NMP Quotes (Mainly Volcanic soils)

Summary Page Input Spiel Fertiliser inputs are based on the attached fertiliser recommendation for the 2012 year. Goal Spiel To improve production while using nutrients efficiently, so as to maximise profitability whilst minimising effects on the environment. Business Spiel To operate an efficient and well organized business. To adopt technologies and practices that reduce labor requirements or make the work environment more satisfying. Fertility Spiel Soil fertility is pretty good with most areas within or above the optimum recommended levels for maximum production on this soil type. Soil fertility is pretty good with most areas within or above the optimum recommended levels for maximum production on this soil type. Last tests were done in year so these levels may not be a true indication of current fertility. Soil fertility is pretty good with most areas within or above the optimum recommended nutrient levels on this soil type. In order to increase production some of these levels will need to be increased to make sure near maximum response to that particular nutrient is being achieved. Overall soil fertility is below optimum levels but has been trending up in recent times. New tests need to be done to get current indication and ensure the trend continues until optimums are reached. Overall soil fertility is generally below optimum levels. New tests need to be done to get current indication of fertility levels and ensure that the right nutrients are being used to reach the optimum ranges. Soil fertility is excellent across the whole property with most areas above the optimum recommended levels for maximum production on this soil type. There is no economic advantage from increasing nutrient levels above the recommended optimums, and potential exists for saving money by applying less than maintenance fertiliser dressings at controlled rates. pH levels are also satisfactory and lime is not recommended at this time. MITIGATION IF NO EFFLUENT Installing an effluent irrigation system would reduce the rate of both N and P leaching. If it was set up to cover around 1/6th of the farm, this application could also be enough to cover the K requirements for that area of the farm, under the current farming system. It would also apply N at a high rate and approximately

half the P requirements, representing considerable fertilizer cost savings. Established effluent areas often require only a small P top up every year.

Spiel for no Herbage tests. No current herbage tests available. I recommend taking mixed pasture samples in the Autumn and Spring 2011/2012 to update these records. Before making a comprehensive recommendation for trace elements herbage samples are necessary to determine current trace element status for pasture and animal health requirements. Where deficiencies are identified it can be determined which supplementation option would be best, either broadcast onto pasture or deliver directly to the animal with Dairy Cow Minerals.

TRC Speel The Taranaki Regional Council has specified the following policies: Discharge of fertiliser onto or into land: Fertiliser to be used is approved for use under section 5 of the Fertiliser Act 1960 or under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997; (all Ravensdown fertilisers are approved) Discharger shall at all times adopt the best practicable option to prevent or minimize any adverse effects of fertiliser drift beyond the boundary of the target property or on other non-target areas within the boundary of the property. If discharge is by any other method than aerial application, discharge shall not occur directly on or above a river, lake, wetland or other surface water body, including any drain which is discharging to a surface water body; or If discharge is by aerial application, fertiliser shall be applied in a manner which does not cause or is not likely to cause an adverse effect from deposition into a river, lake, wetland or other surface water body, including any drain which discharges to a surface water body.

Effluent: The application of effluent must be at least 25 meters from the nearest surface water; Effluent must be applied in a manner that prevents or minimises any adverse effects on the environment; The rate of effluent application must not exceed 200kg N/ha/year. The discharge shall not result or be liable to result in any contaminant entering surface water; Discharge shall not occur within 50m of any bore, well or spring used for water supply; Horizons Regional Council has specified the following policies: The rate of effluent application must not exceed 150kg N/ha/12 month period and shall not exceed 50kg N/ha in any 24 hour period.

When applying effluent there must be a buffer zone of 20 metres between the area of application and any water body, public road, residence or neighbouring property. The council may exercise control of the method and rate of application, the location of application and the timing of the application.

PHOSPHATE AND NITROGEN LOSS Overall phosphate losses on the dairy block are considered high for a NZ dairy farm. The overall P loss figure refers to the discharge of P from the effluent ponds. This single point source discharge is sufficient to give a higher P loss figure for the whole property. Other factors such as rainfall, soil type, contour etc also contribute to these losses. Returning effluent to the paddock will help mitigate nutrient loss issues and reduce fertiliser demand.

Soil fertility quotes Soil fertility is excellent across the whole property with most areas above the optimum recommended levels for maximum production on this soil type. There is no economic advantage from increasing nutrient levels above the recommended optimums, and potential exists for saving money by applying less than maintenance fertiliser dressings in a controlled way. pH levels are also satisfactory and lime is not recommended at this time. Please note these comments are based on the year soil test results. New tests should be done in spring 2012. Up to date soil tests are important because they will ensure you have an accurate indication of the current fertility levels on your farm. This is an important decision making tool for you, particularly in terms of fertiliser use, but also when it comes to things like identifying possible supplement areas or weak areas in need of development etc. Overall soil fertility is generally below optimum levels. New tests need to be done to get current indication of fertility levels and ensure that the right nutrients are being used to reach the optimum ranges.

