Guaranteed quality for better results

Leading global fertiliser manufacturer, Yara Crop Nutrition has rebranded its water-soluble calcium nitrate YaraLiva CALCINIT into the YaraTera range of quality products. Yara Crop Nutrition Sales Agronomist, David Coombes, says ‘Tera’ is derived from the Old Norse word ‘Taera’, which means ‘feeding’. Adding CALCINIT to YaraTera completes the Yara range of fully water-soluble fertilisers for fertigation including NPKs, straights, chelates and liquid fertilisers. Specifically manufactured for fertigation, YaraTera CALCINIT provides all the benefits of fast-acting highly available nitrogen, with the improved harvest quality characteristics of calcium. “When combined with an efficient irrigation system both nutrients and water can be managed to obtain maximum yield and quality,” David says. “The balance of calcium and nitrate nitrogen in YaraTera CALCINIT ensures that growth is maximised and that produce quality is not compromised. “It is widely used on high value crops to ensure stress-free growth and high yielding, highly marketable, top grade produce.”

MIXING YARATERA CALCINIT

YaraTera CALCINIT can be mixed with other water-soluble fertilisers, except concentrated stock solutions containing phosphate or sulphate. It’s quick to dissolve in water without any residues and can be used in all fertigation systems, including drip, sprinklers and centre pivot irrigators. “Yara has more than 100 years’ experience in producing calcium nitrate and more than 50 years’ experience in producing water-soluble forms,” David says. “We are continuously improving our manufacturing processes in response to customer demands, YaraTera CALCINIT formulations are almost 100 times purer than the first calcium nitrate produced by Yara 100 years ago. “Likewise, we’ve managed to reduce the level of insolubility from an average of 2,000 to 50 ppm over the past 20 years.” Unlike some calcium nitrates, it’s not classified as an oxidising agent and is therefore not subject to restrictions in storage, handling and transportation. Alternatively, producers can opt to use Yara Liquids N-Cal 15+18 Ca, which is a true liquid calcium nitrate formulation manufactured by Yara in Australia using high quality calcium nitrate manufactured by Yara in Norway.

MONITORING RESPONSIBILITY

Yara continuously monitors the quality of calcium nitrates available throughout the world.

A recent analysis of 25 ‘greenhouse grade’ calcium nitrate products sold in Europe, Latin America and Asia found significant deviations in nutritional specification, impurities and product quality. Conducted using industry standard methodologies, this analysis found 40 per cent (pc) of the tested samples had calcium and/or nitrogen concentrations less than 97pc of label specification; 24pc contained lead, mercury or cadmium above minimum detection levels; and 56pc showed inferior product quality, such as dust, caking or black particles. “These inconsistencies can directly affect the product’s quality, storage, handling and solubility characteristics – and most importantly, its performance,” David says. “Inconsistent or sub-optimal nutrient delivery has a direct impact on crop yield and quality, poor product quality can block fertigation systems, while impurities can shut down market access. “YaraTera CALCINIT and Yara Liquids N-Cal 15+18 Ca – and indeed, all Yara products – have guaranteed specification, so you can be completely confident that what it says on the label is what you’re actually receiving. “Furthermore, you know exactly where it comes from. “Many calcium nitrate products are manufactured and sold as commodities, making it very difficult to trace the true origin of the manufacturer.”

THE YARA WAY

Yara is one of the world’s leading fertiliser manufacturers. It markets a comprehensive range of fertilisers, including YaraMila (NPKs), YaraLiva (calcium nitrates), YaraTera (soluble fertilisers), YaraRega (soluble NPKs), Yara Liquids and YaraVita (foliar micronutrients). These products are supported by Yara’s team of sales agronomists, customer service representatives and technical support staff throughout Australia. “Our goal is to deliver integrated crop nutrition solutions that genuinely increase the productivity and profitability of our customers,” David says. For more information on Yara products contact your local Elders branch.

