Grow North Island 04 06 16 - Autumn 2020 - Ballance | Agri-Nutrients

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Grow North Island 04 06 16 - Autumn 2020 - Ballance | Agri-Nutrients
Grow     North Island
       Autumn 2020

             04
            SurePhos
            loses less
           phosphorus

             06
           Regenerative
          farming for NZ?

              16
           Post drought
             recovery
Grow North Island 04 06 16 - Autumn 2020 - Ballance | Agri-Nutrients
03                                   12                                 19
Contents
                      Detainment for good                  S products: side-by-side           MitAgator at work

                      04                                   13                                 20
                      Win more, lose less with             Finish fast with legumes           Mo gets its mojo back
                      SurePhos

                                                           14
                                                           Valuable but variable

                                                           16
                                                           Recovering from drought

                                                           17
                      06                                   Sustainability snaphot
                                                                                              21
                      A regenerative future?
                                                           18                                 Rock for New Zealand

                      08                                   A vehicle for action
                                                                                              22
                      N for pre-tupping feed                                                  Clippings

                      09                                                                      23
                      Fodder beet findings                                                    Science-based submission

                      10
                      Spread more accurately

                      Ballance Agri-Nutrients is one of    Since its inception in the         SealesWinslow is a recognised
                      New Zealand’s leading fertiliser     1980s, Super Air has evolved       leader in the production of
                      manufacturers. A 100 percent         into one of New Zealand’s          high-performance compound
                      farmer-owned co-operative,           leading agricultural aviation      feeds and feed additives.
                      the company has over 19,000          companies. In addition to aerial   A fully owned subsidiary of
                      shareholders and sells around        fertiliser application, Super      Ballance, SealesWinslow has
                      1.7 million tonnes of product        Air has developed a world-         manufacturing sites located
                      each year, representing a            class reputation for aircraft      in Morrinsville, Ashburton
                      turnover close to $900 million.      engineering and innovation.        and Wanganui, and supplies
                      Its products include imported        Wholly owned by Ballance,          custom-blended pelletised
                      and locally manufactured             Super Air services most of the     feed to farmers throughout
                      fertilisers, the majority of which   North Island.                      New Zealand. It also provides
                      attract a rebate for shareholders.                                      molasses feed blocks, feed
                                                                                              supplements and additives.
                      ballance.co.nz                       superair.co.nz                     sealeswinslow.co.nz
                      0800 222 090                         0800 787 372                       0800 287 325

  02 /   ballance.co.nz
Grow North Island 04 06 16 - Autumn 2020 - Ballance | Agri-Nutrients
Animal   Effluent   Plant    Soil

Detainment for good
Detainment bunds can help                    events were responsible for most              In addition, by capturing and slowing
farmers in their quest for                   runoff water, and thus sediment and           down the force of storm water, bunds
                                             phosphorus losses.                            can help to moderate floods and protect
environmental sustainability and                                                           communities, and reduce stream bank
improved water quality.                      Multiple benefits                             erosion and damage to infrastructure
                                             Detainment bunds are most effective           such as fences, tracks and lanes.
Final results from three years of trials
show detainments bunds’ success at           for smaller flows from catchments less        “Achieving the full potential of
intercepting and treating storm water        than 50 ha in size, where they have the       detainment bunds depends on the
before it leaves the farm.                   potential to provide multiple benefits        willingness of farmers, as they own the
                                             beyond phosphorus and sediment                land that’s suitable for them,” says John.
The recently completed three year            capture. The project also recorded
Phosphorus Mitigation Project has a          nitrogen capture and further trials           The project was funded by the Ministry
governance group made up entirely of         will focus on validating the capture          of Primary Industries Sustainable
farmers, who arranged a collaboration of     of E. coli and nitrogen. Recharging of        Farming Fund, and eight co-funders
nine industry co-funders to support this     groundwater aquifers via soil infiltration    including regional councils, industry and
comprehensive applied science work.          from the ponding areas is another co-         Ballance Agri-Nutrients.
                                             benefit of detainment bunds.
Rotorua deer farmer and Bay of Plenty
Regional Council sustainable farming
advisor John Paterson, who kickstarted
and managed the project says: “With          Detainment bunds, low earth embankments across valley floors where
an increasing spotlight on farmers and       storm water flows, temporarily detain stormwater runoff in a large ponding
the impact farming has on waterways,         area for up to three days, during which time its volume decreases due to
this is a project developed and led by       infiltration into the soil. The suspended sediment particles, and attached
farmers.”                                    phosphorus, cannot infiltrate and settle out before the water is released.

Exciting results
Interim results (as reported in Grow
Spring 2019) showed an average load
reduction of 50 to 60 per cent, but the
latest results are even higher, indicating
detainment bunds capture around 60
per cent of the annual phosphorus load       1. Stormwater runoff arrival and ponding
and 80 per cent of the annual suspended
sediment load of storm water, depending
on soil drainage conditions.
The project has demonstrated that
well planned and built detainments
bunds have a high success rate and           2. Pond full and overtopping riser
their installation does not compromise
pastoral productivity. Their size needs
to be matched to the catchment size,
so they can store at least 120 m³ of
storm water per hectare of contributing
catchment. Over 20 detainment bunds
have been built in recent years and          3. Settling and infiltration (up to three days)
the host farmers agree that storm
water should only be stored for up
to three days, so that pasture growth
in the ponding area is not unduly
compromised. Often the ponded
water has largely soaked away before
the three day limit is reached. This is      4. Release of residual pond
important because often the prime
places for creating the bunds and their
large ponding areas are on some of the
best pasture areas of the farm.
An interesting finding of the project
was that a small number of large storm       5. Return to production

                                                                                                               Grow North Island / 03
Grow North Island 04 06 16 - Autumn 2020 - Ballance | Agri-Nutrients
Animal     Effluent     Plant     Soil

                             Win more, lose
                           less with SurePhos
                      A game-changing new fertiliser, years in the making, is huge
                                   news for sustainable farming.

                                                                                                                A maximum of
                                                                                                                 23% of the P
Farmers can now get more wins from                     constraining P application. So, with                     in SurePhos is
applying phosphorus (P), while reducing                the support of the Primary Growth                        water soluble.
environmental and financial losses.                    Partnership, Ballance developed
                                                       SurePhos.”
P fertiliser is vital for farming in New                                                                     100%
Zealand’s naturally P deficient soils,
                                                       SurePhos significantly reduces                          90%
but applying it without losses can be
difficult. Commonly used P fertilisers                 P loss
                                                                                                               80%
such as superphosphate and di-                         “Many years were spent formulating
ammonium phosphate contain mainly                      SurePhos, a fertiliser designed to                      70%
water soluble P (see Figure 1), which                  provide P where and when it is needed,
is readily available to plants. In ideal               and minimise losses to the environment                  60%
circumstances, this type of P remains                  and profit.”
                                                                                                               50%
on land for use by plants, as intended.
                                                       SurePhos is a slow release P fertiliser
But in more common, less than ideal                                                                            40%
                                                       that gradually releases into the soil.
circumstances, an environmentally
                                                       This results in more P retained in the
significant proportion of this P can be                                                                        30%
                                                       soil and less lost to the environment.
lost as runoff (see Figure 3).
                                                       Independent tests conducted by                          20%
“P lost as runoff can lessen profits, and              AgResearch show that compared to
can be the tipping point for waterways,                superphosphate products, SurePhos                       10%
providing a small amount of just what                  can reduce P loss by up to 75 per cent¹,
                                                                                                                0%
aquatic weeds and algal blooms need                    and in a laboratory trial was shown to
                                                                                                                        SurePhos

                                                                                                                                   Serpentine
                                                                                                                                       Super

                                                                                                                                                Superphosphate

                                                                                                                                                                          Triple
                                                                                                                                                                 superphosphate

                                                                                                                                                                                   Di-ammonium
                                                                                                                                                                                       phosphate

to take over,” says Ballance Innovation                reduce P leaching by up to 83 per cent².
Leader, Dr Jamie Blennerhassett.
                                                       Most of the P in SurePhos is water
“Farmers try to do their best for their                insoluble P, so it slowly releases over a
business and the environment by                        period of months, while it also contains
minimising P losses via runoff. But                    a small amount of water soluble P that
this can be challenging, with weather,                 pasture can use immediately. It also                    Figure 1 Percentage of P that is
timing and proximity to waterways all                  contains sulphur.                                       water soluble in fertilisers