Nutrient Quotes pH Quotes Soil pH has steadily increased between year and year and all results now sit within the optimum range for dairying on volcanic soils which is very good. Now you are within this optimum range you may want to consider adopting the

practice of applying 1t/ha lime to one third of the farm per year as a maintenance programme. Soil pH levels are reasonably good with all results in or above the optimum range for a dairy farm on volcanic soils. Some of the samples have started to get a bit high and are above the optimum with pH of high pH and high pH respectively. It is important to note that as pH changes so does the availability of the nutrients in the soil, thus over liming can depress plant growth.

Phosphate Quotes Olsen P levels have increased significantly between year and year and phosphate fertility is now pretty high with a farm average Olsen P of P level. This is well above the national optimum of 30 at which near maximum pasture response to phosphate fertiliser is achieved. There is no economic advantage from increasing nutrient levels well above the recommended optimums. Olsen P levels have also been well maintained since year and phosphate fertility is still well above optimum with a farm average Olsen P of 50. This is well above the national optimum of 30-40 at which near maximum pasture response to phosphate fertiliser is achieved. All results were within or above optimum range and some of these levels can still be reduced as there is no economic advantage from having nutrient levels well above the recommended optimums. Soil phosphate fertility is very good with a farm average Olsen P of P level. The national optimum for dairying on volcanic soils is 30. Potash Quotes Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a moderate rate. You currently have low K levels and pasture response to K will be increased as you drive these levels up towards the optimum. As the soil fertility levels lift a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall increases will become less and less. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be decreasing at a moderate rate. You currently have high K levels and pasture response to K will be unaffected as you drive these levels towards the optimum. As the soil fertility drops a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall decreases will become less and less. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a moderate rate. You currently have high K levels and pasture response to K will be unaffected as you drive these levels above the optimum. As the soil fertility rises a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall increases will become less and less. Potassium fertility has on average remained reasonably constant but is still below the optimum range of 7-10 at which maximum pasture response to potassium occurs. Please note that volcanic soils do not generally hold potassium well and the rainfall associated with this area can make it tougher to build and maintain these levels without regular fertiliser inputs to top up the depleting nutrient pool. Please note that high potassium levels can provide metabolic problems for your animals if not addressed. Perhaps there is an opportunity here to use this high area for supplement production in order to harvest some of this excessive fertility and spread it around the farm.

Please note that volcanic soil classes do not generally hold potassium well and the rainfall we experience here can make it tougher to maintain these levels within the optimum range, particularly during a wet season

Magnesium Quotes Magnesium (Mg) fertility is very good (average). This sits above the optimum level for pasture production of 8 to 10 and within optimal animal health requirements of 25 to 30. Magnesium (Mg) fertility is very good (average). This sits above both the optimum level for pasture production of 8 to 10 and the optimal animal health requirements of 25 to 30. Sulphur Quotes Soil sulphate levels are pretty high with a farm average of farm average; this is well above the optimum range of 10-12 from which near maximum pasture response to sulphate is achieved. Depending on fertiliser prices perhaps using a non superphosphate fertiliser such as DAP or RPR, without the sulphate component for getting on your phosphate, may be a cost saving option. Soil Sulphate (S) levels have been declined significantly in the last x years and are now slipping below the optimum range of 10-12 from which near maximum pasture response to sulphate is achieved. Volcanic soils generally have a high ASC which means they hold S very well, however some areas of Taranaki, particularly sandy soils along the coast or river banks and soils on the bush edge have less ability to hold S and occasionally S levels can drop, especially if the weather is cold and wet. Herbage comments When the season/year herbage test was done most key elements were within or above the optimum ranges. Introduction Pasture chemical analysis is a useful back-up to soil testing. While soil testing determines available soil nutrient status, pasture analysis should be used to assess how much nutrient has been taken up from a fertiliser application. It is also useful to check on trace element status. Soil tests do not accurately measure the amounts of trace elements available to pastures and animals and because they are present in small quantities in the soil, it is difficult to define the relationship between soil content and plant and animal requirements.

Optimal production comments

Maintenance nutrient inputs are the annual amount of fertiliser required to maintain the current farm soil fertility levels. The economically optimum scenario takes in the present day fertiliser prices, milk solid payout ($6.70), the current soil fertility levels of the farm, and calculates the nutrient strategy (for P, K and S) which maximizes the NPV (net present value) for the farm.

Both the optimum and maintenance scenarios only apply to the current cost: price situation and where payout or fertiliser prices change in the near future then the optimization should be redone. Otherwise, long term average payout and nutrient costs could be used to establish more stable optimum policies. It must be noted that the economic optimization does not take into account the following major sources of nutrients e.g. nutrients applied through effluent or nutrients brought on farm through imported feeds. A nutrient budget is required to be completed to take these factors into account when finalizing a fertiliser recommendation.

