Business Rural Winter 2021

4 | RURAL PEOPLE » John Tanner Alternative fert system a resounding success Leeston dairy farmer John Tanner says giving up nitrogen application is like giving up smoking. “You have to wean yourself off but once you do you really start to see results.” Karen Phelps S uccess trialling a cost effective and environ- mentally friendly solution to radically reduce nitrogen input and leaching has seen John and Jackie Tanner decide to put more of their dairy farm under the system. John likens giving up nitrogen application to giv- ing up smoking. “You have to wean yourself off but once you do you really start to see results,” he says. The pair started trialling the use of manufactured fertilisers and replacing these with chicken litter combined with using Biohelp CM3 natural biotech- nology soil and plant activators on their worst 4ha paddock of their 165ha farm near Leeston several years ago. The paddock now yields three grazings as opposed to two. The most recent cow urine tests are revealing low urine nitrogen loadings – below 70KgN/ha – when the cows are on the Biohelp treated paddock. Typically when cows have been grazing urea feed grass industry average is over 1000KgN/ha. This year an additional 56ha will be put into the system. The farm’s support block has been sprayed with Biohelp Microlife for the past two years. Scott Hobson, founder of Biohelp, which is rebranding soon to Magnify, says that research suggests anything below 200KgN/ha results in very little leaching of nitrogen and that winter feed usu- ally accounts for 25% of the annual farm leaching loses. “This year the Tanners grew kale with a light rate of chicken litter as fertiliser and Biohelp CM3 as a booster. It carried 15cows/ha with feed to spare. Urine tests indicated leaching from urine at less than 5kg/ha, which is well below the 53-83kg/ha that Lincoln University studies have found using conventional fertiliser,” he says. Another benefit is that the new system has cut down farm labour, says John, as he only needs to apply CM3 twice a year. On one area of the farm he can put it through a centre pivot making it even easier again compared with needing a fertiliser spreader. In the past year he has only applied 96kgs of nitrogen on the entire farm including sup- port block. Considering the baseline recommendation for the region is 65kgs and the farm is close to 35kgs this means it is well under the current limits. It’s also been a very cost effective solution with farm working expenses last season $3.96 per kilogram of milk solids. Production has been stable under the new system. The herd of 680 crossbred cows produces 450kgs/MS per cow. Scott says cow urine tests on other farms Biohelp has been treating are also showing urine nitrogen at such low levels that no significant leaching from cow urine will occur. One major stumbling block has been changing farmers’ attitudes to the way things have tradition- ally been done and getting their heads around a new way of looking at assisting pasture growth. There is also substandard product entering the market, which is confusing the issue, he says. Biohelp has been developed locally and for New Zealand farming conditions with a lot of independ- ent testing. John says the chicken litter has also been a huge help. “It’s organic matter and has everything the soil needs,” he says listing nitrogen, potassium, potash, sulphur and other key minerals such as lime and magnesium as being in the litter. By using locally sourced chicken litter for the past six years John says pasture growth has been more consistent through the season and increased populations of earthworms indicate the soil biology is thriving. The Tanners have also been looking at genetics to lower their nitrogen and have spent two seasons trialling CRV Ambreed’s LowN Sires, which have lower breeding value for milk urea nitrogen com- pared with the average bull. John is hoping that one day dairy companies might start offering a premium to farmers who are using less nitrogen and lowering their environmen- tal footprint. “It would be a great selling point for both the domestic and international market and really add to New Zealand’s clean green image.” • 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 Ph: 03 329 6757 Mob: 0274 399 281 Email: admin@glasseycontracting.co.nz The gear for all your jobs: Excavators, Trucks, Tractors, Loaders, Graders, Bulldozers Supplying John Tanner • Silage Contractors • Rut Busters • Manure & Compost Spreading • Tanker Tracks • Sand & Shingle Supplies • Earthworks & Driveways Office: 03 324 2949 Rob: 027 279 6447 Email: office@ealgroup.co.nz Website: www.ealgroup.co.nz Southbridge & Hororata BALING, STRAW & SILAGE, CARTAGE, CULTIVATION Servicing the contracting needs of farmers across Central Canterbury. Call us today to discuss your requirements Proud to be associated with John Tanner For all your accountancy needs. www.layassociates.co.nz Leeston office Rolleston office Ashburton office 03 324 3030 03 347 4501 03 324 3030