask Mr. Fitzgerald to respond to the questions on soil sampling and liming.