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Case Study:
Brendan Bermingham
Industry: Dairy
Area: Easte Gippsland
Brendan Bermingham is a third
generation dairy farmer from
Nambrok, located 20 kilometres
west of Sale in East Gippsland,
Victoria.
“In addition to that, I manage
150 hectares of dry land area
that is used for dry stock, young
stock and to grow fodder.
under annual rye grass. Even though
more costly, this production system
is more productive”, he said.
“Annual rye grass
“... after the first year, we had an increase in is sown in early
Brendan now manages
autumn and stays in
yield
of
approximately
21%
across
compost
the Nambrook farm,
production for about
plots;
with
a
best
performing
plot
yield
increase
which was once his
eight months until
parents’. For the past of 31%. From this, we learned that the most late summer. This
ten years, he has been cost effective compost application rates were production system
actively involved in the
between 5-7.5t/ha, with targeted application of allows me to change
dairy industry, leasing
my
calf
calving
artificial
fertiliser.”
the Nambrook farm for
patterns to autumn
the last two years.
calving as oppose to
Originally, we had perennial rye
spring calving. With autumn calving,
Brendan is milking a herd of 240
grass pastures on the farm. But
I can attract higher prices for my
Holstein cows on 60 hectares
recently, about two thirds is
milk. With annual rye grass pasture,
under flooding irrigation.
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deliver a quality product all year
around is an added bonus”, said
Brendan.
I am saving irrigation water
down from 6ML/ha to 3ML/ha.”
Brendan was using compost
for approximately three years
before fully committing to
incorporating compost as an
input to his production system.
In the first year, Brendan set up 14
compost trial plots with amounts
of compost varying from 2.5t/
ha to 20t/ha with some plots
having various combinations of
artificial fertiliser and compost,
all of which were then trialled
“On average, after the first year,
we had an increase in yield of
approximately 21% across compost
plots; with a best performing plot
yield increase of
31%. From this, we
learned that the
most cost effective
compost application
rates were between
5-7.5t/ha,
with
targeted application
of artificial fertiliser.”
The compost used
by
Brendan
is
supplied and spread
by local fertiliser
resellers – Gibson
Ground Spread from
Rosedale.
Revive
Compost is produced
locally by Gippsland
Water at the Soil
Organic
Recycling
Facility at Dutson
Downs.
against the farm’s practice at
the time. The results showed
that plots containing compost
performed better than plots
without compost.
Over
the
past
2
years,
approximately 1000 tonnes of
compost was applied on the
farm per year. Apart from yield
improvements,
improvements
in soil health – with increased
biological
activity,
increased
number of worms, deeper roots
on the grass, and improvements in
water holding capacity – were also
observed. Additionally, soil test
“Dealing with one supplier for our
fertiliser needs and compost in
a ‘one go product’, delivery and
spreading has been great. You are
always busy on the dairy farm, so,
having a reliable supplier that can
results showed an increase from
6pH two years ago, to just slightly
above pH7, with the soil CEC also
increasing from 14 to 19 over the
same period.
Contact:
Slobodan Vujovic
Market & Industry Development Officer
Compost Victoria
T: 0422 5837 784
E: [email protected]
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