Optimising nutrient availability for cattle

Nutrient circularity in cattle farming can help improve soil health and reduce farming costs. Ernest Makua, livestock technical adviser at Red Meat Industry Services, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about practical strategies for farmers to achieve sustainability and profitability in the industry.

- Octavia Avesca Spandiel

Optimising nutrient circularity in cattle farming operations has become essential for achieving profitability and sustainability.

According to Ernest Makua, livestock technical adviser at Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS), this approach highlights the importance of recycling nutrients within farming systems, ultimately lowering farmers’ costs and improving the environmental stewardship.

Nutrient circularity revolves around creating a closed-loop system where farm by-products, such as manure, are recycled back into the soil to nourish pastures. This practice minimises reliance on synthetic fertilisers, promoting environmental health.

“Farmers have a valuable resource in the manure being constantly produced by their livestock, which is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Using this resource to fertilise pastures can save significantly on chemical fertilisers, which are both costly and potentially harmful to the environment if overused,” explains Makua.

Across South Africa’s diverse ecological regions, the impact of manure on soil health and pasture productivity can be substantial. “In areas with high rainfall, you often find more sour grasses, while lower-rainfall regions support sweeter grasses. Both types play distinct roles in nutrient recycling, but they benefit equally from natural fertilisation through manure, helping farmers grow resilient pastures suited to their local environment,” explains Makua.

ECONOMIC BENEFITS

One of the primary advantages of nutrient circularity is the financial savings it offers cattle farmers. By repurposing manure, farmers can avoid the expense of purchasing chemical fertilisers.

“Instead of spending hard-earned money on synthetic fertilisers, farmers can turn to what their cattle produce naturally,” he says.