Digging Deep: Key Insights on Soil Health, Nutrients, and Cover Crops
Olivia Bye
Crop Health Consultant, South
Soil Health: The Foundation of Productive Farming
- The organic matter in soil plays a more critical role in soil health than the original parent material. It’s the living, breathing part of the soil that drives fertility and structure.
- It’s not just about physical barriers—compaction leads to ethylene buildup, which can halt plant growth entirely.
- Plants and soil biology work together in a process called holobiont, forming an extended root network that enhances nutrient uptake and resilience.
- Tractor pressure matters – to protect soil structure, keep tractor pressures below 10 psi and axle loads under 6 tonnes.
- Tillage deeper than 100 mm is considered excessive. Shallow tillage is preferred to maintain soil integrity.
- Rather than viewing tillage as inherently damaging to soil carbon, it should be evaluated in relation to the soil’s cation exchange capacity (CEC).
Soil Nutrients: Key Facts to Consider
- High phosphorus levels can shut down sulphur availability in the soil, affecting plant health.
- Iron to manganese compete against one another. At 25ppm of iron, manganese uptake can be significantly reduced.
- Boron acts as a catalyst for calcium absorption in plants. The ideal tissue ratio is 50:1 (Calcium:Boron).
- Aim for 25ppm of manganese in the soil to support healthy plant development.
Cover Crops: Nature’s Soil Engineers
- Nutrients from cover crops can continue to benefit the soil up to 12 months after the cover crop has gone.
- Early establishment of cover crops in August and terminating in January can lead to a yield uplift in the following crop, this is due to increased worm activity and residue breakdown.
- Cover crops help reduce bulk density at 15-30cm depth, improving porosity – though this is seen to be less pronounced at the surface.
- Black oats and white clover are shown to be the most effective at penetrating high bulk density soils.
- When it comes to cover crops, biomass production is more important than species diversity. For example, phacelia sown in mid-August produces the highest biomass compared to later sowings.
Rethinking Dairy for Animals, People, and Plants
As the agricultural landscape evolves, so does our approach to dairy farming. A growing number of farmers are rethinking traditional systems to better align with animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and nutritional efficiency.
Here are some key insights into this new way of thinking.
Balance is key:
- Chicory Management: Just 200–300 grams of chicory per square meter is sufficient. Anymore, and it risks becoming dominant, crowding out other beneficial species.
- Best Herbal Ley Establishment: The most effective way to establish a herbal ley is a simple three-step process: Glyphosate, rotovate, drill. And it doesn’t matter what equipment you use.
Seasonal Milk Comeback? Don’t Expect Milk at Christmas.
Seasonal milking is making a quiet comeback, especially among farmers looking to reduce winter workloads and align cow nutrition with natural forage cycles. But it’s not without trade-offs – we won’t be seeing milk at Christmas time.
Here’s an example of a Seasonal Milking Calendar:
- March: Calving begins.
- Summer: Breeding season.
- October: Switch to once-a-day milking.
- December: Milk production ends.
- Winter: Cows are completely dried off.
- March: The cycle begins again.
A lack of milk at Christmas may be worth it – this system matches the cow’s lactation curve with the spring and summer grass boom, providing optimal nutrition during early lactation. It’s a more natural rhythm that can improve cow health, reduce feed costs, and simplify farm management.
Rethinking dairy isn’t just about changing routines—it’s about aligning farming practices with ecological principles and animal needs. Whether it’s managing chicory in herbal leys or syncing milking schedules with seasonal forage availability, these strategies reflect a deeper understanding of how plants, animals, and people can thrive together.
Sea2Soil: Unlocking the Power of Amino Acids
The Sea2Soil approach to amino acids offers a fascinating perspective on plant nutrition, especially when viewed through the lens of nitrogen efficiency and soil health. Drawing from insights gained through a nitrogen-focused course, one standout takeaway was the unique role of fish-based amino acids in agricultural systems.
Unlike traditional amino acid products like Naturamin, fish-based amino acids form peptides immediately. This means they bypass the typical conversion pathway—from amino acid to peptide to protein—allowing for faster plant uptake and response.
- The key lies in the size and structure of the molecules. Fish-derived peptides are already in a form that can slot directly into plant systems, making them more efficient.
- These peptides don’t require the plant to expend its carbon credits to process them. As a result, more carbon remains in the system, contributing to soil health and microbial activity.
- Please bare in mind though, when using animal derived amino acids, such as Sea2Soil, you should always check with your end user for verification of the application of animal by products. The latest suggested application on cereals is at flag lead, and never on the ear.
My thoughts on that? It’s best to use both and build a varied and robust system.
About the Author
Olivia Bye
Crop Health Consultant, South
Nice to meet you, my name’s Olivia, and I’m a Crop Health Consultant here at AIVA. My passion is creating healthy, nutritionally dense crops within a system that benefits ecologically. Education is key to the way I work. Providing my clients with knowledge allows them to make informed decisions to benefit their systems.
Got a question? Contact Me.