Standard paragraph for NBs in NMP

This nutrient budget for the whole farm illustrates the nutrients that are entering and exiting the property. Please refer to the Block Nutrient Budgets on the following pages for comments on individual blocks. A nutrient budget provides average estimates of the fate of the nutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), calcium (Ca), magnesium(Mg), sodium (Na) in kg/ha/year as well as hydrogen ions (H+), for different nutrient inputs and management practices (e.g., stocking rate, supplementary feed inputs). Leaching of nutrients below the root zone is estimated, including potential nitrate leaching to groundwater. This aspect of the model makes it a valuable tool for assessing the effects of different farm practices in relation to requirements of Regional Councils for the Resource Management Act. Nutrient balances are valuable indicators of the long-term sustainability of farm systems. They indicate where inputs of nutrients are inadequate relative to outputs, thereby leading to a decline in the soil nutrient status. Conversely, they can indicate where excessive inputs result in nutrient surplus and give an estimate of potential nutrient losses to the environment. Nutrient budgets also provide a method for comparing nutrient flows associated with different management practices on a farm. Fertiliser nutrients represent an important resource input on farms. High efficiency of nutrient use through conversion into agricultural produce is beneficial for profitable production and to reduce the nutrient surplus or potential for loss into the environment. Fertiliser inputs are based on 350kg/ha of 30% potash superphosphate and 350kg/ha of 20% potash superphosphate. I have also included 400kg/ha of urea (estimate based on previous use).

Fertiliser inputs are based on the attached fertiliser recommendation for the 2012 year. There are no current fertiliser inputs for this area as the focus has been on maintaining and improving the flat, more productive country. Please note that supplement usage is contributing small amounts of N, P, K, and S to the farming system. Animal health supplements (magnesium oxide and magnesium chloride) are also contributing moderate amounts of Mg. Please note that this nutrient budget has been completed using the year soil test results. New soil tests need to be done to ensure this is still an accurate picture of your farm. No fertiliser inputs for this area as effluent is applying huge amounts of N and K to this area along with moderate amounts of P, S, Ca, and Mg. Fertility levels (P, K, Ca and Mg) are estimated to be remaining reasonably constant with the very little movements up or down not large enough to make significant differences in the short term. Phosphate (P) fertility is estimated to be decreasing at a moderate rate. Note that it is also because of the high fertility that inorganic soil pool levels will be dropping. As the soil fertility levels drop back a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall decreases will become less and less. Phosphate (P) fertility is estimated to be increasing slowly with the current inputs. This will maintain your Olsen P levels within the upper end of the optimum range and help achieve your goal of improving production. Phosphate (P) fertility is estimated to be increasing very slowly with the current inputs. This will maintain and slowly build your Olsen P levels towards the upper end of the optimum range and help achieve your goal of improving production. Phosphate (P) fertility is estimated to be decreasing at a slow rate. You have above optimum Olsen P levels on this area so it will not be detrimental to allow these to decrease slowly. As the soil fertility levels drop back a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall decreases will become less and less. Phosphate (P) and potassium (K) fertility are both estimated to be decreasing, P at a moderate rate and K at a slower rate. Note that it is also because of the very high fertility that inorganic soil pool levels will be dropping so much. As the soil fertility levels drop back a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall decreases will become less and less. Phosphate (P) and potassium (K) fertility are both estimated to be increasing, K at a moderate rate and P at a slower rate. Note that it is also because of the average fertility that inorganic soil pool levels will be raising. As the soil fertility levels rises a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall increases will become less and less. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be increasing moderately; this will start pushing your soil levels towards optimum. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a reasonably fast rate. The fertility levels on this block are already high and continued increase may cause problems. Perhaps there is an opportunity to use this area for supplement production in order to harvest some of this excessive fertility and spread it around