¹ McDowell RW, Smith C, Balvert S 2011. The environmental impact and agronomic effectiveness of four phosphorus fertilisers: Report for Ballance Agri-Nutrients,
  October 2011
² Dexter M, Kear M, Lucci G 2019. P leaching from SurePhos, Superten and Serpentine Super fertilisers in a laboratory evaluation: Report prepared for Ballance
  Agri-Nutrients by AgResearch Limited

04 /   ballance.co.nz
Grow North Island 04 06 16 - Autumn 2020 - Ballance | Agri-Nutrients
Animal   Effluent   Plant   Soil

                                                             Stable P
                                                       gradually converted
                                                        to water soluble P
             Uniquely
                                                    When SurePhos is applied,                                  Water soluble P
           manufactured,
                                                microbial activity and soil chemical                          gradually released
           more stable P
                                                 processes gradually convert the                                  to pasture
    Acid is added to phosphate                   di-calcium phosphate into water                             SurePhos continues to
   rock to produce water soluble               soluble phosphate. Pasture can also                           gradually release water
     phosphate. Reversion then                    use the small amount of water                           soluble phosphate to pasture
      converts this into water                    soluble phosphate it contains                             over a period of months.
        insoluble di-calcium                               straight away.
             phosphate.

Figure 2 How SurePhos works

How SurePhos can help you                    average of 30 mm within 21 days). The              can be mixed directly with nitrogen
                                             slow release nature of SurePhos gives              fertilisers such as SustaiN and urea,
 What’s in it                                flexibility of application, with less risk of      so maintenance and capital fertiliser
                                             nutrients being washed away and lost               needs can be combined into a single
 Phosphorus                  7.8%
                                             via surface runoff.                                application, helping to minimise the
                             1.6%                                                               number of applications and pasture
   Water soluble                             Better spreading and mixing                        damage.
                         (≤23% total P)
                                             SurePhos granules are round and
                             5.5%            free flowing, allowing it to be spread                   FOR MORE INFORMATION
   Citric acid soluble
                         (≥70% total P)      evenly and accurately, and minimising
                                             segregation when mixed with other                  SurePhos is currently only available
 Sulphur                     9.5%                                                               at limited stores in the North Island.
                                             granulated products.
                                                                                                For more information, availability in
 Calcium                      22%
                                             Highly compatible                                  your region and to place your order,
 Magnesium                    2%             SurePhos is compatible to custom                   contact your local Ballance Nutrient
                                             blend with most other fertilisers. It              Specialist.

Slow release, environmentally
friendly phosphate
SurePhos gradually releases phosphate
into soil, resulting in more P retained in
the soil and less lost to the environment.
More than 70 per cent of the P in
SurePhos is citric acid soluble and can                                                                   Most P entering
                                                                                             Most P       waterways is
be utilised by pasture within a year.                                                        lost from    from runoff
A maximum of 23 per cent is water                                                            farm is as   containing water
soluble and is able to be utilised by                                                        runoff.      soluble P and
pasture on application.                                                                                   P bound to soil
                                                                                                          particles.
These features significantly reduce
P loss from runoff and leaching,
making it ideal for use in catchments
with P limited waterways (inherently
low P levels) and in other sensitive
catchments.                                           Water soluble P fertiliser applied
                                                      too soon before heavy rainfall
Cost-effective                                        can contribute up to 90% of P
                                                      lost from pasture.
SurePhos has a high P content for a
reverted phosphate fertiliser. With less                                                                  The amount of P
                                                                 In most soils P binds to
product required, cartage and spreading                                                                   lost to waterways
                                                                 soil exchange sites and
costs are lower, making SurePhos cost-                           does not leach.
                                                                                                          is quite low, but
effective compared to other reverted P                                                                    can have a big
fertilisers.                                                                                              impact.

Flexible application
The risk of P loss is particularly
prevalent following application in high
risk conditions – less than three weeks
before irrigation or heavy rainfall (an                                         Figure 3 P losses on farm

                                                                                                                      Grow North Island / 05
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Animal    Effluent      Plant   Soil

                        A regenerative future?
                                       Is regenerative agriculture the answer to
                                              the issues facing farmers?

Is regenerative agriculture a
                                                                                                fertiliser, clover, or manures and compost
silver bullet that can improve
                                                                                                – increases plant growth and production
soil health and biodiversity, and                                                               of dry matter, in turn resulting in more
mitigate climate change, while                                                                  soil organic matter.
still maintaining on-farm profits?
                                                                                                Where chemical fertilisers do differ to
As a science-based                                                                              biological fertilisers is their superior
organisation, Ballance Agri-                                                                    cost-effectiveness and practicality.
Nutrients is interested in what                                                                 Relying solely on compost and manure
regenerative agriculture can                                                                    for nutrients poses an array of major
offer New Zealand farmers. Are                                                                  logistical challenges, such as the
its practices scientifically robust                                                             massive increase in stock and land use
and relevant to New Zealand,                                                                    that would be needed to produce the
and do they differ to ‘business                                                                 required amount of manure.
as usual’?
                                               Goal 1: Improve soil health                      New Zealand pastoral farmers already
Originating in the USA                                                                          aim to maximise clover and its fixation
and Australia, regenerative                    Regenerative farming aims to improve             of nitrogen, and to some degree, already
agriculture is still in its infancy,           soil health by using compost and                 use compost (plant residues) and
so has no clear, universal                     manures and reducing chemical                    manure (dung and urine) to improve
                                               fertiliser use.                                  soil health. Crop residues, for example,
definition. It is best broadly
                                                                                                are recognised as having an economic
understood by its goals, which                 This infers chemical fertilisers are bad         value for the nutrients they can provide.
we look at in more detail, asking              for soil health, which is not backed by
how they relate to our context                 scientific research. Chemical fertilisers        Regenerative agriculture reinforces
and what opportunities they                    are just as effective as biological fertiliser   what we already know – soil health
may present.                                   at improving soil health, biological             is important, so we need to continue
                                               activity and organic matter. Research            investigating realistic and practical
                                               shows that nitrogen – whether from               means of maintaining or improving it.

06 /   ballance.co.nz
Grow North Island 04 06 16 - Autumn 2020 - Ballance | Agri-Nutrients
Animal   Effluent   Plant    Soil

