Wales Farmer 10 ADVERTISEMENT JANUARY 2014


SOIL CARBON HOLDS THE KEY TO MAXUIMUM OUTPUT FROM GRASS


“AddingSlurryBugs to farm slurry has been provedproventoreduce lossof carbon during storage.Research carried at Lancaster Universitycom- paring slurry treatedwithSlurryBugs with untreatedslurry, showedcarbon emissions from slurry treatedwith SlurryBugs were reducedby67% after five weekscomparedwithuntreated slurry wherecarbonemissions in- creasedby37%.


Intensiveagriculture has undoubtedlytaken itstollonsoil.


Degradationoffarmsoils has left them eroded,sufferingmore prone compaction andcontainingless organic matter.And it’s thereduction in theamountoforganic matter con- tained in today’ssoils that’s causing acarbonshortfall –and in turn that means poorerquality soil that’s lessfertile.


“And so it costs more to getfull pro- ductivityfrom thesoilwhether for grassorfor cropping,” says leading soil scientist Dr Fernander Aller nowheadingsoilresearchwith Envirosystems.


The Environment Agency estimatessoilerosioniscosting farmers£82M ayearbecause of lost productivitycausedbylower levels of organic matter.


“Carbonisthe most important elementofsoiland thekey componentfor soil structureby providingenergyfor biological processes, providingnutrients for plants andother formsoflifeand for improving thesoil’sphysical proper- ties such as waterretention,” says Dr Aller whohas been involvedin soil research at Lancaster University.


“Thereduction in carbon emissions from thetreated slurry means more carbon is beingretained.


When this wasmeasureditshowed therewas a300% increase in thedis- solvedcarbonpresent in theslurry treatedwithSlurryBugs but in the untreatedslurrythe dissolvedcarbon hadreducedby19%.”


These initial results, in conjunc- tion with previousresearchshowing slurry treatedwithSlurryBugs also enhanced itsnutrientvalue,makes slurry treatmentanessential tool in combatingreducedsoilfertilityand improving soil organic matter. SlurryBugs also promotes more com- petitive andsustainableagriculture by reducingthe inputsofmineral fertiliser andincreasingthe valueof farm waste.


Formore information on SlurryBugs visitthe website www.slurrybugs.co.ukorspeak to amemberofthe Envirosystems advisory team on 01772 860085 who’ll be happytoassistwithyour


slurry management plans.


SOMERSET FARMRELIESONOPTIMIZE CEREALS ADDTIVE FOR STABLE MAIZE SILAGE


Somerset dairyfarmerNickPocock will be takingnochances with his maize silage this year.Already a committed user of Optimize additive on thegrass silage he makesfor his 390-cowflying herd StringstonFarm, Stringston, Bridgwater, forthe last twoyears he’s used Optimize Cereals additive on hismaize –and he’s been so pleasedwiththe resultsthathe’ll be usingitagain this year on an even bigger maize acreage.


“WeusedOptimize Cerealsonthe maize crop last year aftergetting some reallygood resultsusingOptimize on thegrass silage forthe last four years. We have to cart ourmaize silage every otherday from onefarmtothe farm wherethe cows arekeptand theaddi- tive has done agreat jobinkeeping it stable–bothinthe clampand when we have to move it priortofeeding,” says Nick.


NATIONAL SOILS CONFERENCE HERALDSNEWAGENDA FOR IMPROVING SOILQUALITY


Nick Pocock -Stringstonfarm


“There’sbeennoheating andvery limitedwaste on topofthe clamp. We’vehad such good resultsusing Optimize on thegrass silage that we decidedtotry it on themaize.It’s been very impressive on both crops.”


The maize acreage at StringstonFarm is beingincreased this year to around 170 acres with theintention of feed- inga50:50 grass/maize silage as the base forthe herd’s TMRdiet. The herd average is around 10,000 litres. To discuss howOptimize Cerealscan benefit your maize silage call Envirosystems on 01772 860085


For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk www.envirosystems.co.uk |find us on


optimize cereals


As agriculture starts to re-focus its efforts to make themostefficientuse of itsnaturalresources, Envirosystems is proudtobethe main sponsors of amajor newconference-“Soil –the Hidden Resource”–beingorganised by theRoyal Association of British DairyFarmers andthe British Grass- land Society.


The conference,tobeheldat Stoneleigh, WarwickshireonOctober 22nd, will enablefarmers to under- standthe true valueofsoiland how newapproaches to management hold thekey to profitableand sustainable agriculturalsystems.


The conference will provide aline-up of soil experts –from theUK, Europe andNew Zealand–aswellashearing from UK farmerswho recognise the importance of managing thesoilina waythatbenefits their businessand helps them farm more economically andmore profitably.


Formore details of theconference “Soil–TheHidden Resource”–at Stoneleigh, WarwickshireonOctober 22nd2013 visitrabdf.co.ukor bgs.co.ukorbritishgrassland.com


envirosystemsukltd


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