the farm where levels are lower. Please note that high potassium levels can provide metabolic problems for your animals if not addressed. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a moderate rate. Note that it is also because of the low K fertility that inorganic soil pool levels will be increasing. As the soil fertility levels lift a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall increases will become less and less. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be decreasing at a slow to moderate rate. You have above optimum K levels on this area so it will not be detrimental to allow these to decrease slowly. Those levels should be closely monitored to ensure they do not drop too far. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a slow rate. This will continue to build on your improved K levels and push them towards the upper end of the optimum range. As the soil fertility levels lift a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall increases will become less and less. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a reasonably fast rate. The fertility levels on this block are currently reasonably low so these increases will be beneficial at this stage. At this rate of increase fertility levels will eventually exceed the optimum range. Perhaps there is an opportunity to use this area for supplement production in order to harvest some of this excessive fertility and spread it around the farm where levels are lower. Please note that high potassium levels can provide metabolic problems for your animals if not addressed. Potassium (K) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a fast rate. The fertility levels on this block are already high and continued increase may cause problems. Perhaps there is an opportunity to use this area for supplement production in order to harvest some of this excessive fertility and spread it around the farm where levels are lower. Please note that high potassium levels can provide metabolic problems for your animals if not addressed. Calcium (Ca) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a moderate rate due to the dolomite in the fertiliser mix. Magnesium (Mg) will slowly decrease. Calcium (Ca) fertility is estimated to be increasing at a moderate rate due to the recommended dressing of lime at dressing rate kg/ha while magnesium (Mg) will remain reasonably constant with only a very small decrease expected. Calcium (Ca) fertility is estimated to be increasing slowly while magnesium (Mg) will remain reasonably constant. Calcium (Ca) fertility is estimated to be increasing rapidly while magnesium (Mg) will remain reasonably constant. Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg) fertilitys are estimated to be increasing rapidly. Calcium (Ca) fertility is estimated to be increasing slowly while magnesium (Mg) will remain reasonably constant with only the slightest of increases estimated. Calcium (Ca) fertility is estimated to be decreasing slowly while magnesium (Mg) will remain reasonably constant with only the slightest of decreases estimated. Calcium (Ca) fertility is estimated to be decreasing very slowly while magnesium (Mg) is expected to increase at a quicker rate due to the increased Mg inputs via the effluent. Your proximity to the coast also means that you acquire a large

amount of sodium (Na) from the atmosphere in the form of salt spray. This will be increasing your soil sodium levels.

Environmental mitigation policies quotes/examples Currently there is no set level in Taranaki for undesirable losses of P and N from the system, unlike many other regions e.g. Waikato/Canterbury, so the following is indicative only. In the future however, there is no doubt levels will be set so it is useful to gain an insight into the current system. Environmental losses from dairy farms come mainly in the form of nitrogen leaching into soil water, and runoff of soil phosphate into surface waterways. Current mitigation practices include: All major waterways have been fenced off to limit stock access Fertilizers are applied at optimum times of the year Urea is used strategically and only applied to actively growing pastures Care is taken with effluent application to avoid pending. Horizons Horizons Regional Council has specified the following policies: The rate of effluent application must not exceed 150kg N/ha/12 month period and shall not exceed 50kg N/ha in any 24 hour period. When applying effluent there must be a buffer zone of 20 metres between the area of application and any water body, public road, residence or neighbouring property. The council may exercise control of the method and rate of application, the location of application and the timing of the application. All major waterways have been fenced off to limit stock access The nitrification inhibitor eco-n has been applied in previous seasons to reduce nitrate leaching Fertilisers are applied at optimum times of the year Urea is used strategically and only applied to actively growing pastures One tool which could be used to further reduce environmental effects caused by nitrate leaching is eco-n. Eco-n reduces nitrate leaching by retaining nitrogen from cow urine spot in the soil in a plant available form. In this area it can reduce nitrate leaching by up to 30-40%.

Environmental losses from dairy farms come mainly in the form of nitrogen leaching into soil water, and runoff of soil phosphate into surface waterways. Nitrogen (N) losses of 44kgN/ha/year are within the average range for a NZ farm of 30-50, and N in drainage of 2.1ppm is well under the maximum recommended level for drinking water of 11.3ppm. Nitrogen (N) losses of 11kgN/ha/year are within the average range for a NZ drystock farm of 5-20 and N in drainage of 5.6ppm on the flats is well under the maximum recommended level for drinking water of 11.3ppm. Nitrogen (N) losses of 70kgN/ha/year are above the average range for a NZ farm of 30-50, but N in drainage of 5.2 ppm is well under the maximum recommended level for drinking water of 11.3 ppm. Your high nitrogen use, combined with the higher average rainfall of this area, contributes to increased N losses. Please note that the N lost on the effluent is high because of the large amount of nutrient being applied to a relatively small area, increasing the size of your effluent area will reduce these losses. The table above shows that the estimated nitrate concentration in drainage water for the farm is 7ppm which is below the recommended maximum for drinking water of 11.3ppm. The estimated leaching is 34kgN/ha/year which is above the limit of 30kg in the proposed Horizons One plan. However, I don't believe the nutrient removal of the potato crop has been adequately estimated in the Overseer programme. However consider that in the Manawatu under the One Plan N leaching is limited on the whole farm to 23kgs/N/ha/yr and this will reduce in 20 years to 18. Phosphate losses on the dairy block are considered low for a NZ dairy farm. The higher overall P loss figure refers to the discharge of P from the effluent ponds. This single point source discharge is sufficient to give a high P loss figure for the whole property. The P loss status of this farm is considered to be low. This is mainly due to the flat contour of this property as the main source of P loss from the land is runoff which is greatly increased on steeper terrain. Phosphate losses on the dairy block are considered medium to high for a NZ dairy farm. The higher overall P loss figure refers to the discharge of P from the effluent ponds. This single point source discharge is sufficient to give a high P loss figure for the whole property. The high rainfall, soil type, contour etc also contribute to these losses. Please see P mitigation ideas below. Please note that the P lost through effluent is higher because of the large amount of nutrient being applied to a relatively small area, increasing the size of your effluent area will reduce these losses. Phosphate losses are considered low for a NZ dairy farm. Having an effluent application system vs. ponds is the main influencing factor in having low P loss figures. Phosphate losses are considered low for a NZ dairy farm. Having an effluent application system vs. ponds is the main influencing factor in having low P loss figures. The flat contour of the land also influences P losses as runoff increases significantly on steeper terrain.

