Nutrient ratio all about balance

The once yellow sand is now dark brown, humus-rich soil with higher nutrient and water-holding capacity that has led to highly productive pastures and healthier livestock.

David estimates the stock output on his 100-hectare Clover Estate property has increased by more than 30 per cent since he began the process in the mid 1990s.

In 2012, Clover Estate was selected as one of 19 properties across Australia to showcase leading practice in regenerative landscape management as part of the Soils for Life program.

At last week's Soils For Life Field Day at Mil Lel, David shared his experiences of replacing chemicals and acid-based fertilisers with biological soil conditioners.

"I didn't think we were going the right way with a lot of chemical inputs every year and still getting weeds and mounting veterinary bills," he said.

The first step was good soil testing from an independent laboratory such as APAL lab in Adelaide which showed a deficiency of 17 macro and micro nutrients.

David says it is then about 'balance, balance, balance' of the ratios of carbon, nitrogen, calcium and magnesium, and enhancing soil biology.

Soil treatments were applied with the objective of addressing mineral balance, improving soil biological processes and overall soil fertility specific to paddock soil test results.

A range of bio fertilisers have been used, including foliar, mineral, kelp, fish, humic and fulvic acid.

More recently, David applied 150 kilograms a hectare of BioGraze produced by LawrieCo annually.

Three or four times per irrigation season, David also puts liquid humates into the water at the tower and pumps a few litres per hectare onto pastures.

David's father and grandfather milked cows on the property but in 2000, David recognised the property was not large enough so he switched to contract-rearing dairy heifers.

* Full report in Stock Journal, April 10, 2014 issue.