42 | nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Jimmy Gerritsen Jimmy transforming soil health and productivity Karen Phelps More grass giving the ability to milk more cows. South Island dairy farmer Jimmy Gerritsen puts this down to his adoption of the Tow and Fert liquid fertiliser application system on his Gore property, transforming both soil health and productivity. Currently milking 580 cows, Jimmy plans to increase to 600 next season due to the improved pasture growth. “I’ve reduced nitrogen input from 180 units to 100 units per year and am still achieving the same, if not better, pasture production,” says Jimmy. Jimmy, who farms 220 hectares near Matiland, took over the farm in 2012 so his observations of the difference the Tow and Fert have made to the property have real weight. The system applies fertiliser in liquid form, allowing most of the nutrients to be absorbed directly through the plant leaf rather than the soil, reducing acidity issues and lime requirements. He notes several other key improvements including better palatability of grass, denser swards, more consistent growth throughout the season, and deeper root systems. These deeper roots proved particularly valuable during a challenging wet spring. “Because our grass has deeper roots as it’s not just getting the nitrogen from the top of the soil, the soil held together better and there was less damage,” says Jimmy. “Looking at other farms we saw the mess that got made in the paddocks and then that got me thinking about why our soils survived the wet weather better.” One of the most significant advantages Jimmy has noticed is the speed of response after applying nitrogen. “Within two to three days we see a response. We apply it behind the cows so we want it to be working straight away as 20 days later the cows will be back in the paddock,” says Jimmy. “You do need to be mindful of the time of day you’re applying, not when it’s above 20 degrees or so, as you can get burning or evaporation.” The system has also allowed for more flexible application methods, enabling Jimmy to mix effluent from the farm’s pond with urea and other liquid fertilisers like those sourced from Blue Pacific Minerals. “We can use the Tow and Fert to spread 1000 litres of effluent per hectare to increase the fertility in paddocks that wouldn’t normally get the effluent or had silage taken off them,” explains Jimmy. This flexibility has contributed to a flat milk production curve with impressive autumn yields of 1.8-1.9kg of milk solids per cow per day. Jimmy operates a system three farm with his wife Laisa, who comes from a Brazilian beef farming background, and three full-time staff. The farm, which supplies Mautara Valley Milk, operates a 54-bail rotary shed with advanced techno logy including Protrack, CowManager and somatic cell count sensors. Working with you for happy, healthy & productive animals in the south. 0800 VETSOUTH The property includes a 160- hectare run-off block for young stock and silage production. Regarding the Tow and Fert, made by Metalform, Jimmy praises both its durability and the technical support available. “It’s really user friendly and a really robust well-built machine,” says Jimmy. “From my point of view, after using the Tow and Fert there’s no way I’d go back to applying solid urea.” Looking ahead, Jimmy aims to further simplify his farming system to improve user-friendliness, helping to attract and retain quality staff. He also hopes to diversify by investing in a manufacturing or service business off-farm. Deeper root systems proved particularly valuable during a challenging, wet spring. These deeper roots proved particularly valuable during a challenging wet spring Stock Cartage, General Cartage & Fert Spreading admin@waikakatransport.com 032072885
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