Effluent ponds are the system currently used. Returning effluent to the paddock will mitigate nutrient loss issues and reduce fertiliser demand. Installing an effluent irrigation system would reduce the rate of both N and K leaching and discharge of P from the effluent ponds. If you set this up to cover around 16ha of the farm this application could be enough to cover the potassium (K) requirements for that area (at 100kgK/ha/year) under the current farming system. It would also apply nitrogen at a rate of approximately 100kg/ha/year and approximately a third of the phosphate requirements, representing considerable fertiliser cost savings. 16ha effluent area receiving approximately 100kg N and 100kg K/ha At present prices cost of 1t urea (46% N) is $620 - 1 kg N = $1.35, 1 t potash (50% K) is $1146 - 1kg K = $2.29 16 x 100kg/ha x $2.29 = $3,664 16 x 100kg/ha x $1.35 = $2,160 This represents a fertiliser value of $5,824 at current prices, autumn 2010, (not including any costs of installing/operating effluent irrigator).There would also be some phosphate savings. - Usually effluent would apply approximately a third of the phosphate requirements Established Effluent areas often require only a small P top up every year. At present the effluent area of the farm is estimated from the 'Overseer Nutrient Budget 2' to be receiving 320kg N/ha/year. TRC policy is that the rate of effluent application must not exceed 200kg N/ha/year, so at present you are over this. Although this is only an estimate and at present the TRC do not actively check up on this, looking into the possibility of increasing this area by an extra 26ha could make this a safer option should the TRC begin monitoring this in the future years. It would also mean that you could have a bigger area receiving all its potassium (K) requirements (effluent area has K soil levels within the optimum) and still put on over 100kgs/N/year and approximately one third of your phosphate requirements. This would mean potential fertiliser savings in years to come. At present the effluent area of the farm is estimated from the 'Overseer Nutrient Budget 2' to be receiving 145kg/N/year. Taranaki Regional Council policy is that the rate of effluent application must not exceed 200kg N/ha/year so you are below this at the moment. There is the possibility of increasing the effluent area by at least Xha. This would mean that you could have a bigger area receiving all its potassium (K) requirements, along with approximately 100kgN/year and one third of phosphate requirements, which would contribute to increased fertiliser cost savings. Increasing the effluent area size will also have a positive effect on the environmental impacts on your farm. At present the effluent area of the farm is estimated from the 'Overseer Nutrient Budget 2' to be receiving 159kg/N/year. TRC policy is that the rate of effluent application must not exceed 200kg N/ha/year, so at present you are under this. This is only an estimate and at present the TRC do not actively check up on this. The possibility of increasing this area by an extra 8ha would mean that you could have a bigger area receiving all its potassium (K) requirements, along with approximately 100kgN/year and one third of phosphate requirements. This would contribute to increased fertiliser cost savings. Where applications greater than 200 kgN/ha/yr are envisaged use the Overseer Nutrient Budget tool to estimate potential leaching losses. If leaching losses show a marked increase relative to using amounts less than 200 kg N/ha then the following best practice options should be considered:

- Amounts above 200 kgN/ha/yr should not exceed 50 kg/ha per application. - Timing of application should coincide with active growth periods. - Avoid applications when soil temperatures are low (<6oC). - Avoid applications when the soil is above field capacity i.e. puddles on the ground. - Select a less mobile N fertiliser e.g. ammonium N rather than nitrate N. - Ensure soil pH is not restricting N uptake. - Only apply when pasture is at least 25 mm high (approximately 1000 kg DM/ha). - Avoid winter (May, June, and July) applications. To reduce P losses some mitigation options are: Dont apply any P in the high risk runoff months. Install a return to paddock effluent system. Dont apply any P fert or reduce amount applied. Change to less soluble form of P (e.g. RPR).

