Re: Why we should be careful (was Re: [compost_tea] tea for pasture

From: David Anderson <squtch_at_gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2005 13:12:35 -0800
On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 12:34:05 -0800, Ted Peterson <ted.peterson_at_tcsn.net> wrote:
> So when looking at data like the report in the link, keep in mind that there
> may be a completely different explanation that could potentially give the
> same results.  Yes, the cattle gained when they were observed and interacted
> with more often. When they were left to their own resources and the
> interaction lessened, they lost on all levels. 

Ted,

I think Betsy actually did a reasonable job here of covering other
possible reasons for improvement with this paragraph:

"So, the answer to your question is: We got this wonderful response from
these animals because in addition to management practices such as rotational
grazing, improved genetics, low stress livestock handling, planting high
quality forages, tons of planning for all the farm activities, we quit with
the 34-0-0 type fertilizer, quit with the herbicides, quit with the
supplemental feed, quit with the worming AND added back the biology to the
pastures!"

That is why I kept suggesting that everyone read it carefully. From
everything I read in there, it seems to me that she completely changed
her style of raising cattle. She did not do it to convince others, she
did it for herself.

Every one of her changes in management practice is probably
accountable for a small part of her better growth and nutirition
levels.

Personally, I suspect that a fair amount of the change is due to
moving away from the chemicals. I am experiencing that myself in the
house I have lived in for just over a year.  The guy who lived here
before us was gone most of the time for the 6 months before we bought
the place, so he pretty much stopped adding his chemical fertilizers.
The lawn was very patchy and mostly brown.

The *only* lawn care that I have done is mowing it, and I prefer to
use the clippings for my compost. The extra year away from the
chemicals has brought grass back to the bald patches, and the whole
thing is green. All I did was stop killing the biology, and there was
a major improvement.

I expect that similar things can happen to pasture as well.

Dave

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Received on Sun Feb 13 2005 - 17:37:28 EST

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