ADD VALUE TO PERENNIAL PASTURES WITH NITROGEN FIXED FROM LEGUMES

Legumes have always been a valuable addition to perennial pastures. Considering nitrogen prices have skyrocketed over the past 12 months, this is true now more than ever. The current high nitrogen (N) costs serve as an important reminder of why proprietary legumes are beneficial to an operation by fixing free slow-release nitrogen for perennial grasses. Legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen into usable nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia and root nodules. For every 1,000kgDM/ha above ground legume growth approximately 20-30kg/ha of free atmospheric nitrogen can be fixed. In other words, legumes can potentially reduce the synthetic N fertiliser requirements of pastures, whilst increasing overall quality as legumes are naturally high in crude protein (CP) and metabolisable energy (ME). On average a proprietary white clover within a perennial ryegrass pasture will grow around 4,000kgDM/ha/year, that’s 80kg N/ha/year of free nitrogen fixed from the atmosphere. With the current cost of urea at around $1,100/t (or more) a unit of N costing approximately $2.39/kg; 80kgN/ha fixed by a white clover is worth approximately $191/ha/ year to the farmer, excluding the extra pasture growth and increased animal performance from increased pasture quality when including legumes. To optimise performance of perennial legumes and maximise persistence within a perennial pasture sward: > use the PGG Wrightson Seeds

Programmed Approach® to pasture renewal for an easy to follow, 10 step process on pasture renewal and maximising the persistence of a perennial pasture with legumes (Step 8 and 9 of the

Programmed Approach™). > use high sowing rates at establishment (4 – 6kg/ha white clover) or 20% of the pasture mix. > use legume friendly herbicides during establishment. > maintain high soil fertility especially phosphorous, potassium, sulphur and molybdenum and be mindful of soil pH. > use proven proprietary clovers bred within a pasture sward. > use the appropriate legume species for rainfall and soil type. So, who needs free nitrogen? Pair high performing perennial ryegrass varieties such as Base AR37, Reward Endo5, Platform AR37/AR1 or summer active tall fescues such as Quantum II MaxP® or the new Quantica MaxP with proprietary white and red clovers and maximise pasture mixes fixing up to 80kgN/ha/ year plus. Proprietary clovers such as Legacy large leaf white clover, Quartz medium leaf white clover, Hilltop small-medium leaf white clover and the new generation red clover, Amigain, have been bred in a pasture sward offering the following benefits and more.

Legacy large leaf white clover: A high performing large leaf clover offering greater persistence, high yields and improved year-round production, resulting in more nitrogen being generated to drive pasture performance. Quartz medium leaf white clover: A high yielding, persistent medium leaf white clover with high stolon density and broad adaptability across various environments and farm systems.

Hilltop small-medium leaf white clover:

Bred to cope with more challenging environments from variable soil fertility to variable moisture availability, Hilltop is a very robust and persistent smallmedium leaf white clover. NEW Amigain red clover: As the latest generation red clover bred for increased persistence and growth in permanent or short term, high performance pastures, Amigain will perform in both pasture mixes and pure swards. As a specialist multi-year crop, Amigain provides high quality feed and produces lower formononetin (oestrogen) levels compared to older varieties. Red and white clovers available from DLF Seeds are bred and selected from within a high performing perennial ryegrass sward whereas, traditional clover selection was completed under cut and carry trials for two years. Amigain, Legacy, Quartz and Hilltop clovers were evaluated for growth and persistence under cattle grazing over multiple years. Through these trials it was evident that the increased stolon density fibrous root systems and their ability to compete and persist in the modern pasture sward make them the ideal companion to a perennial pasture.

Ultimately, if established and managed well, sowing legumes as part of a pasture mix may increase the overall pasture quality, reduce fertilizer (N) requirements, improve stock performance and provide a higher return on investment. For more information on high performing perennial pastures, contact DLF Seeds on 1800 619 910. PGG Wrightson Seeds recently combined with Stephen Pasture Seeds and AusWest Seeds and are now called DLF Seeds. The PGG Wrightson Seeds proprietary product portfolio is available through DLF Seeds.