Effluent ponds are the system currently used so there is potential to install an effluent irrigator. This would reduce N, P, and K losses and reduce the fertiliser requirements/cost for the farm. The effluent area could be expanded to make better use of the large amounts of nutrients it contains. This would reduce N, P, and K losses and reduce the fertiliser requirements/cost for the farm. To reduce P losses some mitigation options are: Dont apply any P in the high risk runoff months (generally considered to be April December). Dont apply any P fert or reduce amount applied to high loss areas. In this case the areas that are already highly fertile should be targeted with reduced fertiliser inputs in order to minimise the nutrient losses that invariably occur. Change to less soluble form of P (e.g. RPR). Effluent ponds are the system currently used so there is potential to install an effluent irrigator. This would reduce N, P, and K losses and reduce the fertiliser requirements/cost for the farm.

Recommended Nutrient Inputs

The recommended nutrient inputs for this property have been derived using the Econometrics Model Options and take into consideration the current fertility levels compared with optimum, the goals of the owner, the Nutrient Budget and input from the local Ravensdown Account Manager. Please note these comments are based on the year soil tests. New tests need to be done to get current indication of fertility levels and ensure that the right nutrients are being used to reach the optimum ranges. I recommend soil testing this area separately when you update your soil tests as the high nutrient inputs are going to mean fertility levels may be significantly different on the effluent block. This is particularly important with regards to potassium fertility which will be increasing significantly on this block even without any fertiliser inputs. Please note that high potassium levels can provide metabolic problems for your animals if not addressed. It may also be worth noting that the effluent area is generally close to the shed and used heavily during calving season when the animals may be more vulnerable to these metabolic problems. At present I have not recommended any fertiliser inputs for this block as requirements for most nutrients are being satisfactorily met through the effluent applications. Phosphate requirements are not quite being met but your fertility levels are so high that it will not be detrimental to allow these levels to decrease in a manageable manner. note that it is also because of the very high fertility that inorganic soil pool levels will be dropping so much. As the soil fertility levels drop back a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall decreases will become less and less. Phosphate (P) requirements are not quite being met so I have recommended a light dressing of superphosphate to top up the P received via effluent. These inputs combined are still below maintenance for this area because of the high fertility so inorganic soil pool levels will be dropping. As the soil fertility levels drop back a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall decreases will become less and less. I have recommended less than maintenance rates of phosphate as you currently have high P levels above optimum that can come back a bit without resulting in decreased pasture production. I have recommended slightly less than maintenance rates of phosphate (P) but this is about what would be required for a farm at optimum fertility levels (Olsen P 25-35). The majority of your farm is well above optimum levels and this dressing will allow these areas to slowly decrease. As the soil fertility levels drop back a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall decreases will become less and less. Soil phosphate fertility is good with a farm average Olsen P of P level. The national optimum for dairying on volcanic soils is 20-30. Higher producing farms should be aiming for an optimum range of 30-40. I have recommended slightly less than maintenance rates of phosphate (P), however this is about what would be required for a farm at optimum fertility levels (Olsen P 30-40). The majority of your farm is well above optimum levels so this dressing will allow these areas to slowly decrease. As the soil fertility levels drop back a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall decreases will become less and less. At the same time this dressing will maintain those levels that are slightly lower and within the optimum range at which near maximum pasture response to P is obtained.

I have recommended maintenance rates of phosphate (P) in order to ensure your good Olsen P levels are maintained and do not fall below the optimum range. I have recommended slightly above maintenance rates of phosphate (P) and potassium (K), this is however about what would be required for a farm at the upper end of the optimum (Olsen P 30-35, K 7-10). In order to improve your production you must lift these fertility levels and increase pasture response to phosphate fertiliser. As the soil fertility levels lift a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall increases will become less and less. I have recommended slightly above maintenance rates of potassium (K) to keep driving your K fertility levels into the optimum range. This is about what would be required for a farm at optimum levels (K 7-10), so as the soil fertility levels lift a bit (if inputs remain the same) these overall increases will become less and less. I have also taken into account that supplements are providing approximately 19kgK/ha. Should these levels of supplements increase/decrease, K inputs should be adjusted appropriately. The attached fertiliser plan recommends a decreased use of potassium on this property in the 2010 year. This will be well below maintenance requirements and as a result the K levels will decrease. Your levels are currently at the upper end of the optimum range so these levels should be closely monitored to ensure they do not drop too far. I have also taken into account that supplements are providing approximately Amount of supplement kgK/ha. Should these levels of supplements increase/decrease; K inputs should be adjusted appropriately. I have recommended above maintenance rates of potassium (K) to start driving your fertility levels closer to the optimum range (7-10). I have recommended a maintenance dressing of Potassium (K). This dressing will be ideal for those areas that have lower K levels; however the areas that are beginning to get excessively high (those with K levels 13 & 17) will require a lighter amount of K in order to bring these levels back down to the optimum range. Perhaps there is an opportunity here to use these high areas for supplement production in order to harvest some of this excessive fertility and spread it around the farm. Please note that high potassium levels can provide metabolic problems for your animals if not addressed. Potassium fertility will be increasing significantly on this block even without any fertilizer inputs due to the high content of K in the effluent applications. Please note that high potassium levels can provide metabolic problems for your animals if not addressed. It may also be worth noting that the effluent area is generally close to the shed and used heavily during calving season when the animals may be more vulnerable to these metabolic problems. Perhaps there is an opportunity here to use this area for supplement production in order to harvest some of this excessive fertility and spread it around the farm. I have also taken into account that supplements are providing approximately 28kgK/ha. Should these levels of supplements increase/decrease, K inputs should be adjusted appropriately to total annual inputs of 75-85kgK/ha. It may also be worth noting that the effluent area is generally close to the shed and used heavily during calving season when the animals may be more vulnerable to these metabolic problems. Using superphosphate to put on P will also provide sulphate sulphur (S) requirements.

