82 | nzdairy RURAL SERVICES » Lime Stone Ltd Improved pH drives stronger microbial activity in the soil, helping convert nutrients into plant-available forms. Russell Fredric North Canterbury company Lime Stone Ltd is helping farmers lift pasture performance and animal health with its agricultural lime and blended products. The business is owned and run by Paul Pascoe and his wife Samantha, alongside their sons Archer, 22, and Jakob, 20. It has seven quarries and supplies predominately dairy, sheep and beef, and cropping customers. The importance of lime as the key that turns the lock to so much in a farm system cannot be overstated, Paul says. “Once your pH is right, everything else starts working properly. If you haven’t got enough calcium and your pH is low, you can do whatever else you like but it’s just not going to perform.” Agricultural lime lifts soil pH to optimal levels, typically between 6.2 and 6.5, creating conditions where nutrients become more available to plants. Improved pH drives stronger microbial activity in the soil, helping convert nutrients into plantavailable forms while reducing losses. This can also increase phosphorus availability, improve earthworm activity, and support better soil structure and aeration. This flows through into pasture, but the gains are not just about volume, with increased clover growth a key outcome. “You’re not just growing more clover, you’re growing better clover and grass. That flows through into better animal performance and production.” Calcium plays a central role in both soil function and animal health and performance. Maintaining adequate levels supports milk production and overall stock condition, linking soil fertility directly to on-farm outcomes. “There’s a strong correlation between a good liming programme and stock health. It really does go hand in hand.” The company’s lime from its Flaxdown quarry contains naturally occurring magnesium which has proven particularly popular with dairy farmers, supporting pasture performance and animal health, adding further value to the company’s core lime product. The benefits of combining lime and sulphur to promote clover growth are also well understood, Boost pasture performance and animal health particularly for farmers looking to lift pasture performance. “We’d seen what sulphur could do, so putting it together with lime made sense. The production increases we’ve seen on a lot of properties have been quite dramatic.” For farmers managing tighter budgets, maintaining a base level of lime and sulphur can help keep systems performing. “A lot of farmers will apply a tonne of lime with 40 to 50 kilograms of sulphur per hectare just to keep the system ticking along. You’re still releasing phosphate, providing calcium, and supporting clover growth.” Alongside product supply, the business provides advice based on soil testing, helping farmers tailor applications to their conditions. Recommendations can include custom blends or adjustments depending on nutrient levels, ensuring fertiliser inputs deliver the best possible return. “We look at soil tests and work out what’s going to give them the best bang for their buck,” he says. FERTILISER SPREADING | FARM MAPPING GPS TRACKING | VARIABLE RATE SPREADING LIVESTOCK CARTAGE | DAILY FREIGHT CONCRETE SUPPLIES | GRAIN CARTAGE SHINGLE SUPPLIES | FERTILISER SUPPLIES Leeston: 03 3248 070 | Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz Proud to be carting Lime Stone Ltd North Canterbury - Phone: 03 314 8979 Spreadmark Certified Dan Thiele - 027 511 7656 - 03 319 2779 - cheviotlime@gmail.com Based in North Canterbury, we offer rake, cut, bale and wrap services for large round bale haymaking and baleage. For more information, contact Todd Mcbreen: @mcbreencontracting 027 483 1727 mcbreencontracting@gmail.com “It’s about getting the mix right.” Dairy farming now makes up around 30 to 40 percent of the company’s work, providing a steady base alongside sheep and beef customers. Despite seasonal and logistical challenges, the business continues to build long-term relationships with farmers across the region. “There’s a lot of loyalty out there. Farmers will support you during tough seasons, and we do the same for them. It’s about looking after each other.”
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