A JOURNEY TO HEALTHIER SOIL AND MORE PRODUCTIVE PASTURES
Piobaire Dairy Runoff – Finding a better way – Building soil health.
Rethinking the Approach to Pasture Management
Chris Pyper has got more out of his farm with less. He tells his story of improving soil health, animal health, and the health of the farm.
Piobaire Estate Dairy Runoff has been in the Pyper Family for 35 years providing replacement stock to the main 850 cow dairy farm, Aerodrome. During this time Chris Pyper has been carefully monitoring the pasture performance and productivity in providing these replacement stock. Five to six years ago Chris began to question the effectiveness and cost of their traditional fertiliser program.
The Results - At a Glance
Healthier Soil & More Earthworms
Earthworm counts increased from 3-5 per soil sample to 21-27, improving soil structure, moisture retention, and nutrient cycling.
Higher Pasture Yields & Nutrient Density
Pasture production increased by 15-20%, with cows preferring the more nutrient-dense grass, staying in paddocks longer, and retaining more water.
Improved Silage Efficiency
Less pasture was needed to fill silage pits, with the large pit requiring 75 hectares instead of 90-100, highlighting greater pasture productivity.
Strategic Fertiliser Use
Switching to a “little and often” liquid application of Urea, alongside Fish IT, led to better nutrient uptake and cost-effective fertilisation.
Healthier, More Productive Animals
Bigger, healthier animals benefited from improved pasture quality, leading to better weight gain and overall wellbeing.
Sustainable & Profitable Farming
Fish IT has become a key part of Chris Pyper’s system, supporting long-term soil health, reducing reliance on synthetic inputs, and ensuring ongoing farm success.
Chris Pyper explains how the farm has changed over 7-8 years from a solid urea based system to one that is lower intensity and better for soil and animal health.
Applying bulk fertilisers, specifically Urea, two to three times a year was not delivering the results they needed.Chris noticed the cows were rejecting the grass, productivity was stagnating, and they weren’t getting the best value for their investment.
Chris says,
“We didn’t believe you get bang for your buck.”
with this method.
It became clear that they needed a smarter, more efficient way to grow high-quality pasture and improve farm profitability.
A New Approach to Nutrient Application
Determined to find a better way, Chris transitioned to a more strategic fertilisation method. Instead of applying large amounts infrequently, he moved to a “little and often” approach—spreading Urea 7 to 8 times per year at a rate of approximately 38 kg per hectare in liquid form through a Tow and Fert Multi 1200.
To enhance the effectiveness of this new system, Chris introduced Fish IT Whole Salmon Fish Hydrolysate into his nutrient program. He started with an initial application of 20L-30L per hectare and with a smaller dose of 7-8L towards the end of the season.
A Dramatic Increase in Earthworms
Chris has always closely monitored soil health, conducting annual worm counts across his entire farm. Before introducing Fish IT, he averaged 3 to 5 worms per 8-inch soil sample. After incorporating Fish IT into his system, that number gradually increased to 21-27 worms per spade, a clear indicator of improved soil biology and soil health. The soil structure also changed significantly. Roots that previously struggled to penetrate deep into the ground were now growing in a more structured and resilient way. Chris performed a simple “drop test” on soil clumps to check for stability. Where the soil used to not break apart easily at all, it now took 3 to 4 drops, breaking into smaller clumps, demonstrating greater soil integrity, less compaction, and greater moisture retention.
Nutrient Dense Pasture leads to higher yields, healthier animals.
A significant improvement in silage production.
One of the most tangible benefits came in silage production. Chris had been filling the same silage pits for nearly a decade and knew exactly how much pasture was needed to fill them. Before using Fish IT alongside the change to liquid Urea, his two smaller pits required 55-65 hectares of harvested grass to fill. Now, they only need about 45 hectares. Similarly, his large pit, which used to require 90-100 hectares, now consistently fills with just 75 hectares.
Not only was Chris growing more pasture, but he was also growing better-quality pasture, or more nutrient dense pasture. The cows showed a clear preference for the new, denser grass, staying in paddocks longer and consuming it much more efficiently.
“We are really happy with what we are doing with it (the Fish IT). We’re not growing higher grass, we are growing more [nutrient] dense grass.”
Previously, paddocks that provided enough feed for four days before the cows needed to be moved now last seven days or more. The cows also retained more water from their feed, which contributed to better overall health and wellbeing.
“We know ourselves we have got bigger animals, healthier animals.
We estimate we are growing 15-20% more grass.”
The Role of Fish IT: A Game-Changer
In this video Chris tells of the changes in the soil, the growth in the number of worms per spade and nutrient density of the pasture.
A Shift in Perspective
Chris was initially skeptical about using a fish-based product. His father, in particular, was not convinced—until they visited another farm using Fish IT and saw the results firsthand. After observing the improved soil structure, worm activity, and pasture quality, they decided to give it a try.
Results That Speak for Themselves
Now, after five to six years of using Fish IT, Chris is confident that it has played a major role in transforming his farm. While he also made other changes—such as adjusting fertiliser application frequency with liquids—he believes Fish IT has been instrumental in boosting microbial activity, improving worm populations, and enhancing soil structure. Unlike synthetic inputs like Urea, which do not contribute to soil biology, Fish IT actively supports long-term soil health and productivity.
A System That Works
Fine-Tuning the Fert Input Program
Chris has refined his system to a point where very few changes have been necessary over the last three to four years. He now applies 20L-30L of Fish IT per hectare at the beginning of the season, with an additional smaller application of 7-8L towards the end of the season.
Chris estimates that his farm is now producing 15-20% more pasture than before. Even in less-than-ideal seasons, the improved soil structure and nutrient cycling allow for stronger, more resilient growth.
Additionally the increased density of nutrients has benefitted the animals and pasture utilisation hugely.
Above: A transformation in soil health and fertility has resulted in healthier, happier cows and a more productive farm.
A Sustainable Future for the Farm
Chris Pyper has seen firsthand how healthy soil leads to healthier animals and better farm performance. The improved pasture density, increased silage production, and happier, healthier cows have confirmed that their decision to use Fish IT was the right one.
While no farming system is perfect, Chris is confident that his soil-first approach is the key to long-term sustainability and profitability. Fish IT has become an essential part of his operation, helping him grow more with less and setting his farm up for success for years to come.
“We don’t know exactly how good Fish IT is, but it’s done something to our farm that we’re more than happy with.
We can handle the cost of it. We can handle the workload of it, because we get it back in our animals, we believe.”
Chris Pyper