Strong, plentiful and healthy pasture in Spring is key for maximising your profit from this type of enterprise. Both new and established pastures benefit from the more favourable growing conditions (warmth and moisture), while it is up to us to ensure that soils are healthy and nutrient needs are addressed. Nutrient deficiencies occur in Spring largely due to the conditions they have just experienced in Winter. Higher rainfall can increase the leaching and lock-up of any previously applied water soluble nutrient, while colder temperatures can increase the mortality of beneficial microbes normally present in healthy soils. Addressing soil health and nutrient needs now delivers numerous benefits to pastures: It improves the quality and quantity of grazed feed, and conserved feed (silage and hay) It allows us to increase and maintain stocking rates It improves the digestibility and palatability of grazing, silage and hay feed It creates the circumstances that deliver …
