Identifying barriers to routine soil testing within beef and sheep farming systems

Geoderma ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 404 ◽  
pp. 115298
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Rhymes ◽  
Sophie Wynne-Jones ◽  
A. Prysor Williams ◽  
Ian M. Harris ◽  
Duncan Rose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Farming Systems ◽  
Soil Testing

The influence of organic transition strategy on chemical and biological soil tests

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen M. Ugarte ◽  
Michelle M. Wander
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Dairy Manure ◽  
Soil Testing ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Row Crop ◽  
Compost Amendment ◽  
Environmental Goals

AbstractSoil testing strategies that include biologically based indicators in organic and alternative farming systems are needed in order to improve recommendations that balance production and environmental goals. In this study, soil samples were collected before and after soils were transitioned from conventional row crop production to organic management using rotations that varied in both their inputs and tillage intensity. Ley-, row crop- and vegetable-based farming systems were implemented using locally specific production practices. Subplots were imposed within each system to allow comparison of farming systems without amendment and with dairy manure- and compost-amendment. Soil analyses included standard chemical tests (0–15 cm) for available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, calcium, magnesium, pH, total organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN). Biological assays (0–15 and 15–30 cm) included particulate organic matter-C and -N (POM-C, POM-N), soil and POM C:N ratios, fluorescein diacetate (FDA) hydrolysis, potentially mineralizable N (PMN) and hydrolysable amino-N + NH4(IL-N). Even though cropping and tillage intensity varied among systems (ley < row crop < vegetable), organic matter and nutrient reserves were not statistically different. Nutrient concentrations tested medium to high, even without compost or manure application. Labile fractions of soil organic matter were more enriched in the deeper sampling depth; whereby, POM stocks within the 15–30 cm depth increased by 20% on average compared to roughly 6% in the surface depth. This and observed changes in other properties demonstrate the multiple benefits derived from use of winter annual or perennial crops. Results from our analyses suggested PMN and POM have particular promise as metrics of change in commercial soil testing facilities to assist recommendations for amendments to balance production and environmental goals.

Nitrogen fertilizer value of cattle manure applied on soils originating from organic and conventional farming systems

Agronomie ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 789-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Langmeier ◽  
Emmanuel Frossard ◽  
Michael Kreuzer ◽  
Paul Mäder ◽  
David Dubois ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Cattle Manure ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Fertilizer Value ◽  
Organic And Conventional Farming

Soil Testing and Interpretation for Florida Turfgrasses

EDIS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis W. Shaddox ◽  
Jerry B. Sartain
Keyword(s):  
Soil Testing

N/A

Farmers' needs for management, research and extension, and policy - findings of a farmers' workshop and their implications

1992 ◽  
pp. 7-10
Author(s):  
A.F. Mcrae
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Management Research ◽  
Business Objectives ◽  
Research Technology ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Farming Systems Research

Farmers' objectives, their circumstances and the constraints they face are central to any consideration of ways and means of improving farming systems. The management, research and extension, and policy needs of the farmers attending this workshop were diverse. This appeared to be linked with the (unexpected) degree of diversity in the business objectives and management structures on these farms. More formal research on these issues across the spectrum of farmers is required to ensure that research and technology transfer meet the industry's needs. Keywords farming systems, research, technology transfer, objectives

A REVIEW OF 10 YEARS' RESEARCH WITH RED CLOVERS UNDER GRAZING IN SOUTHLAND

1989 ◽  
pp. 181-187
Author(s):  
R.J.M. Hay ◽  
D.L. Ryan
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Seasonal Growth ◽  
Sheep Grazing ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Late Flowering ◽  
Heavy Weight ◽  
Widespread Acceptance ◽  
Summer Growth

