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Economic benefit of reducing the coefficient of variation of fertiliser application
AgFirst Waikato – Phil Journeaux
Completed 2018
Introduction
This analysis investigates the economic impacts of varying the coefficient of variation of fertiliser application (CV – essentially the evenness of the spread of fertiliser), and its subsequent impact on farm profitability. It is based on published research relating CV to changes in pasture DM production, which was used to model a representative North Island Hill Country sheep and beef farm and Waikato/Bay of Plenty dairy farm, within Farmax. Subject to the assumptions made, it showed, that for a representative North Island hill country sheep and beef farm, increasing CVs above 40% had an impact on dry matter production and subsequently on farm profitability. For the representative Waikato/Bay of Plenty dairy farm, increasing CVs above 50% had an impact on dry matter production and subsequently on farm profitability.
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The paper was presented at Massey University, Palmerston North, Fertilizer & Lime Research Centre’s 31st annual workshop: Farm environment planning – Science, policy and practice (Eds L. D. Currie and C. L. Christensen, Occasional Report No. 31).
