advanced soil management for improved mineral utilisation
TRANSCRIPT
Ground Level Nutrition Ltd
Josephine Scamell B.Sc. (Hons), MI Biol, N. Sch.
“Healthy Soils Healthy Forage
Healthy Livestock”
Nuffield Bullock Award Winner 10 Years Innovation in Agriculture
1997 - 2007
Ulster Grassland Society January 2016
Holt Farm Dairy – Yeo Valley 2015
Nutrient Cycling in Agriculture
SOIL
SOIL ROCKS
Rainfall
WATER ATMOSPHERE
ENERGY FERTILISERS
PLANTS
CROPS
ANIMALS
MILK
MEAT
WOOL
FOOD
HUMAN
HEALTH
Leaching
and
Runoff
Sunlight
Manures, N2
Fixation
Excreta
Volatilisation
Oxygen
and
Deposition
Decay
Root
Uptake
Soil
Consumption
Weathering
Introducing “Integrated Mineral Nutrition”
Erosion & Management
Water & Fertilisers
Feed & Supplements
Soil
Plant Animal
How Should We Measure Soils?
• Physical Soil type/structure e.g. sand, clay
• Chemical Major elements
both level and balance
e.g. calcium, magnesium Cation Exchange Capacity
• Biological Microbial action releasing soil nutrients
Balance is the Key
SOIL
Mineral balance of soil elements
Aerobic microbes
Biological health bacteria:fungi
Physical crumb structure
Moisture 25%
Air 25%
Dig! Dig! Dig!
Surface moss?
Surface cracking?
Soil crumb structure?
Earthworm casts?
Soil temperature?
Soil aroma?
Soil moisture?
Soil Mineral Equilibrium
Soil pH Traditionally measuring acidity through HYDROGEN alone is not reliable.
More important to balance through
CALCIUM (Ca) MAGNESIUM (Mg)
POTASSIUM (K) SODIUM (Na)
If these 4 minerals are correctly balanced, the pH will always be right.
Courtesy of Thomson & Joseph Ltd
Courtesy of Thomson & Joseph Ltd
Courtesy of Thomson & Joseph Ltd
Courtesy of Thomson & Joseph Ltd
Townfield Farm, Cheshire
“It only takes 4 hours to stir our lagoon now, it used to take 12 hours; so 40 litres of diesel instead of 120 litres.
Our contactors use the umbilical system, it pumps easily, no blockages, less time and less power.
After 3 months there was no smell when stirred and pumped. Sediment on the base of the lagoon is breaking up.”
Mark Bowes - farmer Courtesy of Thomson & Joseph Ltd
Evaluation of Digest-it Treated Pig Slurry on Permanent Pasture
2014
Dowth Estate
Trial data acknowledgment Devenish Nutrition and Thomson & Joseph Ltd
8 Days After Spreading
Untreated Pig Slurry
Digest-it Treated Pig Slurry
DOWTH GRASSLAND TRIAL – Pig Slurry
Cost Effective Ratio = 3 : 1
Herbage Yield per Silage Cut Three Treatment Plots
Total Harvest Yield
2196
2745
+25%
3043
+39%
The Effect of Added Organic Matter
on the Release of Phosphorus
Ref: Swenson, Cole & Sieling
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Organic Matter %
% F
ixe
d P
ho
sp
ho
rus
Re
lea
se
d
Humus
Lignin
Composting biological additive
• Improves fertiliser nutrient value
• Enhances nutritive value of grass
• Elevates grass production
• Promotes the break-down of solids to make slurry more uniform
• Cost effective use of farm based resources
Slurry Biological Treatment
Natural Fertiliser Products
Consider beneficial mineral products :
•Gypsum – calcium sulphate
•Kieserite – magnesium sulphate
•Sylvinite – natural potash + salt
• Polysulphate – new sulphate + potash + magnesium naturally occurring granular product
Select according to soil type Look beyond N P K numerical system
• To promote the benefits linked with utilising farm resources in relation to soil fertility.
• To maximise crop and forage quality.
• To promote efficient feed conversion into livestock health & productivity.
• To exploit the beneficial relationships between nutrients, microbes, soil, forage and livestock.
Summary
Ground Level Nutrition Ltd
Josephine Scamell B.Sc. (Hons), MI Biol, N. Sch.
Healthy Soils Healthy Forage
Healthy Livestock
Nuffield Bullock Award Winner 10 Years Innovation in Agriculture
1997 - 2007