Poultry Manure Premium Organic Fertilizer Pellets 25kg (Terra Firma)
Fully composted, pelletized poultry manure avoids many of the inherent but misunderstood problems associated with the use of raw manures. The main issue is that raw manures flood the soil with excessive amounts of nitrate-nitrogen.
This one issue is the root cause of many production problems such as, high pest and disease pressure, unpalatable pastures, bitterness or lack of traditional flavour in food crops.
Excessive nitrates often produce inferior flavour and low nutritional content in plants because additional water, required to dilute the high salt index of nitrates, dilutes cell contents. Nitrates are negatively-charged and won’t attach to the soil colloids, hence leaching losses are high under irrigation or heavy rainfall.
Composting converts unwanted nitrates into more complex nitrogen forms such an amino acids and microbial proteins. These complex N-forms are stable and plant available and because they are easier to metabolise, the plant has more energy for growth.
We screen our chicken manure compost, over a 5mm screen prior to pelletizing to remove the sawdust, as opposed to hammermilling or crushing the sawdust and keeping it within the compost base as done in some other manufacturers processes.
This gives us a more concentrated nutrient rich pellet. In doing so it separates the humified compost from wood waste and reduces the risk of Nitrogen Drawdown in soil. In practical terms nitrogen draw down occurs when microbe organisms are presented with raw carbon, but insufficient nitrogen to utilise it, this consequently depletes soil nitrogen reserves to break down the carbon, causing starvation in the plant.
We compost fully undercover to avoid leaching or loss of Humic Acid. Humic Acid is the most plant available fertiliser and is a respected and honoured component of our pellets.
Raw manure contains the wrong form of Nitrogen. Composting converts most Nitrate Nitrogens into microbial protein and mineralised ammonium which is the most beneficial form of nitrogen for plants as it is readily available for the plant to use, converting the energy into plant growth.
Our fully composted, premium poultry manure base is the foundation of our entire range. Composted fully undercover this biologically activated organic base, rich in readily available nutrients, supplies a wide variety of minerals and organic microbe foods to your plants. Available in Pellets, Granules & Fines, this product is a BFA/ACO Certified Organic Allowable Farm & Garden Input.
APPLICATION RATES HOME GARDEN: 150g - 300g per square metre in the vegetable garden and around established shrubs. Suitable for use on natives at lower rates. COMMERCIAL VEGETABLES & VINE FRUIT PRODUCTION: 500 - 2500kg/Ha as a pre-plant application depending on the type and quantity of other soil inputs. TREE CROPS: 250 - 500kg/Ha depending on age of trees or 500g per tree for each year of the trees age, up to 4kg. Apply under trees with more around the drip line. Apply in Spring and Autumn. BROAD ACRE CROPS: 75kg - 150kg/Ha in the furrow with the seed as a biological activator. PASTURE: 200 - 1000kg/Ha after grazing in Winter. Over Winter the pellets will incorporate in the top soil and help.
Terra Firma vs Raw Manure Comparison:
TERRA FIRMA POULTRY MANURE PELLETS |
RAW MANURE |
Moisture content 5-8% |
Moisture Content up to 40% |
Typical Analysis N4.3 P1.9 K2.2 |
Typical Analysis N3.5 P1.6 K1.8 |
Sawdust screened out to produce a more nutrient dense concentrated product. |
Contains Sawdust causes nitrogen drawdown (refer right) Reduces nutrient analysis. |
Easy to Spread |
Hard to Spread (Belt Spreader - more costly |
Pellets allow more controlled release and won’t wash away |
Dusty and can blow away or leach quickly in heavy rain. Dust can sit on leaf and has potential for ammonia gas burn. |
Composted and Tested to kill harmful bacteria |
Potential for harmful bacteria, e-coli, salmonella, listeria, botulism. Risk for Animal Disease |
Right form of N (refer right) |
Wrong form of N (refer right) |