How Much Calcium Leaves Your Farm Every Day?

HOW MUCH CALCIUM LEAVES YOUR FARM EVERY DAY?…

How many years have you been driving all the nutrients from your farm, out of the gate in the milk tankers and grain trucks, gradually altering the pH of your soil?

Acidity is a major and often overlooked problem in Australia.  pH is the measure of the level of hydrogen in the soil.  As soils become more acidic, hydrogen replaces valuable mineral elements such as calcium and potassium and phosphorous.  Soil pH has an enormous impact on the availability of soil nutrients to the plant and also greatly affects the organisms living in the soil.

A lack of calcium can be determined by soil testing, but is also evident by poor growth and low crop yields; pasture invasion by dandelions, flat weed, sorrel and onion grass; spotting or edging on clover and less than anticipated response from the use of fertilizers.  Calcium is an important constituent of cell wall material, adding strength and stability to plants.  Deficiencies in calcium cause stunted growth, restricted leaf development and paleness at leaf margins. Limestone (Calcium Carbonate CaCo₃) is a naturally occurring mineral used in agriculture to change some physical and chemical aspects of the soil, making it more productive.  Lime is available in a number of forms, the most common being AgLime, which is essentially pulverised limestone.

Benefits of using AgLime…

• It is a major source of calcium.
• It corrects acidification, neutralising acid soils. You can then adjust soil pH to the desired level, depending on the type of crop being grown.
• It reduces Aluminium and Manganese toxicities (these often occur at low pH).
• It improves fertiliser efficiency, increasing the uptake of other nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium, Magnesium, Boron and Zinc.
• It influences soil micro-organisms, improves soil structure and promotes worms. Aglime tends to prevent heavy clays, clay loams and silt loams from running together when wet, so reducing crusting and clogging.
• It improves livestock health. All animals must have adequate supplies of calcium in their diet for bone, teeth and milk formation.

AgLime is available all year round in 24 and 35 tonne loads. Please call us if you would like to order AgLime for your farm.