Goal 2: Sequester carbon                    Goal 3: Grow topsoil                        Goal 4: Improve biodiversity
Regenerative farming aims to mitigate       Regenerative agriculture aims to grow       One way regenerative agriculture
climate change by sequestering carbon       topsoil by minimising soil disturbance      aims to improve biodiversity is by
into the soil as organic matter.            and keeping the soil covered using          reducing nitrogen fertiliser use (by
                                            practices such as no-till or minimum        100 kg/ha), which it claims can result
This approach is not currently backed       tillage, cover crops and rotational         in a sixteenfold increase in varieties
by robust science and further research      grazing. Ballance aims to create ‘the       found in pasture, while still maintaining
is needed to prove it can work in New       best soil on earth’, and encourages         productivity.
Zealand. Evidence of regenerative           the same practices employed by
agricultural practices increasing soil                                                  The scientific research behind this
                                            regenerative agriculture.                   claim involved natural grassland with
organic carbon (SOC) comes largely
from the USA and outback Australia,         Ballance leads and/or supports a range      predominantly tropical grasses, very
both with very different farming systems    of projects that are investigating soil     different to New Zealand pastures.
to ours, and typically with low soil        conservation practices. These include       The research also did not suggest that
fertility and biological activity.          the Sustainable Farming Fund projects       production could be maintained by
                                            Helicropping – protecting our soils (see    reducing nitrogen fertiliser application,
As our SOC levels are already relatively    Grow Spring 2019), which is finding the     but instead that doing so over a 25
high, the same effect is not as readily     best tools to protect soil when cropping,   year period might result in a balance
seen here, despite pastoral farmers         and Catch crops to reduce N leaching        between biodiversity and productivity.
already using some of the regenerative      (see Grow Autumn 2019), a practice
agriculture practices promoted for                                                      At a soil level in New Zealand, growing
                                            which also stabilizes soil.                 as much dry matter as possible feeds
achieving this goal, such as keeping
ground in long term pasture, rotational     In New Zealand, rotational grazing is       the worm and microbial population.
grazing and cover crops.                    already practised, and our soils are        Through their efforts to improve water
                                            relatively young, so soil organic matter    quality or to sequester carbon, many
Research in 1997 reported no net            levels are already very high. For us,       farmers have been providing habitat
change in SOC, but more recent              growing pasture (perennial ryegrass         and improving biodiversity by planting
research has reported declines in SOC.      and clover) using conventional farming      productive and unproductive areas, and
The jury’s still out as to why SOC levels   methods is the most soil regenerative       restoring or creating wetlands.
may be declining in New Zealand, with       practice we can do.
further research currently underway. In                                                 Not encroaching on existing habitat
the meantime, there is an opportunity       As a company and country, we should         by more efficient use of agricultural
for further research, with the New          continue to explore and adopt practical     land already in production is vital for
Zealand Pastoral Greenhouse Gas             soil conservation practices.                maintaining land with high biodiversity
Consortium saying: “Despite a wealth                                                    value.
of theories and ongoing research, there                                                 Biodiversity varies across New Zealand,
are not yet any robust general rules        "Regenerative agriculture                   and is best addressed at a farm specific
about how to reliably and sustainably                                                   level. A reduction in applied nitrogen
                                            reinforces what we already know –
increase soil carbon in New Zealand                                                     is unlikely to result in biodiversity
                                            soil health is important, so we need
pasture soils.”                                                                         gains. Instead, farmers should continue
                                            to continue investigating realistic
                                            and practical means of maintaining          to work with councils and industry
                                                                                        groups to identify the most effective
                                            or improving it."
                                                                                        and practical solutions to enhance
                                                                                        biodiversity for their properties.

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Animal    Effluent      Plant   Soil

N for pre-tupping feed
Tactical nitrogen (N) use to                content and low total N levels. In most        N should be applied to hill country at no
provide feed before tupping can             summer-dry hill country conditions,            more than a moderate rate – no more
                                            a minimum response of 15 kg DM                 than 50 kg N/ha in a single application
have a big impact on returns.               per kg N applied can be expected. If           – and sensitive areas such as streams
Good body condition for ewes before         conditions, primarily soil temperature         should be avoided. Timing of N should
mating in autumn is important, and          and moisture, are right greater                allow enough time to generate a
with a little help, pasture is the most     responses are highly likely, reducing the      valuable response before grazing off the
cost-effective way to provide the feed      cost of feed grown significantly. Factors      pasture. “About six weeks is ideal and a
required.                                   such as aspect and altitude can also           good rule of thumb, but four weeks can
                                            influence the level of response.               suffice,” says Josh.
“The critical feeding period for
increasing ewes to body condition
score (BCS) 3-4 is typically when               Choosing the right N                          My Pasture Planner
pasture cover is likely to be limited and
                                                fertiliser for the job                        This decision support software
after a long, dry summer, its content
                                                Factors to consider include                   tool uses soil total N test
high in fibre and low in energy,” says
                                                other nutrients required such                 information to improve N use
Ballance Science Extension Officer
                                                as sulphur (as provided by                    efficiency on pastoral farms. It
Josh Verhoek.
                                                PhaSedN) or phosphorus, as                    can help improve feed budgeting
“But this can be overcome by using              well as the need to reduce                    and economical use of N fertiliser
nitrogen tactically from late summer            volatilisation, using a product               as a low cost supplementary
to early autumn to boost pasture. It’s          such as SustaiN.                              feed. See ballance.co.nz/My-
the cheapest way to provide good feed                                                         Pasture-Planner
leading up to tupping, and can have a
big impact on lambing returns.”

Better body condition benefits
Increasing ewes’ body condition for         Table 1 Benefits of increasing body condition pre-tupping to BCS 3
mating has a number of significant
benefits, including increased                                                                  Increase
                                                                           Do nothing                            Gross margin
conception rates, higher birth weights,                                                       condition
                                                                          (15% ewes ≤                             difference
increased chance of multiples, and                                                           (5% ewes ≤
                                                                            BCS 2.5)*                               ($/ha)
increased lamb survival.                                                                       BCS 2.5)

If ewes are on good leafy feed and          Scanning %                         160%              171%                 + $42
gaining weight as the rams go out
there will be an additional benefit of      Lamb survival                      78.2%             80%                  + $36
possibly 5-10 per cent in lamb drop.
Ideally ewes should be rotated rapidly,     Weaning weight                    26.5 kg           27.5 kg               + $50
going on to about 5-6 cm of pasture
(2200 kg DM/ha) and not grazing             Gross margin $/ha                  $770              $898                 + $128
below 3 cm (1500 kg DM/ha).
                                            * Typical percentage of ewes below ≤BCS 2.5.
“All of the benefits from improving
                                            Source: Trevor Cook, 2017
body condition lead to more lambs,
and if well fed, heavier weights,” says
Josh. “Heavier lambs at birth are more
likely to reach prime weights quicker,
so there’s more chance they’ll be
sold before Christmas when meat
schedules are typically higher. Lambs
sold before the period leading into
and during mating also help reduce
competition ewes face for feed.”

Using N to improve body
condition
Hill country is very responsive to N
applications, as it has less clover

08 /   ballance.co.nz
Grow North Island 04 06 16 - Autumn 2020 - Ballance | Agri-Nutrients
Animal   Effluent   Plant         Soil

Fodder
beet findings
Farmers can benefit from                    optimise yields, but no notable increase     The trial highlighted the value of soil
results of local research into              in yield from a third application was        tests such as Ballance’s fodder beet
                                            apparent. Response to N fertiliser           profile test. Taken before sowing to a
fodder beet.                                depended on the level of available N         depth of 150 mm, the test identifies
A recently completed three-year             in the soil, demonstrating the benefit       available N, K and B, as well as
Sustainable Farming Fund project, led       of soil testing to avoid unnecessary N       phosphorus, pH, sulphur, sodium and
by Plant & Food Research and involving      applications and expenditure.                magnesium levels (see Table 1 for target
Ballance Agri-Nutrients, has shed light                                                  levels). Testing well before the crop is
on the role of fertiliser management and    Fodder beet took up large amounts of         sown can give you time to adjust soil
crop establishment in optimising fodder     K, depending on the soil K level and         test levels, especially soil pH.
beet yields.                                the amount applied. Across the trial
                                            sites K application rate and timing did      If nutrient deficiencies are suspected
The impacts of different rates and          not affect yields, even at low K soil test   once the crop has established, a
timings of nitrogen (N), potassium (K)      levels (as low as QTK of 3), suggesting      herbage test at canopy closure will
and boron (B) applications were trialled    fodder beet response to added K is           confirm if further nutrient addition is
at sites (including dairying, arable        minimal. However, as it is important to      required.
cropping and sheep and beef, in both        consider fodder beet in the full crop/
irrigated and rain-fed conditions) across   pasture rotation, soil testing is still
five key fodder beet production regions.    suggested. If QTK is less than 3, adding
According to results, as fodder beet is a   up to 100 kg K/ha is sufficient to supply     Test                       Target level
luxury feeder of N, N should be applied     K for the fodder beet and subsequent
prudently. While crop N uptake and          crops/pasture. If QTK is 3-5, 50 kg K/ha      pH                            6.0-6.2
N concentration increased as result of      is sufficient and for QTK greater than 5,
                                            K can be withheld as its addition will not    Phosphorus (Olsen P)           ≥15
increased N application rates, yield did
not consistently increase. In year 1 of     affect yield.
                                                                                          Potassium (QTK)                    ≥3
the study, yield response to N fertiliser   The essential micronutrient B did
varied across sites, with responses from    not affect yield in the trial, however B      Sulphur (sulphate S) Not determined
100 to 200 kg/ha of added N. Three          soil test levels across the sites were        Magnesium (QTMg)                   ≥8
sites had no response to added N.           not in deficiency ranges. Due to its
Similar results were observed in year 2,    importance for crop health, B should          Sodium (QTNa)                      ≥4
with peak N response up to 100 kg/ha        still be supplied adequately at sowing,
of added N.                                 as deficiencies can result in brown heart     Boron (mg/kg)                      1.1
On average adding up to 100 kg N/ha         rot. Unlike other nutrient deficiencies, B
                                            deficiency cannot be remediated after        Table 1 Target soil test results for
optimised yield. Applying N at sowing
                                            the crop has established.                    growing fodder beet
and again at canopy closure assists to

                                                                                                             Grow North Island / 09
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Animal     Effluent     Plant   Soil

                Spread more accurately
               Accurate spreading is vital for getting the best returns from fertiliser.

