Network hosts Understanding Farm Nitrogen workshops

arch 3, 2016

Network hosts Understanding Farm Nitrogen workshops

The dairy downturn means you need all the help you can get on farm.

That’s why the Dairy Women’s Network has joined forces with Ballance Agri-Nutrients to run workshops, designed to help dairy farmers hang on to every possible gram of nitrogen to get the grass growing and converted into milk.

The network is hosting six Understanding Farm Nitrogen Reports workshops across the country in March and April, where Ballance’s science extension team will demonstrate how understanding farm nitrogen reports can be turned into profit.

The emphasis will be on what needs to be recorded, where the data comes from, and the importance of its accuracy, following the introduction of such reports from dairy companies as part of the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord.

Ballance Science Extension Team leader Ian Tarbotton said the Dairy Women’s Network had asked Balance to run the workshops to demystify the reports since improving nitrogen use efficiency is good for business as well as the environment.

“The majority of dairy farmers are not able to interpret what farm nitrogen reports mean,” he said.

“Often people hone in on the nitrogen fertiliser, but when we talk about nitrogen loss we are talking about the whole nitrogen cycle,” Tarbotton said.

“Nitrogen Fertiliser is just one part of it. A lot of what’s lost is from urine patches and how much is lost is influenced by animal size, soil drainage, temperature and pasture growth/root depth.” Over application of effluent can also lead to unnecessary losses.

The free workshops start at 9.30am and end at 2pm at their various locations across New Zealand, and will cover finding input data, and interpreting the results, the five factors of nitrogen loss, and how you can influence them and practical ideas for improvement.

The workshops include a demonstration of the N-Guru software tool designed to help farmers improve the efficiency of nitrogen on farm.

Lunch and an optional one-on-one session is also included.

Farmers who can’t get to one of the field days can access free resources on the subject at: http://www.ballance.co.nz/Our-CoOp/Sustainability/Farm-Nitrogen-Reports

Facebook users can ‘like’ the Ballance Facebook page for frequent tips, and Ballance Nutrient Specialists are available to offer expert advice on 0800 222 090

EVENT DETAILS

MARCH 10 WINTON: Salvation Army, 7 Dejoux Way, Winton

MARCH 15 HAURAKI PLAINS: Centennial Centre, Hauraki Plains College, Haywards Road, Ngatea

MARCH 17 WEST COAST: Reefton Auto Lodge, 72-78 Broadway, Reefton

MARCH 24 NORTH CANTERBURY: Culverden Fire Station, 12 Mountainview Road, Culverden

MARCH 31 GORE: Heartland Hotel Croydon, 100 Waimea Street, Gore

APRIL 11 SOUTH CANTERBURY: Orari Café, Orari Station Road, Orari

-ENDS-

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