Your S levels are high so depending on fertiliser prices perhaps using a non superphosphate fertiliser such as DAP or RPR, without the sulphate component for getting on your phosphate, may be a cost saving option. I have recommended the use of sulphur superphosphate in order to increase the inputs of sulphur (S) into the farming system. Your levels have slipped well below optimum and it is important that you raise these levels as soon as possible. I have recommended the use of serpentine super in the spring in order to top up the inputs of magnesium (Mg) into the farming system. This application combined with the Mg inputs via animal health supplementation will maintain current fertility levels. pH has declined and a dressing of lime will be beneficial if not done since 2007 soil tests. Continue current liming and magnesium practices as soil pH and Mg fertility is good. A liming programme needs to be undertaken if this has not already happened. Those areas that tested below optimum should be the first areas to receive a dressing. It is important to note that as pH changes so does the availability of the nutrients in the soil, thus over liming can depress plant growth. Now you are within this optimum range you may want to consider adopting the practice of applying 1t/ha lime to one third of the farm per year as a maintenance programme. Some reasons to get keep soil pH in the optimum level are: Legumes are more sensitive to acidity than grasses (low pH), and as the soil becomes more acid, legume production will decline and with it, inputs of symbiotic nitrogen fixation - leading to lower pasture production. As the soil becomes more acidic, (<5.5) the amount of plant available aluminium (Al) and manganese (Mn) increases. Small amounts of these elements are toxic to plants and restrict plant root growth, which in turn reduces the plants ability to take up nutrients and moisture, and N fixation in clovers. Manganese toxicity can also cause loss of appetite in animals. Soil organisms become more active as pH rises up to about 6.0. This in turn increases both the rate of accumulation and breakdown (cycling) of organic matter (contains N, P, S) making these available for plant growth. Soil organisms also increase soil structure. As a rule of thumb each tonne of high quality agricultural lime will raise pH by 0.1. Discuss a suitable application rate with your Account Manager.

Mitigation of N Leaching
Where applications greater than 200 kgN/ha/yr are envisaged use the Overseer Nutrient Budget tool to estimate potential leaching losses. If leaching losses show a marked increase relative to using amounts less than 200 kg N/ha then the following best practice options should be considered: - Amounts above 200 kg/ha/yr should not exceed 50 kg/ha per application. - Timing of application should coincide with active growth periods. - Avoid applications when soil temperatures are low (<6oC). - Avoid applications when the soil is above field capacity i.e. puddles on the ground. - Select a less mobile N fertiliser e.g. ammonium N rather than nitrate N. - Ensure soil pH is not restricting N uptake. - Only apply when pasture is at least 25 mm high (approximately 1000 kg DM/ha). - Avoid winter (May, June, and July) applications. To reduce P losses some mitigation options are: Dont apply any P in the high risk runoff months. Install a return to paddock effluent system Dont apply any P fert or reduce amount applied. Change to less soluble form of P (e.g. RPR)

Installing a system to return shed effluent to the paddock will mitigate the P loss occurring from the effluent ponds. The area on which it is applied will be determined by TRC policy which allows a loading of 200 kg/ha of N. The effluent also supplies significant amounts of other nutrients especially K. It will reduce the overall need for fertiliser.

Mitigation of N Leaching Good N management can create a win: win situation - it is profitable and minimises environmental impacts. Management techniques to consider include: Ensuring that N is applied when required (i.e. 4-6 weeks before a feed deficit), and when there is rapid N uptake by actively growing pasture, avoiding winter (May, June, and July) applications. Good effluent management e.g. ensuring large effluent application areas, avoiding applications in winter. Consider switching from pond to spray based systems. Following best management practices when applying N - see below. On pastoral farms, much of the N that is leached comes from urine spots deposited in late autumn-early winter. Therefore, moving animals off pasture from April to July can reduce N leaching, provided the effluent from these animals is handled using best management practices. By increasing N use efficiency (i.e. producing more products for a given N input), N leaching can be decreased. N use efficiency can be increased by: Using supplements with lower N concentrations than pasture.