“Fertiliser can be a significant            In New Zealand, most fertilisers range       performance once applied.
investment for farmers, and if you’ve       from SGN 95-475 (a higher value
invested in a quality product you want      indicating a larger mean particle size)      Products with a similar SGN and UI (a
to make sure you use it well,” says         and UI 5-68 (a higher value indicating a     difference of less than 20) blend and
Ballance Nutrient Dynamics Specialist       more uniform range of particle sizes).       spread better (see Table 1). “Blends
Jim Risk.                                                                                will segregate, resulting in uneven
                                            Heavier, larger granules (with a higher      spreading, if a low SGN product is
“Fertilisers such as Superten and           SGN) will throw further than lighter,        mixed with a high SGN one, as smaller
SustaiN supply plant nutrients in a         smaller granules. Spread width also          particles fall to bottom of spreader.
very concentrated form, so to be most       depends on spreader equipment and            Segregation and uneven spreading also
effective they must be spread evenly.       how it is calibrated to the product being    occurs when a low UI product is mixed
Uneven spreading can result in striping     spread. “Ideally spreaders should be         with a high UI product, as the small,
in crops and pasture, reduced yields        calibrated for specific products, so         medium and large particles separate
and variation in soil fertility.”           using the information on the fertiliser’s    out,” says Jim.
                                            physical characteristics ensures the
Spreading accuracy depends on               spreader is set up correctly for different
product quality, physical and chemical      products,” says Jim.
compatibility (if blending), and spreader
calibration.                                The UI of the products being spread             Difference
                                                                                                               Physical
                                            also impact the quality of the spread         between SGN
                                                                                                             compatibility
Product quality                             achieved. When a high proportion of the        or UI values
The product quality of a fertiliser         granules are within a narrow particle
                                                                                             Under 20          Compatible
impacts how far it can be thrown            size range (have a higher UI) the spread
(known as spread width or bout width).      will be more consistent than if the                                Moderately
Product quality refers to a fertiliser’s:   particle size varies largely.                      20-40        compatible (some
                                                                                                            segregation likely)
• mean particle size (represented by        Physical compatibility
  the size guide number - SGN)                                                                Over 40         Incompatible
                                            If blending two fertiliser products,
• range of particle sizes (represented      their compatibility affects their flow
  by the uniformity index - UI)             through a spreader, impacting the            Table 1 The effect of SGN and UI on
• bulk density (BD).                        quality of the spreading and their           physical compatibility

10 /   ballance.co.nz
Animal   Effluent      Plant    Soil

Chemical compatibility                              settings and ability to throw products to                           can optimise spread widths, resulting
Mixing chemically incompatible                      specific spread widths,” says Jim.                                  in more even application and fewer
fertilisers is most likely to pose a health                                                                             passes. Spread testing can demonstrate
                                                    Spread testing determines the CV at                                 product quality, but it is ultimately the
and safety risk, but it can also impact             certain spread widths. For nitrogen the
spreading.                                                                                                              spreader calibration and settings that
                                                    maximum CV is 15 per cent, whereas                                  determine maximum spread width,”
A product’s tendency to attract                     for phosphorus it is 25 per cent. When                              says Jim.
moisture, which is usually associated               looking at spread testing graphs you
with nitrogen-based fertilisers, is the             determine the maximum spread width
most common chemical compatibility                  for that product from that spreader by
issue that can impact spreading.                    looking at where the line intercepts                                      FOR MORE INFORMATION
                                                    the CV.
“For example, avoid blending nitrogen                                                                                   For more information on Ballance
products with superphosphate-based                  “Spread testing has shown that by                                   products and their compatibility,
fertilisers, as the mix can turn into               using uniform products (well granulated                             contact the Ballance Customer
a wet sludge,” says Jim. If used, the               with even particle size), spreaders                                 Service team on 0800 222 090.
sludge clogs spinners in groundspread
machines, and in top-dressing
planes can get stuck in the hoppers
and prevent the fertiliser from being                                               ˜ Truck travels in circles ˜ Truck travels back and forth        Good
discharged, as well as creating a health
and safety risk. Even if a blend is only                                   50
                                                                                     CV at 15%
slightly affected by moisture issues,                                      45     intercepts the
uneven spreading and striping can still                                    40      line at a bout
                                              Coefficient of variation %

occur.                                                                     35      width of 8 m.                                              For nitrogen, the
                                                                                                                                            maximum CV is 15%,
Moisture from rain or humidity causes                                      30                                                              so for a desired spread
fertiliser to deteriorate and storing                                      25                                                                width of 20 m, a CV
                                                                                                                                            over 15% means the
fertiliser products in cool dry conditions                                 20                                                              actual application rate
minimises the chance of any product                                        15                                                                has varied from the
degradation.                                                               10                                                              set application rate by
                                                                                                                                               more than 15%.
                                                                            5
Spreader calibration and
                                                                            0
testing                                                                         5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Like any machinery, regularly
                                                                                                                  Bout width (m)
maintaining, calibrating and testing a
spreader are important for ensuring its
                                                    Figure 1 Example spread testing graph, showing a poor spread pattern. On this
accuracy.
                                                    spreader with the current settings a nitrogen product (CV 15%) will spread to 8 m.
On a well-calibrated spreader, the disc
speed and drop point of the fertiliser
onto the disc is right for the product or
mix being spread (generally based on
                                                                                     ˜ Truck travels in circles ˜ Truck travels back and forth          Good
its bulk density), and the actual and set
application rates are similar.                                             50                                                            CV at 15%
The coefficient of variation (CV) refers to                                45                                                         intercepts the
how much the actual distribution of the                                    40                                                          line at a bout
                                              Coefficient of variation %

fertiliser varies from the desired spread                                                                                                 width of
                                                                           35
                                                                                                                                           23 m.
rate, as set on the spreader. A lower                                      30
CV means a more even spread. “CV                                           25
properties depend on the spreader’s
                                                                           20
design; a poorly designed spreader can
only operate effectively at lower spread                                   15
widths. Testing a spreader with different                                  10
fertiliser types determines the best                                        5
spread width.”                                                              0
                                                                                5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Spread testing helps to calibrate a
spreader and ensure the settings are                                                                              Bout width (m)
correct for a particular product or mix,
and can also help determine how                     Figure 2 Example of a spread testing graph showing a good spread pattern.
far a product or mix can be thrown.                 On this spreader with the current settings a nitrogen product (CV 15%) will
“Spreaders usually have their own                   spread to 23 m.

                                                                                                                                                 Grow North Island / 11
Animal     Effluent     Plant      Soil

S products: side-by-side
What’s the difference between sulphur products, and what are their best uses?
“PhaSedN, PhaSedN Quick Start and Nrich SOA are related fertiliser products, all with sulphur (S)
and nitrogen (N), but they’re best used at slightly different times of the year for different purposes,”
says Ballance Science Extension Officer Josh Verhoek.
The key difference in these products is the S they contain – sulphate S (plant available and can leach),
elemental S (not available to plants and does not leach), or both. We look at them in more detail below to
better understand them.

