Friday, March 29, 2024

Hungry bugs power through

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Biobugs bacteria are showing they can improve water quality onfarm.
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The bacteria are all naturally occurring super-grade aerobic and anaerobic bacterial strains that are bred to improve the quality and quantity of the effluent discharge and to maximise the return of valuable nutrients and minerals to pastures.

Geoff and Rosina Heaps from Ota Creek farm have been applying a Biobugs treatment to the pond by their dairy shed at monthly intervals since July 2006.

The pond received rainwater run-off from the dairy roof and yards during winter, but had no dairy waste added since May 2006.

Despite initial scepticism from their son about the effectiveness of a litre of Biobugs being poured into the pond, the Heaps said a few weeks after treatment they noticed aquatic wildlife, ducks in particular, return to the pond.

By early November their son observed that in a paddock with a travelling irrigator, the cows had eaten the grass much harder on the land sprayed with treated effluent.

Although the Heaps believed they could see a difference the treatment made to their land, verified lab test results would determine whether the BioBugs were doing their job in the effluent pond.

“Until soil test results come in, we have no positive proof that the BioBugs are changing the soil conditions that would cause the grass on the treated land to be more palatable. The herd was in the paddock two nights, and when photographing the area there was quite a visible line between the treated land and the untreated land,” the Heaps said.

The Heaps next plan was to moving the discharge pipe from the dairy shed further away from the irrigator pump to the far end of the pond giving the Biobugs more time to do their job.

The Heaps had also removed the grass and crust that were present during the early part of the trial and are paying close attention to see whether the Biobugs keep the crust from forming again.

All bacterial strains used by Biobugs International are approved for import and use in New Zealand.

For more information visit www.biobugs.co.nz.

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