Optimising management, including other fertiliser nutrients and animal health, to get the maximum product yield per kg N input. In some situations, it is not possible to reach environmental targets for N leaching even using good N management techniques. In these cases, reducing N rates, stocking rates and/or changing stock types should be considered.

Winter Management Effects The aim of winter management options is to reduce dung and urine deposition on pasture, and thus reduce direct leaching of N from these sources. However, the effect of winter management on reducing N leaching depends on several factors: The level of build-up of soil nitrate. If this is high, then leaching can still be high despite animals being removed. The time that animals are removed. Removing animals early in the winter (April/May/June) tends to have a larger effect than removing animals later on. Construction of the stock pad and hence the degree of containment of the nutrients for later reutilisation. The fate of nutrients in effluent from stock pads. If this effluent is applied to a small area of land over winter then leaching may actually increase. Storing the effluent until spring, or applying the effluent at low rates over a large area results in increased N utilisation and decreased leaching. N.B. although removing animals from your farm can reduce leaching for your farm, it may be increasing leaching elsewhere. If you farm is in an N-sensitive area, then sending your animals out of the catchment over winter can be beneficial. Reducing N leaching will also reduce maintenance lime requirements, N2O emissions and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Migating P loss To reduce P losses mitigation options are A- Dont apply any P in the high risk runoff months. B- Install a return to paddock effluent system C- Dont apply any P fert or reduce amount applied. D- Change to less soluble form of P

ECO-N SPEEL
One tool which could be used to further reduce environmental effects caused by nitrate leaching is eco-n. Eco-n reduces nitrate leaching by retaining nitrogen from cow urine spot in the soil in a plant available form. In this area it can reduce nitrate leaching by up to 30-40%.

TRENDS Soil pH levels vary across the property with several areas below the optimum range for a dairy farm on volcanic soils while several others are within this range.

A liming programme needs to be undertaken if this has not already happened. Those areas that tested below optimum should be the first areas to receive a dressing. Some reasons to get keep soil pH in the optimum level are: Legumes are more sensitive to acidity than grasses (low pH), and as the soil becomes more acid, legume production will decline and with it, inputs of symbiotic nitrogen fixation - leading to lower pasture production. As the soil becomes more acidic, (<5.5) the amount of plant available aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn) increases. Small amounts of these elements are toxic to plants and restrict plant root growth, which in turn reduces the plants ability to take up nutrients and moisture, and N fixation in clovers. Manganese toxicity can also cause loss of appetite in animals. Soil organisms become more active as pH rises up to about 6.0. This in turn increases both the rate of accumulation and breakdown (cycling) of organic matter (contains N,P,S) making these available for plant growth. Soil organisms also increase soil structure. As a rule of thumb each tonne of high quality agricultural lime will raise pH by 0.1. Discuss a suitable application rate with your Account Manager. Olsen P levels on the property varied with several areas well above the optimum range while the other areas tested were significantly lower. The national optimum for dairying on volcanic soils is 20-30 while high producing dairy farms should be aiming for an optimum range of 30-40. When last tested your levels were on average pretty good but several areas require capital P inputs in order to drive the fertility levels up into the optimum range and ensure near maximum pasture response to P is achieved. Potassium fertility on all areas tested is well below the optimum range of 7-10 at which maximum pasture response to potassium occurs. Please note that volcanic soils do not generally hold potassium well and the higher rainfall associated with this area can make it tougher to build and maintain these levels without regular fertiliser inputs to top up the depleting nutrient pool. In terms of cost effectiveness it may be unrealistic to achieve levels at the higher end of the optimum range but the closer to the optimum range we can get these levels the greater the pasture response that will also be achieved. Magnesium (Mg) levels are good average. This sits above the optimum level for pasture production of 8 to 10 but below that of optimal animal health requirements of 25 to 30. However in this area it would be difficult to achieve this figure due to high leaching losses so continue your current animal health supplementation (magnesium oxide) as this will also help to cover soil fertility levels at a crucial time of the season. Soil sulphate levels are generally pretty high with a farm average of average, this is well above the optimum range of 10-12 from which near maximum pasture response to sulphate is achieved. Depending on fertiliser prices perhaps using a non superphosphate fertiliser such as DAP or RPR, without the sulphate component for getting on your phosphate, may be a cost saving option on the high areas. The exception to this is the area represented by the soil sample "riverside pd" which has a relatively sandy texture and is at the lower end of the optimum range. Sandy soils like this will be less able to hold large quantities of S so regular applications are required to maintain optimal levels.