Poor payout? Parkside Lime has you covered.

With milk prices in the doldrums, dairy farmers are looking to their bottom lines and working out the best ways to maximise profits without neglecting the health of their cattle. Ahem. Anyway, we’re not sure what the trend is outside of the Otago and South Canterbury area, but here at Parkside, we have seen a significant increase in the number of pastoralists who are turning to lime flour as a cheap and effective animal health supplement, especially for lactating dairy cows.

What’s so great about lime anyway?

Calcium deficiency can cause poor growth rates, hinder bone development, and negatively affect milk yield. A cow’s calcium needs are highest when she is lactating and being fed on a ration of maize or grain, (at this point we would like to take a moment to gently point out that Parkside lime flour contains one of the highest levels of elemental calcium, a whopping 40% no less. Just saying).

Going green doesn’t have to break the bank.

When times are tough, doing the right thing by the environment can be one of the first things to go by the wayside. As the majority of cockies will attest, compliance costs are onerous enough without farmers having to buy in expensive supplements and organic fertilisers, and it is during these lean times that lime really proves its worth. It’s a fertiliser that even the most died-in-the wool greenie would approve of. First of all, it’s 100% natural and made right here in New Zealand. Secondly, it increases palatability, improves moisture retention, which means less nitrate leaching, and most importantly, it adds microbes to the soil.

Why is everyone talking about microbes?

Microbes may be microscopically small, but they are monumentally important; you name it, they do it. From fixing atmospheric nitrogen and detoxifying petsticides, to suppressing disease and nutrient enhancement, these tiny but mighty bacterial heroes are absolutely vital for plant function. With its ability to increase the levels of this good bacteria, lime is basically a prebiotic for your soil, the alluvial equivalent of a rolled oat and banana smoothie.

There’s green, and then there’s green.

Of the myriad other ways that agricultural lime earns itself a a resounding green tick and a pat on the back, the most topical must be its ability to reduce the need for urea. Only the most die-hard traditionalist would deny that overuse of nitrogen has been a bit of an issue over the last two decades. All that verdant greenery looks spectacular, like taking a stroll through the Emerald City with Toto and the Tin Man, but it has had some pretty significant effects on both our waterways and the health of our stock. Lime’s ability to improve soil structure, increase moisture retention and enhance the bioavailability of minerals, means less need for nitrogen, alongside reduced nutrient leaching, thus keeping both your pasture and your regional council very happy.

So how do I get my lime to where it needs to be?

Lime can be fed a number of different ways, it can be spread on pasture – where it has a sweetening effect, dissolved into troughs, or mixed in the feed wagon with maize or sileage. ParksideAgricultural Lime is hands down the most cost-effective way to improve your soil health, and we genuinely enjoy hearing about the results that our local farmers are getting from our awesome product.

Give Shane a call today on 0275556392 or contact us.