DAIRY NEWS OCTOBER 13, 2015
ANIMAL HEALTH/FEED // 31
Soil tests lower fertiliser bill WHOLE-FARM SOIL
testing saves Taranaki farmer Hayden Lawrence about $15,000 on fertiliser each year, according to fertiliser co-op Ravensdown. Lawrence, who farms in equity partnership with his wife Alecia and parents, began whole-farm soil testing seven years ago. To date, he has saved about $90,000 and has increased pasture production from 14.5 tonnes/ha to 18.6T/ha on the 97ha property, says Ravensdown. The Lawrences milk a maximum of 240 cows on an 85ha milking platform, using their hill country block to graze heifers. They also follow an 18-month cropping rotation: paddocks are planted with silage, oats, chicory and then pasture. They are trialling threeyear calving, where cows will be milked for 450 days and calved twice. Research from DairyNZ shows the additional days of milking
could increase milk yield and decrease animal health issues by reducing calving. As part of the trial, they are also growing fodder beet and maize. Hayden says whole-farm testing is a ‘no brainer’ for the business. On average, it saves $162/ha from a blanket fertiliser application approach. “For us to whole-farm soil test 50 paddocks costs $2500. “We had been spending about $40,000 a year but that’s down to about $13,000 a year. “When we started, Dr Ants Roberts (Ravensdown’s chief scientific officer) came down and did us a plan which we still use. We have seven fertiliser mixes and one of those is no application.” Analytical Research Laboratories (ARL) analyses the annual soil samples, taken from GPS transects for accuracy, and uploads the results to My Ravens-
Fodder, sugar beets dream feed FROM PAGE 30
at Gatton last month to inspect a trial crop used in break-feeding and to hear about the latest developments. He said beets had been cultivated at least 500 years but had long been thought toxic to livestock. Gibbs referred to tremendous improvement in agronomy over the last five years, resulting in more consistent, heavier crop yields. He has developed a way to safely transition cattle to consuming large quantities of beets. NZ farmers in large numbers are now using beets as winter feed and as a lactation supplement. Gibbs says the initial focus had been on strip grazing fodder beets, but a big future is emerging for harvested sugar beets with a higher percentage of dry matter. The beets were dug out, had their tops cut off and were pushed into windrows and successfully stored in the open for several months. With big herds up to 3000 cows,
walking distance to grazing is a good reason to harvest beets and bring them to the stock. The extensive NZ experience in growing and feeding beets will be made available to current and prospective users who subscribe to a new internet database being set up -- the Fodder Beet Club. Gibbs says it is crucial that cattle be transitioned to a high beet diet of up to 12kgDM/day to avoid the risk of acidosis. The rate of beet feeding should not increase by more than 1kgDM every second day and all changes to existing supplements made slowly. After 14 days, cows needed to be held steady for a week at the beet allocation and supplement levels reached, then have their beet allocation lifted steadily until they are leaving bulbs behind -- an indication they are eating to an ad lib level. “With a successful transition, the classic NZ dairy diet is beet and pasture – nothing else,” Gibbs says.
down, a secure online tool that allows farmers to view their farming information. Based on the results, Hayden orders fertiliser and plans spreading with Ravensdown joint venture Spreading Sandford, which collects and spreads the various mixes. The whole-farm testing results haven’t been hugely
surprising, but Hayden says he has noticed how various crops and management regimes affect nutrient levels. It’s also helped to know when they can mine nutrients and when they need to top them up. “We were advised that on our Taranaki ash soils, the farm probably wouldn’t need large quantities of
superphosphate. But after two years we saw sulphur levels start to bottom out. We’ve easily addressed this by using sulphur mixes combined into our last nitrogen application in autumn and our first nitrogen application in spring,” Hayden says. ARL technical director Dr Hendrik Venter says the
analysis of soil test results for samples submitted during 2014 showed that for pH, Olsen P, potassium, magnesium and sulphatesulphur there was a significant number testing above and below recommended science-based optimum ranges. “A soil test will help ensure the application of
enough fertiliser to meet the requirements of the crop, while taking advantage of the nutrients already present in the soil. Soil testing is one of the best management practices to achieve maximum production and fertiliser is one of the largest input costs for farms. Flying blind is never advisable,” Hendrik says.
YOU DO HAVE A CHOICE
if you need to use a nil withholding time antibiotic on your herd! For treating footrot, metritis or bacterial respiratory disease. Ask your veterinarian if KELACEF is a more cost effective ceftiofur for use in your herd. • Nil milk withholding period • 2 day meat withholding period • Excellent suspension • Easy to syringe OTHER PRODUCTS FROM PHOENIX PHARM
TYLO 200
SOLUTION FOR INJECTION 100 ml and 250 ml plastic vials
INDICATIONS Lung infections, especially mycoplasmosis and other infections as pneumo-enteritis, metritus, mastitis, foot-rot, swine dysentry, arthritis, erysipelas, caused by sensitive organisms in cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats.
PHARMACILLIN 300
KELAPROFEN 10%
SUSPENSION FOR INJECTION
100 ml vial
100 ml and 250 ml plastic vials
INDICATIONS
INDICATIONS For treatment of infections caused by bacteria sensitive to penicillin in cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, cats and dogs.
WITHDRAWAL PERIOD
WITHDRAWAL PERIOD 21 days for meat, 3 days milk WHT.
7 days for meat, 3 days milk WHT.
SOLUTION FOR INJECTION
Cattle and Horses: Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic treatment of respiratory disorders, acute mastitis, mammary oedema, colic, and musculoskeletal disorders.
WITHDRAWAL PERIOD 4 days for meat. Nil milk WHT.
Use antibiotics responsibly and as directed by your veterinarian Products registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. A10848, A9851, A7798, A6340. See www.foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions.
Phoenix Pharm Distributors Ltd PO Box 31-363, Milford, Auckland, New Zealand Telephone: 0-9-476 7391 Email: phoenixvet@xtra.co.nz