Nitrogen 2022 - start planning now

The fact is we need to conserve as much nitrogen that is already existing on farm as possible.

By using the right tools at the right time, farmers can reduce the amount of nitrogen that will have to be bought in come springtime. With cattle being housed soon, now is the time to act and put a plan in place to conserve as much nitrogen as possible.

Our top three ways of conserving nitrogen on farm are:

1. EM slurry additive 

It is a two-pronged approach using our slurry conditioner N-Hance and microbial slurry treatment Actiferm. N-Hance conditions the slurry to create an environment that the living microbes within Actiferm, can survive and multiply in. Trials from Kingshay show 12 percent more nitrogen, 15 percent more ammonium and 20 percent less crust depth. 

EM slurry is one of the few products on the market with independent science backed trials showing test results. This product is proven to work, at around £1 per cow per month it is very well priced to give an excellent return.     

2. Volcanic origin antiseptic bedding powder (Vulkamin)

The use of Vulkamin bedding powder is another way of cutting back on nitrogen loss. When using a lime-based product on your cubicle area, through a chemical reaction you can actually lose up to 280kg of straight nitrogen for every ton of lime used. Vulkamin does not cause this reaction. Vulkamin will bind ammonia stopping this nitrogen loss, in turn saving money. Vulkamin is a very mild product, it is not sore on the farmer’s hands or sore on the cow’s udder. This will encourage the cow to lie down faster which saves energy and produces more milk.

3.Actiferm effective microorganisms to keep bedding dryer for longer.

Using Actiferm on your dry bed housing is a great way of improving the living environment within the livestock house and stopping ammonia loss. By adding Actiferm to the bedding you are introducing over 80 different beneficial microorganisms that will break down the structure of the bedding, increasing the surface area and helping to keep the bedding dryer for longer. This also prevents the loss of ammonia (nitrogen) gases and other odours. It also reduces disease pressure by way of competitive exclusion, good microbes out competing bad microbes.

Small changes can add up, dramatically reducing the amount of nitrogen that will have to be bought in for the next season.

Biome Connect also supplies a liquid foliar nitrogen product (Efficie-N-T28). It’s scientifically proven to have a positive environmental impact while maintaining yield, but it is also cost-effective with granular fertiliser looking like it will be at record highs next year. 

If you any questions, please get in touch. Email Mal Hughes at [email protected] or contact 07707006408 (https://biomeconnect.co.uk/)