Without fertiliser, New Zealand agricultural production would be no higher than 25% of today’s level. The benefits of applying fertiliser are well documented. However, it must be the right fertiliser, applied at the right time, to ensure yield isn’t limited by a shortage of one particular element.
A Ravensdown Fertiliser Plan captures all of the information for you to follow your Account Manager’s recommendation. It is used as a pricing tool, comparing different options, as well as a planning tool, showing your planned fertiliser expenditure over a season or a year.
Depending on your farming structure, you can show different applications for different areas, or alternatively a crop fertiliser programme from preparation to planting and harvesting. There are many different options for the use of a fertiliser plan.
The timing of the proposed fertiliser applications are quite clearly displayed, along with the amount of nutrients being applied.
You can order directly from your fertiliser plan via your Account Manager, the Customer Centre or through Ravensdown’s Online Ordering.
Creation of a fertiliser plan
The basis of your fertiliser plan comes from your soil test results and the amount of production you are aiming for. By comparing your current test results, along with trends over time, to the optimum nutrient level for your requirements, an accurate recommendation can be created.
A nutrient budget can also be consulted since it compares overall nutrient inputs to outputs, identifying deficits and excesses, while assisting with farm management decisions, such as fertiliser applications, to be made.
Once the nutrient requirements have been determined the least cost fertiliser calculator can be used to find the most cost effective product or blend taking into account transport and spreading costs, and fertiliser compatibility.
Content of a fertiliser plan
SAFiRe (software assisted fertiliser recommendation) is the programme Ravensdown uses to help your account manager quickly and accurately compare different sources and rates of nutrients for each targeted block or crop, including an estimate of application costs. SAFiRe also gives you options and potential costings per ha, per block and for your total seasonal or yearly fertiliser programme.
In many cases more than one nutrient is required and this will often affect which fertiliser is the most cost effective. However if you’re targeting key nutrients you can use a variety of fertilisers to build your pasture and/or crop nutrient plan. Our fertilisers contain different combinations and amounts of nutrients and are designed to meet as many of your individual requirements as possible.
Organising a fertiliser plan
If you would like to enjoy the benefits and information a fertiliser plan provides, contact our Customer Centre for more information.
My Ravensdown
Your fertiliser plans are available for review and printing from My Ravensdown, your secure part of the Ravensdown website.