Transforming farming practices with sustainable solutions

Fertilizer New Zealand is collaborating with Lincoln University’s Centre of Excellence - Designing Future Production Landscapes, on a significant step towards addressing farming challenges by transforming over 40 hectares of its Ashley Dene farm. This initiative by Lincoln University is supported by more than 30 companies, with the project showing farmers what is possible and how to overcome industry challenges with practical solutions, offering a blueprint for more sustainable and productive agricultural operations.

Previously forming part of a conventional dairy operation, the land was reimagined and designed as the Lincoln University Integral Health Farm which focuses on sustainable and ethical innovation practices for health as defined by the WHO.

Lincoln University Professor Pablo Gregorini, project leader of the Integral Health Farm, says the farm was conceived and designed as a strategic technological niche for system and component research, enabling an ethical and sustainable innovation journey.

“The farm is a protected space, allowing experimentation to co-evolve with technology, user practices, and regulatory structures. We welcome implementing novel ideas while developing social innovations, allowing them to mature into configurations that work.”

A dairy herd of 100 cows were integrated into the Integral Health Farm. Eighteen months into the venture, the results are more than promising.

“One of the strategies and guiding principles of this farm design and transformation is the reduction of synthetic inputs. Therefore, sustainable fertilisation practices are key and urgently needed,” says Professor Gregorini.

Fertilizer New Zealand owner and operator John Barnes says, “Farming has always been the backbone of New Zealand, so we need to move beyond discussing problems and focus on offering solutions that help farmers. This project has begun to demonstrate how we can farm more sustainably and move forward while maintaining or increasing productivity and farm profit.”

Lincoln University’s Integral Health Farm is demonstrating notable improvements within eight months, with positive results in a full year of data revealing significant advancements. The cows spent fewer days in milk while producing more milk solids compared to the main herd on the rest of the Ashley Dene farm. The herd’s body condition score averaged 4.7, and pastures yielded more with less than half of the nitrogen applied previously (from 190 to 83 kg of nitrogen per hectare per year) and 20% less irrigation.

The Integral Health Farm’s annual fertiliser programme aims to increase and retain soil and animal health including a bacteria-based growth enhancer featuring calcium, organic matter and beneficial fungi to promote biological soil health.

Additionally, an annual application of liquid fish fertiliser supports plant health.

Highlighting the benefits, John says, “The cows are less stressed and produce more at a lower cost, along with improved soil and pasture health. The milk quality has also improved with less urea content and healthy calving statistics.”

Fertilizer New Zealand provide tailored fertiliser plans.

For more info or to book someone to pop out to your farm for free and have a chat contact: www.fertnz.co.nz or call 0800 337 869