82 | Alternative ways to maintain production Russell Fredric DAIRY » John Tanner Making a move to mitigate nitrogen has not proven too difficult for Leeston dairy farmer John Tanner. John is an equity manager with his wife Jackie on a 190 hectare farm at Leeston, Canterbury, which is near near Lake Ellesmere, recognised as one of the most polluted water bodies in New Zealand. The property is within the sensitive Selwyn Waihora water management zone which stretches from the upper Waimakariri basin and the high country around Lake Coleridge down to Lake Ellesmere. As a result of farming in this zone along with local and national rules limiting the use of nitrogen, John has had to find alternative ways to maintain production other than by the use of urea and traditional fertilisers. The farm peak milks 680 cross-bred cows and has a 70ha support block which grows fodder beet and kale. “We’ve got to keep our nitrogen levels at 190kg a hectare, but we try to be well underneath it.” Before moving to the property 13 years ago, John started using a bio-stimulant, one of several under the Magnify brand and formerly known as CM3. The product is a blend of enzymes and organic acids from soil microbes that promote plant growth and stronger regrowth. It is claimed with consistent use pastures regrow better and better to produce dense, sweet grass that stock find highly palatable. John uses the product in conjunction with chicken litter and, for him, these inputs have certainly worked. “In the last couple of years we’ve used 96kg [per hectare] of artificial fertiliser and we’ve gone from 97kg’s nitrogen leaching to 35kg’s leaching. If we don’t have a go at trying to do it we’ll probably get told by the Government to do it, so I’d like to think we’re ahead of the game.” “We’ve also improved grass growth, enabling us to reduce supplements and improve profits significantly.” While Magnify has been a great success, John originally proceeded with caution, initially using it on one paddock when he first trialled it. “You can’t just change the whole process of putting artificial fertiliser on.” However that paddock has been completely weaned off urea for five years now and the whole farm is being converted to biological fertiliser. In addition to seeing an improvement in grass growth and quality, the roots are deeper, enabling nutrients and water to be drawn from further down. “Our soil, according to Ravensdown, is very healthy. We soil test once a year on every paddock; our soil’s become way healthier over the years, “We soil test once a year on every paddock; our soil’s become way healthier over the years, there’s more worms, more clover and the root system of the grass looks a lot healthier.” John (pictured with sunflowers) says the use of biological products will need to be part of farm systems going forward. there’s more worms, more clover and the root system of the grass looks a lot healthier.” In addition, the cows’ production of 300,000kgMS per year, which is in the region of 100% of their body weight, has not been sacrificed. John says that, generically, the use of biological products will need to be part of farm systems going forward. “You won’t see instant results, you’ve just go to go through the process of one or two years to see it and if you do that it works out. It’s a tool you can use. You’ve got to have a go or else you might not find yourself dairy farming or farming if you use too much artificial fertiliser. • Concrete • Fertiliser Spreading - Farm Mapping - GPS Tracking - Variable Rate Spreading • Livestock Cartage • Grain Cartage • Shingle Supplies • Daily Freight Leeston: 03 3248 070 Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz Dairy farms usually add well over $800/ha/yr net profit over 3 years Enhancing soil, plant & animal health
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=