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY – MINIMISING THE RISK OF MYCOTOXINS

There is no silver bullet to tackle the threat of mycotoxins. To reduce the risk to both animal health and business profitability, a targeted approach is needed, consisting of different tools to evaluate the mycotoxin risk.

With high moisture levels present following a successful harvest season, large amounts of stored grain kept in high moisture environments have a risk of producing moulds, which in turn significantly increases the risk of mycotoxin related problems when fed to livestock.

While it is advisable not to feed animals mycotoxin affected grains, the issue is not often visible and therefore risk mitigation through a targeted approach is required.

EFFECTS OF MYCOTOXINS ON LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

Mycotoxins are produced as a survival mechanism when moulds are stressed by extreme weather conditions and/or in competition for a feed source with other microbes. Mycotoxins are commonly found on grains, silages, hay, and other by-products used as stock feed. If fed these contaminated feeds, your stock can suffer from digestive disorders, lower feed intake, immune challenges, and increased susceptibility to disease. The three most common mycotoxins in livestock production are Aflatoxin (Afla), Zearalenone (Zea) and Deoxynivalenol (DON). Aflatoxins are the most common mycotoxin found in Australia. It is difficult to visually identify dangerous levels of mycotoxins in stock feeds, as contamination is often limited to sections of the stored feed stuff. Even the absence of visible mould does not exclude the presence of mycotoxins, as the chemical compound of the toxin persists in the feed even if the mould dies off. Brooke said they have developed a Mycotoxin Management toolbox to combat the threat of these mycotoxins. “It focuses on the preservation of feed and raw materials, as well as helping to monitor contamination levels to protect your livestock,” said Ms Brooke.

TESTING PROGRAMS

It is advisable to routinely conduct mycotoxin tests to evaluate feed. Alltech Lienert’s RapiRead™ tool determines the level of the three mycotoxins Afla, DON and Zea. A more in-depth evaluation can be undertaken using Alltech’s 37+ analysis, which tests for more than 50 mycotoxins. These tests provide insight into the presence and concentrations of mycotoxins. It also reports on symptoms, expected loss of production and mitigation strategies.

FIGURE 1: ALLTECH RAPIREAD CAN BE USED TO TEST FOR THE 3 MOST COMMON MYCOTOXINS - DON, AFLATOXIN AND ZEARALENONE.

MIXED FEED

Producers can also protect animals by including a mycotoxin binder. A binder consists of absorbent ingredients and should ensure broad-spectrum efficacy. It’s wise to select a binder that has no negative interactions with diet ingredients (vitamins, medications) and has a proven track record. Mycosorb A+ is a second-generation product from Alltech that tackles mycotoxin challenges as a whole, rather than dealing with individual mycotoxins. Mycosorb A+ has multiple functional carbohydrates, from both yeast cell wall and algae origin, which bind a wide range of mycotoxins, reducing the overall concentration of these toxins. Each gram of yeast cell wall in Mycosorb A+ provides roughly 20m² of surface area for binding. By removing the mycotoxin from the gastrointestinal tract, Mycosorb A+ prevents it from being transferred into the body of the animal.

PREVENTION IS KEY FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH

While individual mycotoxins present a threat, the synergistic and/or additive effects of multiple occurring mycotoxins and their interactions become critical to the health of your livestock. “Prevention of such a mycotoxin challenge is key for the optimum health of your livestock and the longterm profitability of your operation” concludes Ms Brooke.

Alltech Lienert offers tailor-made mycotoxin management programs to assist you with prevention and mitigation of mycotoxin challenges. Contact your local Alltech Lienert nutritionist or representative or call 1800 649 231 for more information on how we can help ease your mycotoxin worries.