In a series of trials at Grasslands Gore, over 10 years, the late-flowering tetraploid red clover 'Grassland Pawera' was more productive and persistent than other red clover cultivars. The strong summer growth of Pawera meets the need for heavy-weight lamb feed and high quality forage for conservation in intensive sheep farming systems in Southland. Lenient. infrequent defoliation is necessary to maximise DM production and persistence of Pawera. The most compatible of the grasses evaluated was 'Grasslands Roa' tall fescue. However, 'Grasslands Nui' ryegrass will still be the major grass sown with Pawera owing to its widespread acceptance. In ryegrass mixtures, sowing rates of 5-7 kg/ha of red clover were needed to optimise establishment and subsequent yield. Evidence of oestrogenic activity of Pewera to sheep prompted Grasslands Division to select within Pawera for a low formononetin cultivar. Keywords: red clover, Pawera. Hamua, Turoa. G21. G22, G27. oestrogenic activity, Nui ryegrass, Roa tall fescue, Maru phalaris. Southland, sheep grazing, frequency, intensity, quality. seasonal growth

Pathways ahead for New Zealand hill country farming

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
pp. 73-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.G. Scrimgeour
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
The Status ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
The Hill

This paper provides a stocktake of the status of hill country farming in New Zealand and addresses the challenges which will determine its future state and performance. It arises out of the Hill Country Symposium, held in Rotorua, New Zealand, 12-13 April 2016. This paper surveys people, policy, business and change, farming systems for hill country, soil nutrients and the environment, plants for hill country, animals, animal feeding and productivity, and strategies for achieving sustainable outcomes in the hill country. This paper concludes by identifying approaches to: support current and future hill country farmers and service providers, to effectively and efficiently deal with change; link hill farming businesses to effective value chains and new markets to achieve sufficient and stable profitability; reward farmers for the careful management of natural resources on their farm; ensure that new technologies which improve the efficient use of input resources are developed; and strategies to achieve vibrant rural communities which strengthen hill country farming businesses and their service providers. Keywords: farming systems, hill country, people, policy, productivity, profitability, sustainability

The management of risk in a dryland environment

2011 ◽  
pp. 13-21
Author(s):  
D.I. Gray ◽  
J.I. Reid ◽  
D.J. Horne
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Market Risk ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Forage Crops ◽  
Risk Management Strategies ◽  
Upside Risk

A group of 24 Hawke's Bay hill country farmers are working with service providers to improve the resilience of their farming systems. An important step in the process was to undertake an inventory of their risk management strategies. Farmers were interviewed about their farming systems and risk management strategies and the data was analysed using descriptive statistics. There was considerable variation in the strategies adopted by the farmers to cope with a dryland environment. Importantly, these strategies had to cope with three types of drought and also upside risk (better than expected conditions), and so flexibility was critical. Infra-structure was important in managing a dryland environment. Farmers chose between increased scale (increasing farm size) and geographic dispersion (owning a second property in another location) through to intensification (investing in subdivision, drainage, capital fertiliser, new pasture species). The study identified that there may be scope for further investment in infra-structural elements such as drainage, deeper rooting alternative pasture species and water harvesting, along with improved management of subterranean clover to improve flexibility. Many of the farmers used forage crops and idling capacity (reduced stocking rate) to improve flexibility; others argued that maintaining pasture quality and managing upside risk was a better strategy in a dryland environment. Supplementary feed was an important strategy for some farmers, but its use was limited by contour and machinery constraints. A surprisingly large proportion of farmers run breeding cows, a policy that is much less flexible than trading stock. However, several farmers had improved their flexibility by running a high proportion of trading cattle and buffer mobs of ewe hoggets and trade lambs. To manage market risk, the majority of farmers are selling a large proportion of their lambs prime. Similarly, cattle are either sold prime or store onto the grass market when prices are at a premium. However, market risk associated with the purchase of supplements and grazing was poorly managed.

Classifying the Past: Discriminant Analysis and its Application to Medieval Farming Systems

1996 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Bartley
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Processing Time ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Medieval Period ◽  
The Past ◽  
Livestock Management

This paper discusses the need for nationally based analytical models of the medieval period. The use of cluster analysis as a method for classifying demesne farms, by the crops they grew and their livestock management, is explained. Successful implementation of cluster analysis requires both the existence of a large base sample, to permit isolation of specific groupings within the data, and access to considerable processing time. The paper concludes by demonstrating how discriminant analysis can provide an efficient and systematic way of classifying even a single manor within a national frame of reference.

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