 What’s in it                             N (SustaiN), S, calcium (small amount, as lime)                                        N, S

 S content                           28.5%                                              17%                                    22%
 (and type)                     (100% elemental S)                        (32% sulphate S, 68% elemental S)               (100% sulphate S)

 N content                             25.3%                                            31.3%                                 19.5%
 (and type)                          (100% urea)                              (85% urea, 15% ammonium)                   (100% ammonium)

                            autumn (March to May) and                     late autumn to end of winter (May         spring (August to November)
 When best
                          early winter in areas with milder              to August) to cover winter and early       to cover high S demand and
 used
                                     conditions                                 spring S and N needs*               typically low supply from soil
 What it does           N gives pasture an immediate boost                           Sulphate S and N give pasture an immediate boost

                                  Fine elemental S particles sit in the soil over winter and are
                                increasingly converted to sulphate S as soil temperatures rise,                                    -
                                               supporting early spring growth

                                          SustaiN helps minimise N volatilisation losses                                           -

 Best for               • low S soils                                                                              • strategic N application to
                        • high rainfall areas at risk of S leaching over winter                                      pastures in early spring

                        • areas high in phosphate but low in S and N                                               • where soil S supply is low
                                                                                                                     enough to limit pasture
                        • effluent blocks requiring tactical S and N                                                 response to N applications
 Dairy farm             • where phosphate isn’t needed, but S availability needs to be increased/                  • in place of straight N
 uses                     maintained                                                                                 products in late winter/
                        • on effluent blocks with a tactical requirement for S and N, but no need for                early spring when pasture
                          potassium                                                                                  demand is high,
                                                                                                                   • on effluent blocks that
                                                                                                                     haven’t had effluent since
                                                                                                                     autumn
 Sheep and              • on hill country where cost of applying phosphate is uneconomic, but                      • on hill country as a pre-
 beef farm                applying S and N (which are constraining pasture production) is economic                   lamb N application, swap
 uses                   • on hill country with low organic S levels (< 8) and with soils with low-                   straight N for N and S for
                          medium anion storage capacity (ASC < 60)                                                   further growth in spring
                                                                                                                   • include with/instead of
                                                                                                                     (if budget constraints)
                                                                                                                     phosphate application
                                                                           on finishing areas on fertile sheep and beef farms to boost pasture
                                            -
                                                                         growth, helping to provide sufficient quality feed to rapidly finish stock
*assuming suitable conditions (mild, no heavy rainfall, not waterlogged, actively growing pasture)

12 /   ballance.co.nz
Animal      Effluent    Plant           Soil

Finish fast with legumes
Legumes can provide quality                        is to apply a very low rate of herbicide
feed at the right time to finish                   (such as Roundup Topping, applying                                Things to watch
                                                   200-250 ml Roundup/ha) just before                                • When establishing clover-
stock fast.                                        grasses start to bolt. The Roundup acts                             only crops, the ideal is a spell
Profitable finishing farms aim to grow             as a plant growth regulator, stopping                               without clover at some point in
stock fast and get them on the truck as            grass seed head development and                                     the cycle to manage nematode
soon as possible, reducing costs and               allowing clovers to flourish.                                       pests. Also a clover-only sward
freeing up feed for other stock classes.            “Suppression is key,” says Murray. “You                            is very attractive to brown
                                                   don’t want to kill anything, just prevent                           beetle/grass grub, which could
“Good feed quality speeds up stock                 brown top and Yorkshire fog seed head                               cause problems on light soil in
growth, but having it available when               emergence. An early November spray                                  subsequent pasture.
needed can be an issue. When the                   can be used to park areas of the farm                             • If mixing the clover with other
spring flush occurs, for example, there            that would normally go rank in the                                  summer herbs like plantain or
may not be enough mouths on farm                   spring flush and have them ready for                                chicory, seek advice to get the
to utilise it,” says Ballance Forage               grazing six to eight weeks later. The                               clover seed rate right. Clovers
Specialist Murray Lane.                            leafy grass will still be there, you’re                             establish slower and are likely
“Of all the ways of improving feed quality,        just preventing a proportion of it from                             to be suppressed, so higher
growing a legume crop – white clover,              seeding, while releasing the legumes.                               clover seed sowing rates may
red clover or lucerne – is potentially the         It’s a great option for areas you’re                                be needed to get good plant
key.” Legumes can provide excellent,               planning to crop the following year as it                           numbers in the sward. Better still
high energy feed in a timely manner                minimises grass weed seed drop.”                                    follow the chicory/plantain crop
for a targeted stock class. Using part of                                                                              with a clover crop.
the farm to grow legumes results in an                                                                               • Clover is more susceptible to
increased stocking on the rest of farm                                                                                 nutrient deficiencies than other
and helps to maintain feed quality.                                                                                    species, so soil test to check
                                                                                                                       and adjust pH and phosphate
In the North Island, mixes of red and                                                                                  levels. Don’t forget to check
white clover have proven successful                                                                                    molybdenum, which is needed
for lamb finishing operations. “Some                                                                                   for nitrogen fixation and is
farmers set up targeted cropping areas                                                                                 often overlooked (see page 20).
as part of a regrassing program. They
spray out runout pastures and establish
summer finishing crops (brassica,                                                                                       FOR MORE INFORMATION
chicory and plantain) followed by one
to two years in a clover mix before re-                                                                           Contact your Ballance Nutrient Specialist.
establishing a perennial pasture. This
means they always have a ‘high quality
finishing block’ on the farm, useful for
                                                                        +400
lamb finishing, and for ewe and hogget
flushing.”                                                              +300
                                              Liveweight gain (g/day)

Growing a legume crop                                                   +200

“Creating a strong area of clover is                                    +100
easier than you might think. With the
                                                                           0
right tools, even undeveloped land can                                                8              9            10             11                 12                13
be quickly converted into good finishing                                -100
country,” says Murray.                                                                                   Energy value of diet (MJME/kg DM)
                                                                        -200
Legume seed can be helicropped –
                                                                        -300
applied with fertiliser from the air to a
                                                                          All dead        50% stem or dead,      Average ryegrass         Mostly clover        Ewe
sprayed out area – ideally after another                                  and stem           little clover    clover growing pasture        pasture            milk
crop (if brassicas check herbicide
withholding periods). “This boosts hill                                    Poor hay     Good                                         Good
                                                                                      quality hay                               quality lucerne
country production and keeps soil on                                                                                                                        Rape
the hills, but be sure to match stock                                                                                                                       Pasja
                                                                                          Baleage/Silage                               Swedes and
class, crop type, crop harvest season                                                                                                    turnips

and terrain.”
                                                   Figure 1 Growth rate changes as feed quality improves. The liveweight gain
Another option for undeveloped land                of a 30 kg lamb and the energy value of the diet.

                                                                                                                                            Grow North Island / 13
Animal     Effluent     Plant   Soil

                        Valuable but variable
                                 Testing soil from the same place, and in similar
                                   conditions each year means better results.

Soil testing provides valuable                and the exact location it’s taken from     can be much higher, and Olsen P
information to help determine what            are far more likely to be behind the       slightly elevated. In dry conditions,
nutrients are required, but variability can   variability. Soil’s a biological system,   microbial activity is much higher
impact the reliability and accuracy of        so it’s highly variable from location to   and plant available nutrients such as
results.                                      location. Furthermore, soil conditions     sulphate sulphur and phosphorus are
                                              such as temperature and moisture levels    released into the soil at a rate faster than
“Soil testing is about optimising             are known to affect soil test results.”    plants can use, elevating levels in the
production and profits. Knowing the                                                      soil. Also during this time soil moisture
level of nutrients in the soil means
                                              Timing (and conditions) are                tends to be low so leaching and plant
you can apply the fertiliser needed to                                                   uptake of nitrate nitrogen reduces,
optimise pasture or crop growth,” says        everything
                                                                                         which can cause it to accumulate in the
Ballance Science Extension Officer            “Taking samples at the same time of
                                                                                         soil and push up mineral nitrogen levels.
Aimee Dawson.                                 year as previous samples, ideally in
                                              similar conditions and not in extreme
Even though soil testing is important,        dry or wet, minimises variability in
trials have indicated that there is           soil test results due to seasonal and
variability in soil test results (see Table                                                   Soil test        Variability (%)
                                              climatic factors, such as moisture and
1). “So an Olsen P result of 20 could         temperature,” says Aimee (see Figure 1).            pH                  2-5
mean, with a potential variability of 20
per cent as seen in the trials, that the      “Recent application of fertiliser and            Calcium               10 - 15
soil’s Olsen P levels could be anywhere       grazing by stock can also affect soil
between 16 and 24,” she says. “This           test results. Ensuring you don’t soil          Potassium               20 - 30
doesn’t mean that soil tests aren’t to be     test within three months of fertiliser
trusted, but that you should ensure that      application and avoid dung and urine           Magnesium               10 - 15
you look at results over multiple years to    patches will reduce test variability.”           Olsen P               15 - 20
determine trends in soil fertility.”
                                              If you test during very dry or wet
                                                                                              Sulphate
But what causes this variability?             conditions there are a few ‘watchouts’                                 20 - 40
                                                                                              sulphur
Laboratory environments and methods           for nutrient levels. Compared to other
are strictly controlled, so are only likely   times of the year, during drought or
to play a small part. “The conditions         summer dry soil conditions sulphate        Table 1 Typical variability in laboratory
under which a soil test sample’s taken        sulphur and potassium soil test results    soil tests¹

