It’s been 10 years since the Gaffney’s made the transition from potato to pasture farming. In that time, they have concentrated on reducing the use of synthetic fertiliser on farm, a goal that was reached two years ago.
Today, pasture improvement is taking top priority on the Gaffney’s family farm, Central Castra, in northwest Tasmania.
“After successfully reducing and now removing the need for synthetic fertiliser, we’re turning our attention to pasture and soil health,” said Martin.
Years ago, the Gaffney’s trialled ECTOL Protect and Grow, a bio stimulant, designed to increase tuber size on potatoes. Now, Martin is keen to explore ECTOL’s range for pasture improvement.
The team at ECTOL recommended a liquid blend of 10L / Ha which included 5L / Ha of ECTOL Micro Max, a product with elevated micronutrients, plant elicitors, and humic and fulvic acids, as well as 5L / Ha of ECTOL STARTER, a high phosphorus, high nitrogen liquid input that is a viable alternative to MAP.
“Already working towards more microbial activity in the soil, we were keen to see how these speciality liquid inputs would respond to our hay pastures”, said Martin.
“We were impressed with results from the first application. We applied the 10L / Ha blend in October 2024 and noticed the pasture lasting longer in December 2024.”
In the pictures supplied (below), Martin notes that cattle had already been grazing for 10 days, and the paddocks were still going strong.
“We noticed the cattle sitting down more as well, suggesting there is more nutrition in the pasture”, he added.
Martin has now decided to do an additional application of 10L / Ha of NitrotainTE27, a highly efficient liquid nitrogen input that provides 27% total nitrogen that is fully utilised by the plant. NTE27 is formulated to retain nitrogen in the plant or soil, minimising atmospheric and leaching loss, and the acidification of soils.
“Knowing the N is more plant available in NTE27, we’re really interested in the potential growth with this upcoming application,” said Martin. “In addition, we find spraying these liquids to be more economical for our farm. They can be purchased in larger quantities and remain stable in the shed (shuttle) until needed," he said.
Martin says that his keen 18-year-old son, Lachlan, is proving to be a strong motivator to continue down the path of more natural farming. “I want to ensure we leave the farm in a better condition than it was many years ago. "Of course, any boost in grass production is important, but knowing we can achieve this with healthy plants, soils and animals, is just as important to our family’s farming future,” he concluded.
For more information on Martin’s transition to more natural farming, contact the team at ECTOL or visit www.ectol.com
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