It's OK to Look!

It's OK to Look!

Peter Burton
17th November 2009

Farmers that increased cow numbers this season are now lamenting the fact that this was not the season to have done so, and they are right.

Spring growth has been markedly less than usual and there is insufficient time in November to make up the shortfall.

In discussion the comment has been made that the decision to milk more cows this season went against their ‘better judgement” but advice had been received from various sources that more cow days in milk prior to Christmas was desirable.

Perhaps the key part of that discussion is the part about “better judgement”. There are farmers who year after year feed their cows well, have MT rates of about 5%, and enjoy a healthy profit regardless of payout.

These farmers are outstanding observers and back their “better judgement” or gut feel. Supplement invariably gets harvested at just the right time, and management decisions result in desired outcomes.

These people are not born with an in-depth understanding of seasonal patterns and farming nous. Their knowledge has been developed over years of careful, often subconscious, observation. The ability to sort information and make sound decisions develops over time.

The key is backing ones own judgement or gut feel. Often because a feeling can’t be easily verbalised it is not acted upon, however decisions based on intuition are invariably correct.

That does not mean that empirical measures are unimportant. All measures are important however most only measure the impacts of past events, particularly the impact of weather.

Animals predict major weather changes. Feed demand often changes up to three days prior to a marked deterioration in weather and practised observers note this and act accordingly. It may well be that we have the same ability should we wish to develop it.

The development of CalciZest and DoloZest has been based on over twenty years of careful observation, followed by over five years of repeated on farm measures.

Now into the sixth year of product sales, the following are some of the observations regarded as common to all properties where these products have been regularly applied.

Pastures become increasingly dense with very few patches of bare soil.
Plants grow equally as strongly away from troughs and gateways as they do close.
Clover content of pasture steadily increases with out-of-season growth often surprising.
Changes in pasture growth rates become more gradual.
Animals become increasingly content and spend more time sitting and ruminating.
Well-fed animals after giving birth gain weight rather than losing it.
Dung patches are rapidly reincorporated back into the soil.

It’s human nature to take an interest in other properties however putting regular time aside to just walk, sit, and observe own our patch is the best investment we can make.