14 /   ballance.co.nz
Animal       Effluent   Plant       Soil

                                                                        5.5
Temperature can affect soil pH, with pH
dropping by up to 0.2 units in warm soil
conditions due to microbes releasing                                    5.4
organic acid and plant roots growing.

                                                     pH
Wet winter conditions can also affect
                                                                        5.3
test results, with pH increasing slightly
due to reduced microbial activity and
plant growth. In soils that leach easily,
significant rain events can lower
sulphate sulphur. In soils with low cation                              35
exchange capacity such as coarse or
sandy soils, potassium can also leach,
reducing its soil test value. Phosphorus,            Phosphorus         30
however, is not affected as it does not
readily leach in most soils.
                                                                        25
In the spring and autumn flush, rapid
nutrient uptake by plants can cause
phosphorus, potassium and sulphate
sulphur levels to be temporarily
                                                                        25
depleted.
                                                     Sulphate sulphur

"The best timing for testing is spring or                               20
autumn, when soil’s not too wet or dry.
Also this is when pasture and crops are                                 15
actively growing so results will better
reflect the nutrient levels available to                                10
growing plants."
                                                                         5
Location, location, location
Setting up soil testing transects (lines
along which samples are collected) and                                  14
taking samples from the same transects                                  13
                                                     Magnesium

in subsequent years also helps to tackle                                12
variability in test results.                                            11
“When you initially set up the transects,                               10
make sure you mark them on a map                                         9
or with painted pegs, or take GPS
coordinates so you can use them again,”
says Aimee.                                                             10
                                                                         9
“One-off soil tests can be useful but
they can also be misleading; the full                                    8
                                                     Potassium

value comes from soil testing over                                       7
several years, so you can identify
trends in the soil’s nutrient status over                                6
time, and then adjust fertiliser inputs                                  5
accordingly.”

      FOR MORE INFORMATION
See Hill Laboratories Technical Notes                                    4
Seasonal and environmental effects on
                                                     Calcium

                                                                         3
soil tests and Soil test variability or talk
to your Ballance Nutrient Specialist.                                    2

                                                                         1
¹ Edmeades, DC, Cornforth IS, Wheeler DM 1985.
  NZ Fertiliser Journal.                                                      J   F   M   A   M     J      J        A        S     O       N          D
² Edmeades DC, Cornforth IS, Wheeler DM.                                                          Month of year
  Occasional article: Getting maximum benefit
  from soil testing. Ruakura Soil & Plant Research   Figure 1 Soil test variability by month in a single paddock of a high producing dairy
  Station, Hamilton                                  farm from a MAF study on a Taupō soil²

                                                                                                                            Grow North Island / 15
Animal     Effluent     Plant   Soil

Recovering
from drought

Nitrogen (N) helps pasture                     The research, commissioned by             conditions, or PhasedN, containing
bounce back after a drought.                   Ballance and independently performed      SustaiN and sulphur.
                                               and reported on, was on drought-
                                               affected land in the Bay of Plenty and    Drought followed by rain (or moist
Getting pasture back on track after
                                               Hawke’s Bay, and indicated that any N     overcast days) is when the risk of
drought is crucial for animal production
                                               not immediately used is not lost, and     nitrate poisoning is greatest, but certain
and profit, as well as ongoing pasture
                                               produces a pasture response when          practices can reduce the risk. “Avoid
persistence.
                                               more rain arrives.                        grazing within three weeks of applying
Drought causes many spring tillers to                                                    N, or minimise intake one to two weeks
die or become stressed, and summer                                                       after drought-breaking rain. If stock
tillers do not emerge. “Supporting                                                       must be put on high risk pastures,
autumn tillering is important to prevent                                                 the risks of nitrate poisoning can be
pastures thinning out over winter and                                                    reduced by limiting access overnight
becoming vulnerable to weed invasion.                                                    and in the morning, when nitrate levels
This could reduce production and start a                                                 are highest, feeding well on low nitrate
cycle of decline,” says Ballance Science                                                 feeds such as straw hay or silage before
Extension Officer Joshua Verhoek.                                                        grazing, and stocking lightly to avoid
                                                                                         hard grazing, as the lower parts of
“Drought doesn’t affect all pastures                                                     stems have the highest nitrate levels.
equally, so they’ll need to be treated                                                   These measures will protect recovering
differently when the drought breaks.”                                                    pastures as well as stock.”
Pastures dominated by productive
species, with plants still alive or the                                                  “While applying N to dry ground is not
crown of the plant at ground level,                                                      ideal, if it’s your only opportunity, it will
recover well with support. Those with                                                    not leach but a small percentage could
weeds and large bare patches need                                                        still be lost through volatilisation, and
regrassing.                                    “So the current recommendation is to      using SustaiN minimises this loss.”

“While it’s traditionally been advised to      apply N fertiliser to any live pasture    “Regrassing will be needed for pasture
wait until pasture begins to recover from      as soon as the first drought-breaking     that’s beyond recovery. Assuming your
drought before applying N fertiliser,          rains fall, so you’re not missing any     base fertility is fine, you’ll need DAP
more recent research suggests that N           opportunity for growth in this critical   or a similar starter product to drill with
applied after the first significant rains      period.” SustaiN, which does not need     seed, followed by post-emergence N,
produces a similar pasture response to         5 to 10 mm of rain within eight hours     provided growing conditions are good.”
deferring it until further rain has fallen,”   of application to reduce volatilisation
says Josh.                                     losses, is an ideal N option for such

16 /   ballance.co.nz
Animal   Effluent   Plant    Soil

Sustainability snaphot
We talk to Ballance National                 job, and how other areas can be helped         be heavily involved in the Ballance Farm
                                             to perform better.                             Environment Awards judging process,
Farm Sustainability Services
                                                                                            and their wide range of voluntary work
Manager Claire Bekhuis about                 The team have also been working                to support good management practices
her team’s work.                             alongside farmers and growers to               within the industry.
                                             support them to farm within limits while
                                             maintaining profitability. We provide          With a continuously changing policy
What has the Farm                            sound advice and use expert tools to           environment, the team are focused on
Sustainability Services team                 inform decision making. We’re expert           being ahead of the change, upskilling
been working on recently?                    users of tools such as OverseerFM and          with the latest science to ensure they
                                             MitAgator, and come with strong farm           can remove a lot of the stress from
There’s been a flurry of interest in our     systems knowledge and a practical              farmers in this space and support them
new MitAgator services (see page 19)         attitude to farming within limits.             to farm into the future. Some of the team
which started in 2019. We’ve produced                                                       have completed the latest Massey GHG
risk maps for a number of farmers,
                                             What does your team do to                      course to support farmers with queries
bringing their critical source areas                                                        on the Zero Carbon Bill.
for nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment           ensure farmers get the best
and E. coli to life and deepening their      possible advice?
                                                                                            How many people are in the
understanding of their farming systems,      We collaborate across a wide range of
ultimately supporting better decision        industries, working with stakeholders
                                                                                            Farm Sustainability team and
making. The team have also been              such as milk companies, industry               where are they based?
using MitAgator to run mitigation            bodies and working groups, regional            The team’s nationally based, with 18
scenarios and complete farm                  councils, consultants, real estate agents,     staff. In the last four years we’ve grown
environment plans. Helping land hold         irrigation schemes, catchment groups           to meet demand from the regions,
on to nutrients is vital for keeping it      and banks throughout New Zealand,              and now have a presence in Otago,
healthy and productive for the long haul,    so we can provide the best advice to           Canterbury, Hawke's Bay/Manawatu,
and MitAgator removes the guesswork          farmers in the regions.                        Bay of Plenty and Waikato. We plan
and gives sound insights into a farm’s                                                      to extend our team into Southland to
strengths and weaknesses, identifying        I’m exceptionally proud of the team’s          support our shareholders with the Land
which soil is well equipped to do the        passion and drive that have led them to        and Water plan.

