An overhaul of pasture management which broke away from relying on superphosphate to lift soil fertility has combined with a crossbreeding program to boost milk yields for Mid North Coast dairy farmers, Bev and Max Saul.
The Macksville couple have lifted production while slashing input costs and significantly reducing their workload.
The Sauls run the 160-hectare “Riverbend Dairies” west of Macksville, milking 140 cows to supply almost a million litres a year to frozen and powdered dairy products manufacturer, Richmond Dairies, in Casino.
During the past three years Mr Saul has replaced heavy superphosphate use on 52ha of March-planted ryegrass and clover with a biological approach to improving soil fertility.
The main components have been a formulae of fungi and bacteria which inoculate the soil with biology and a mix of calcium, magnesium and phosphate which has been treated at high temperatures to fuse the minerals.
Full story in The Land January 28.
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