Easing the Pressure at Home

 

Easing the Pressure at Home

Peter Burton
11th July 2010


One of the most notable benefits from the DoloZest and CalciZest based soil nutrient programmes is the reduction in mud and pasture damage during winter.

The ability to stand heavy animals on pasture during periods of heavy rain with little soil damage is due to steadily improving physical soil structures resulting from regular applications.

Biologically active soils with high worm numbers have spaces large enough for water to percolate rapidly downwards.  Conversely soils lacking active beneficial biology lose macro pore space due to pressure from animals’ feet, are slow to drain and become anaerobic.

Anaerobic soils become mottled.  A careful dig with a spade will provide a great deal of useful information, with orange and particularly grey mottle obvious.  These soils will also have a sour smell.

 Almost all beneficial soil life breathes air so a reduction in air reduces beneficial biology slowing the cycling of nutrient and pasture growth.  A recently dug portion of a well aerated biologically active soil has a fresh earthy wholesome smell.

Some soils develop a compaction layer at approx. 10cm.  Sandy soils that are expected to drain can often develop a pan at the point where topsoil and subsoil meet.  Once this is broken the soil below is often friable and free draining.

Other soils may develop a pan at a somewhat deeper level,  where tightly packed layers do not allow water to penetrate easily, the soil above may become water logged resulting in a marked reduction in pasture growth. 

Compaction is not a necessary consequence of wintering behind wires.  Compaction results from the inability of a soil to recover from considerable downward pressure.  By definition a healthy soil has the ability to regain its structure soon after stock are removed.

A small amount of scuffing, or hoof cultivation introduces air, along with surface litter. Dung and urine are also incorporated resulting in a rapid increase in biological activity and diversity.  Provided scuffing occurs for only a short period and there is sufficient recovery time before stock are reintroduced the result is beneficial.

A soil aerator may be used to relieve compaction however physical aeration seldom addresses the reasons for soil compacting in the first instance.  The reason for most chronic compaction is a lack of biological activity due to the soil environment being unsuitable for beneficial biology, particularly earthworms.

Earthworms thrive on regular inputs of calcium with regular being more important than the rate.  DoloZest contains dolomite, a soil conditioner in its own right, as well as soft carbon inoculated with a wide range of beneficial soil fungi and bacteria.

Dolomite contains both calcium and magnesium, and in combination with soil friendly microbes an improvement in physical soil structures occurs soon after application.  DoloZest contains 15% calcium and 7% magnesium and an application of between 350 – 400kg/ha prior to calving also markedly reduces both the number and severity of calcium/magnesium related metabolic disorders.

 For more information and price delivered to property contact 0800 843 809