          Consultation              Understanding regulatory             Nutrient budgets                Produce risk maps
                                          framework

        Ongoing support                Risk and opportunity          Farm environment plans          Run mitigation scenarios
                                        recommendations

     FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact the Ballance Farm Sustainability Services team to discuss how they can help
support your farming business on 0800 222 090 or farm.sustainability@ballance.co.nz

                                                                                                                 Grow North Island / 17
Animal     Effluent     Plant   Soil

A vehicle for action
Farm environment plans are a                 “A farm plan’s purpose will be guided       over time as actions are implemented
                                            by issues within the farm and as well        or new risks and challenges emerge.
useful tool for making moves in
                                            as any catchment-wide issues, such           They become a vehicle to show
the right direction on farm.                as sediment management. So while             environmental improvements over
                                            they’re specific to each property, all       time, and can be provided to milk or
Farm environment plans are good
                                            farms within a catchment can address a       meat companies you supply, as well as
business practice and a way of
                                            common risk in their farm environment        environmental regulators,” he says.
demonstrating and guiding increasing
                                            plans,” says Jim.
sustainability on farm.
                                            Creating a farm plan involves an                 FOR MORE INFORMATION
Farm plans could also become
                                            individualised risk assessment followed
compulsory across New Zealand as                                                         • Find out how the Ballance
                                            by the development of an action plan to
part of the Government’s proposed                                                          Farm Sustainability Services
                                            reduce the risk. “It’s possible to develop
freshwater management reforms.                                                             team can help you to create a farm
                                            your own farm plan or you can use a
                                                                                           environment plan on 0800 222 090
“In some parts of the country, farms        certified farm planner, but in some places
                                                                                           or farm.sustainability@ballance.co.nz
meeting certain criteria (for example,      if you make your own plan it must be
over a set size) are already required by    signed off by a certified planner.”          • See page 23 for Ballance’s
regulation to have a farm plan, or may                                                     submission on the proposed
                                            “MitAgator (see page 19) is an excellent
need to do so in the near future,” says                                                    freshwater management reforms.
                                            first step in getting your farm plan
Ballance Nutrient Dynamics Specialist
                                            underway,” says Jim. The risks and
Jim Risk.
                                            mitigations identified by MitAgator can
“The beauty of farm plans is their          be used to produce a list of prioritised,
recognition of the uniqueness of each       time bound actions, displayed spatially
farming system and farm landscape,          on a map of the farm (see Figure 1).
giving farmers the freedom to
                                            “A farm plan’s a living document that
implement management practices and
                                            can be reviewed annually to see what’s
mitigations that best suit their farm.
                                            been achieved, what needs to be done
They also identify key actions already in
                                            in the future and if anything’s changed
place to address risks, such as riparian
                                            that may impact future planning. The
management, and prioritise future
                                            plan can be added to and changed
actions.”

                                                                                            A farm environment plan reflects
                                                                                            the environmental risks and
                                                                                            opportunities a farm faces and
                                                                                            sets out how soil, water and
                                                                                            nutrients will be sustainably
                                                                                            managed. They can also be multi-
                                                                                            purpose, integrating other areas
                                                                                            such as biodiversity, biosecurity,
                                                                                            winter grazing, waste and
                                                                                            greenhouse gases. They always
                                                                                            include:
                                                                                            • Risks on farm – current
                                                                                              and potential losses of the
                                                                                              four key contaminants to
                                                                                              water (nitrogen, phosphorus,
                                                                                              sediment and E. coli)
                                                                                            • Actions – current mitigations
                                                                                              and prioritised planned
                                                                                              mitigations to reduce the risks
                                                                                            • Timelines – when good
                                                                                              management practices and
Figure 1 MitAgator action map for Why-One Farms. Actions are numbered
                                                                                              mitigations will be implemented
and their colour indicates the level of risk being addressed (pink=high risk,
green=medium risk, blue=low risk).

18 /   ballance.co.nz
Animal                                    Effluent                          Plant   Soil

MitAgator                                   cost-effectiveness, so Darryl could
                                            see which mitigations had the best
                                            bang for buck,” she says. “As a result
                                                                                         understanding of sediment loss risks,
                                                                                         highlighting the role of slope and soil
                                                                                         type in sediment loss. As a result, a

at work                                     of MitAgator analysis, he’s creating a
                                            wetland to further reduce N losses, with
                                            MitAgator showing it would reduce the
                                                                                         structure will be installed to serve as a
                                                                                         sediment trap.

                                            farm’s overall N loss by around 9 per        An E. coli risk map highlighted areas
A powerful new tool is helping                                                           with greatest risk of E. coli loss,
                                            cent.”
a farmer on his journey towards                                                          particularly unfenced streams and
greater sustainability while                MitAgator’s identification of the critical   drains allowing stock access. “This
                                            source areas for P loss (Figure 2)           showed the benefit of fencing off these
remaining profitable.                       helped Darryl understand the key             areas. Small drains are now fenced off
Second generation Te Puke dairy             drivers of P loss such as soils and          and planted on the northern side, also
farmer Darryl Jensen wanted to              slope and the effect it was having on        providing shading, and the farm’s main
better understand and reduce the            farm, especially in the steeper areas        drain is fenced off, reducing E. coli loss
environmental impact of his farming         With above optimal Olsen P levels in         risk from high to low within this area of
practices on the property his father        some areas, Darryl is working with.          the farm,” says Hannah.
purchased in 1958. This led him to          Ballance Nutrient Specialist Dan Griffin
                                            to plan all paddock soil tests, so future    Summing up, Darryl says: “It was a lot of
Ballance’s MitAgator service, one of                                                     information to digest but in my opinion
many steps taken towards a more             P applications can be more strategic,
                                            optimising Olsen P levels and reducing       it has made the path forward clearer
sustainable and profitable farming                                                       in helping me understand my on-farm
operation.                                  loss from above optimal soil test
                                            levels. The P risk map also highlighted      issues.”
 “What’s in front of our farming            a critical source area from which P
community is daunting in the way of         lost in runoff could enter a stream               FOR MORE INFORMATION
environmental compliance. Farmers           running through the farm. This could be
need as many tools as possible in their     reduced by further appropriate riparian      Visit ballance.co.nz/mitAgator. To find
toolbox to help them understand and         management.                                  out more about the MitAgator service
put actions in place so they can farm                                                    phone 0800 222 080 or email farm.
in a sustainable, profitable, practicable   A sediment risk map enabled a better         sustainability@ballance.co.nz.
way. MitAgator is one of those tools,”
says Darryl.
                                                       Risk map - Nitrogen
                                                                  Risk map - Nitrogen

MitAgator, cutting-edge software,                                                             Risk map Classification: Natural breaks
                                                                                                        Risk map Classification: Natural breaks
                                                                                              Load Loss (kg/ha/yr.)

spatially identifies critical source                                                                    Load Loss (kg/ha/yr.)

areas of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P),
sediment and E. coli losses on farm and
then finds the best mitigation options to
reduce losses.
Darryl teamed up with Ballance Farm                                                                     Definition - Natural breaks groups similar values and

Sustainability Services Specialist
                                                                                              Definition
                                                                                                    best -maximizes
                                                                                                           Natural breaks   groups similar
                                                                                                                     the differences       values
                                                                                                                                     between      and
                                                                                                                                             classes.
                                                                                              best maximizes the differences between classes.
                                                                                                           Total loss (kg/yr.)                Total loss rate (kg/ha/yr.)

