![]() Additionally, USDA NRCS Forage DM hoop monitoring indicated no decrease in grass production, in spite of the complete elimination of N fertilizer. The correlation between the Haney Test projected nitrogen mineralization and the amount of grass that was produced during the grazing season is high and significant. Across 32 acres, this is a cost reduction of $281.25 per acre annually.Īs a result of eliminating synthetic N applications, the amount of soil microbial fixed nitrogen produced each season has increased significantly. The reduction in fertilizer applications, combined with SOM increases that allowed for greater water infiltration capacity and reduced irrigation allowed Dave and Jenny to realize a $9000 reduction in input costs for 2019. The Awakening Adaptive Grazing - Increased Average Pasture Rest Between Grazing Events At that point, they decided to start the transition away from reliance on external fertility inputs. It creates a cycle of negative compounding effects that is the opposite of what Dave and Jenny intended. After in-depth conversations with Gabe, Dave understood that excessive nitrogen fertilization actually harms soil biology, soil physical structure, and soil function. Christine Jones ( and Gabe Brown ( speak at a workshop in 2013. They were seeking a way to reduce this cost when Dave heard both Dr. When reviewing yearly expenses, the annual fertilizer bill of $123 per acre stood out as an extreme cost. In the transition process, Dave and Jenny continued, as they had the previous 20 years, to apply 160 units of nitrogen fertilizer per acre annually, with 40 units applied each month of the four-month growing season. The specific purpose of this new breed was to produce a highly prolific maternal trait dual-purpose breed. They are the product of a combination of four other breeds: Dorset, Targhee, Finnsheep, and Rambouillet. ![]() Sheep Experiment Station located in Dubois, ID. Polypay sheep are a medium sized, polled sheep developed in the 1960’s at the U.S.D.A. In 2003, Dave and Jenny sold the dairy cows and switched to 180 Polypay sheep. Think of Dave and Jenny as a test plot in a real farm setting. Here is the Montana Highland Lamb soil health story. SOM measurements in 2019 showed organic matter content of 5.5%. It is important to note that historically soil organic matter (SOM) content would have been considerably higher, so by 1982 the soils being measured were already previously degraded through past cultivation and overgrazing. Soil organic matter in 1982 measured a mere 1.3%, typical of bench ground in the surrounding valley today. They were pasture-based, moving the cows twice daily for 20 years. The first 20 years on the farm, Dave and Jenny milked 50 Guernsey and Jersey cows from 1982 to 2003. The farm consists of 32 irrigated acres in Whitehall, Montana (elevation 4,200 feet). The farm is located between Bozeman and Butte, MT just off of I-90. Dave and Jenny Scott have been on their Montana Highland Ranch since 1982. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |