After calculating and estimating loss in dry matter, a new feed budget and response can be planned for autumn.

Strategies may include:

• Culling stock and/or bringing forward sale dates of stock.
• Planting additional areas for winter feed.
• Strategic nitrogen applications in the autumn.
• Capital phosphate and lime programme, where appropriate.

Increasing expenditure on the relatively unaffected areas is likely to be more economic than spending money to re-vegetate slips. This strategy should be supported with sound decision making such as:

Soil testing
Stable areas should be tested so expenditure can be targeted to maximise return.

Application
Superphosphate, lime or over sown with legumes.

Subdivision
Additional subdivision of larger blocks to ensure utilisation in additional feed.

Slips are often over sown based on sound economic principles such as:

• Speeding up establishment for visual reasons.
• Prevention of donating soil to the waterways.
• Maintaining marketability of the farm in terms of real estate.

The slip scar will naturally revegetate over time, with establishment predominately by legumes and low fertility tolerant pasture species. Bare ground will gradually disappear over time, but soil is only slowly reformed. Shallow soil is prone to drying out and loosing fertility.

Next: Over sowing guidelines