Hannah Stewart and used MitAgator
                                                                                                         4,299.00
                                                                                                  Total loss  (kg/yr.)                     38.51
                                                                                                                                       Total  loss rate (kg/ha/yr.)
                                                                                                  4,299.00
                                                                                                           The high nitrogen (N) risk 38.51
                                                                                                                                       areas on the farm map are illustrated
                                                                                                              by the dark and light pink on the map. The high N risk area on farm
                                                                                                    The high nitrogen (N) risk areas on the farm map are illustrated
                                                                                                            contributes to 16.73% of the total N load. The high N risk ranges
                                                                                                     by the dark and light pink on the map. The high N risk area on farm

to produce risk maps, identifying areas
                                                                                                            from 42.08 – 52.18 kg N/ha/yr.

                                                                                                                                                                                         Figure 1
                                                                                                     contributesoto 16.73%
                                                                                                                     The highofN the
                                                                                                                                 risk total N load. The
                                                                                                                                      area displayed         high
                                                                                                                                                         on the   N is
                                                                                                                                                                map  risk
                                                                                                                                                                        theranges
                                                                                                                                                                            Lucerne
                                                                                                     from 42.08 – 52.18    kg N/ha/yr.
                                                                                                                     paddocks.   It also includes the effluent area located on
                                                                                                          o The high theN  risk area
                                                                                                                         Pukeroa      displayed
                                                                                                                                   sandy           on the map is the Lucerne
                                                                                                                                          loam soil.

of greatest risk for contaminant losses
                                                                                                               paddocks. It also includes the effluent area located on

                                                                                                                                                                                         MitAgator
                                                                                                           Thethe Pukeroa
                                                                                                                 medium  risksandy
                                                                                                                              area onloam   soil. is illustrated by the green area
                                                                                                                                       the farm
                                                                                                              on the map. The medium risk area contributes to 21.28% of total
                                                                                                           N loss.risk area on the farm is illustrated by the green area
                                                                                                     The medium
                                                                                                     on the map.o The This area is risk
                                                                                                                                   made   up of the effluentto
                                                                                                                                                             block containing the

on the farm, showing the relative risk of
                                                                                                                        medium          area contributes       21.28%  of total

                                                                                                                                                                                         nitrogen risk
                                                                                                     N loss.          Paengaroa sandy loam soil and the Rest of farm
                                                                                                                      containing      the    Pukeroa      sandy     loam     soil.
                                                                                                          o This area is made up of the effluent block containing the
                                                                                                              Paengaroa sandy loam soil and the Rest of farm
                                                                                                           The low risk areas on the farm are illustrated by the light and dark

loss within the property and prioritising
                                                                                                              containing       the      Pukeroa       sandy      loam      soil.
                                                                                                              blue areas on the map. This contributes to 61.99% of total N

                                                                                                                                                                                         map for Why-
                                                                                                              losses on farm.
                                                                                                    The low risko areas
                                                                                                                      Theon     the blue
                                                                                                                             light  farm on
                                                                                                                                          are the
                                                                                                                                              illustrated  by the lightthe
                                                                                                                                                   map represents       andeffluent
                                                                                                                                                                             dark
                                                                                                     blue areas on Raparapahoe
                                                                                                                      the map. Thissiltcontributes
                                                                                                                                             loam soil to   61.99%
                                                                                                                                                          and         of total
                                                                                                                                                                the rest        N
                                                                                                                                                                           of farm

areas for mitigations.
                                                                                                     losses on farm.Paengaroa sandy loam soil.

                                                                                                                                                                                         One Farms.
                                                                                                         o The   o light     blueblue
                                                                                                                      The dark       on represents
                                                                                                                                         the map the represents
                                                                                                                                                        rest of farmthe  effluent
                                                                                                                                                                      Raparapahoe
                                                                                                                      silt loam soil
                                                                                                              Raparapahoe          silt loam soil and the rest of farm
                                                                                                              Paengaroa sandy loam soil.
                                                                                                         o The dark blue represents the rest of farm Raparapahoe         Page 11 of 39
                                                                                                              silt loam soil

“MitAgator’s ability to spatially display             Risk map - Phosphorus
                                                                 Risk map - Phosphorus
                                                                                                                                                                     Page 11 of 39

the critical source areas for N loss
                                                                                              Risk map Classification: Natural breaks
                                                                                                      Risk map Classification: Natural breaks
                                                                                              Load Loss (kg/ha/yr.)

(Figure 1) allowed the losses to be
                                                                                                      Load Loss (kg/ha/yr.)

relatable to the property, showing
their location and providing an
understanding of the background
drivers, such as soils vulnerable to
leaching. This helped Darryl identify key
areas to target such as the effluent area                                                             Definition - Natural breaks groups similar values and
                                                                                              Definition - Natural breaks
                                                                                                   best maximizes           groups similar
                                                                                                                    the differences betweenvalues and
                                                                                                                                            classes.
                                                                                              best maximizes the differences between classes.

where reduced applications, only during                                                                 Total loss (kg/yr.)
                                                                                               Total500.00
                                                                                                     loss (kg/yr.)
                                                                                                                                             Total loss rate (kg/ha/yr.)
                                                                                                                                         Total loss rate (kg/ha/yr.)
                                                                                                                                            4.48
                                                                                               500.00                                    4.48
                                                                                                                                                                                         Figure 2
low risk periods, will better manage N
                                                                                                            Phosphate loss risk reflects the management
                                                                                                             practices influenced by soil and slope on a
                                                                                                    Phosphate loss risk reflects the management
                                                                                                          management block.

                                                                                                                                                                                         MitAgator
                                                                                                     practices influenced by soil and slope on a
                                                                                                     management
                                                                                                       The high P  block.
                                                                                                                      risk areas on the farm are illustrated by

loss,” says Hannah.
                                                                                                             the darker pink and pinks areas on the map. The
                                                                                                    The high
                                                                                                           highPP risk
                                                                                                                  areasareas on thetofarm
                                                                                                                         contribute        areof
                                                                                                                                       60.08%  illustrated   by
                                                                                                                                                  total P load

                                                                                                                                                                                         phosphorus
                                                                                                     the darker  pink
                                                                                                           and are     andaround
                                                                                                                    found  pinks the
                                                                                                                                  areas  on the
                                                                                                                                      steeper    map.
                                                                                                                                              parts     The
                                                                                                                                                     of the
                                                                                                     high Pfarm.
                                                                                                             areas contribute to 60.08% of total P load
                                                                                                     and are found around the steeper parts of the
                                                                                                        The medium risk area is illustrated by the green on
                                                                                                     farm.
                                                                                                             the map. The medium risk area contributes to

“MitAgator provided a number of                                                                                                                                                          risk map for
                                                                                                         13.39% of
                                                                                                     The medium     total
                                                                                                                  risk    P load.
                                                                                                                       area  is illustrated by the green on
                                                                                                     the map. The medium risk area contributes to
                                                                                                        The lower risk areas are illustrated by the light and
                                                                                                     13.39% of total P load.
                                                                                                             dark blue. This contributes to 26.53% of total P

mitigations to reduce nutrient losses,                                                                                                                                                   Why-One
                                                                                                             load.
                                                                                                    The lower risk areas are illustrated by the light and
                                                                                                     dark
                                                                                                        blue.
                                                                                                           SomeThis    contributes
                                                                                                                  of the             to 26.53%
                                                                                                                         drivers behind          of total
                                                                                                                                         high P loss      P
                                                                                                                                                     can be
                                                                                                     load. attributed to soil type, drainage class of soil,
                                                                                                             effluent application, P fertiliser and Olsen P levels.

and prioritised them by efficiency and                                                                                                                                                   Farms.
                                                                                                    Some of the drivers behind high P loss can be
                                                                                                     attributed to soil type, drainage class of soil,
                                                                                                     effluent application, P fertiliser and Olsen P levels.
                                                                                                                                                                      Page 12 of 39

                                                                                                                                                                     Page 12 of 39

                                                                                                                                                                       Grow North Island / 19
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