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The rumen is the centre of digestion in ruminants. It is a compartment that hosts a microbial population responsible for the initial breakdown of the ration, particularly the digestion of dietary fibre from forages. As forages are the foundation of the ration and the lowest-cost source of energy for producing meat or milk, the proper […]
...Often underestimated, one tonne of manure is worth between €12 and €18 per tonne at current fertiliser (N, P, K) and amendment (Ca, Mg and organic matter) prices. On a farm with a 60-dairy-cow herd (including replacements), this represents 1,500 tonnes of manure produced per year – equivalent to €22,500 per year of added value […]
...For a farm with 60 dairy cows, manure and slurry represent €27,000 to €38,000 in added value per year. However, surveys carried out among farmers show that only 40 to 60% of these effluents are actually utilised. This therefore represents an immediate source of autonomy for farms. Reducing dependency on inputs such as fertilisers involves […]
...The winter period can increase the occurrence of health disorders in livestock farming, such as higher somatic cell counts in milk, recurrent mastitis, lameness, respiratory disorders, and more. Some of these issues are promoted by suboptimal housing conditions, which negatively affect animal comfort in the building and can result in losses of €20–30 per tonne […]
...Ensuring soil fertility is a matter of balance, where structure, chemistry and biological life are intertwined in an equation whose components depend on one another. But how can you tell whether your soil is balanced to achieve profitable crops? Through soil analysis, of course! CONTENTS The right balance How to link soil fertility to field […]
...For over 60 years, soil analysis has been used to guide the fertilisation of land and crops. With growing environmental concerns and rising prices of mineral fertilisers, fertilisation practices now need to evolve. This starts with new indicators of soil fertilising value. CONTENTS The soil-as-a-support approach The living soil approach Final thoughts The soil-as-a-support approach […]
...Environmental pressure and rising fertiliser prices are now driving a new approach to soil functioning. The article “A cost-effective living soil approach” explains how soil flora helps maintain the stock of nutrients available to plants. Stimulating soil flora should lead to the stimulation of all the microorganisms it contains, while maintaining two key balances: the […]
...Biostimulants are a relatively new category of plant products that has been developing rapidly over the past ten years, helping improve plant nutrition and increase tolerance to various stresses. Long regarded as little more than “snake oil”, they are now widely adopted by many farmers who see them as a genuine and natural alternative to […]
...Magnesium is a somewhat overlooked element. While it is widely highlighted in certain specialised crops or management systems, it is most often ignored in arable farming. However, it is essential for the proper functioning of soils and crops, just like calcium, sulphur or potash. Magnesium plays a role at every level influencing yield: soil structure, […]
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