Re: Soil Equilibrium

From: Steve Diver (steved@NCATARK.UARK.EDU)
Date: Thu Jan 02 2003 - 15:48:48 EST


Well, in support of the University soil tests they are
affordable and reliable, and they are based on data
from the agricultural experiment stations. The University
of Missouri soil test is considered very good. And to
follow a trend, you do need to use the same lab year
after year.

Organic matter levels going down in a rotationally
grazed pasture? Hot temperatures may be a factor,
as you noted.

I would like to see supplemental OM amended to the pasture,
if possible. This can be poultry litter or dairy manure, and
preferrably it will be composted. Compost is humified organic
matter. That would be ideal, but raw litter / manure is good
too.

John Spain the premier grazier in Madison County,
Arkansas has a turky operation on his farm, essentially,
to integrate poultry litter with grazing management.

Over the long-term, rotational grazing with mixed animal species
and over-seeded legume will achieve a well managed pasture
with OM and mineral availability, but the supplemental
compost / manure applications will help it along faster. Grasses
are soil builders; the roots slough off OM and enrich the
non-tilled soil.

You know all that. I'm just reinforcing your approach.

It will take time... years... for a run down pasture soil to
come back up to speed. That's why supplemental OM
and mineral rock fertilizers will be helpful. The biological
action of manures, urine, and hooves will be part of
nutrient cycling and humus formation.

BD preps and related tools, including compost teas, may
serve as catalysts to facilitate nutrient cycling and humus
formation.

Base saturation to ideal levels may effect everything
from OM to microbes to mineral availability.

Some people like the effect of mechanical aerators
in conjunction with pasture management, to mix the
plant litter and animal litter and enhance the biological
and oxygen action; yet other graziers don't think you
need any mechanical disturbance.

For the farm-based humus tests advocated by the
Luebke family, see may paper below:
http://ncatark.uark.edu/~steved/cmc-compost.html

Steve Diver


Rick Hopkins wrote:

> Thanks again Steve. Barbara and I have had some contact, but not recently.
> We have seen a decline in organic matter in the last three years and I am
> attributing that to increased and extended soil temperatures. We are
> overseeding legumes this month as assurance to maintain them. We have not
> seen much in the way of pollinators the past few years and are unsure of the
> voluntary reseeding ability due to the hot and dry conditions last summer.
>
> With limited funds for soil analysis I had elected to stay with Extension
> testing so that my data was "consistent" from previous years. I hope to
> make a transition in the next three years to base saturation so that we can
> then begin to gather data with that method.
>
> I may want to pursue learning about the humus tests. How complicated is it
> to self perform?
>
> Rick
>

.



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