Bio S.I. Products Improve Soil and Animal Health

Published on Thu, 12/10/2015 - 2:12pm

Pasture Program

The Bio S.I. program for native and improved pasture seamlessly integrates into your current management program. This program utilizes two Bio S.I. products: Bio S.I. Ag Formula + Humic Acid and Bio S.I. SD 25. These products used in conjunction with a well-planned soil fertility program will increase soil life, increase efficiency of water and nutrients, and strengthen the root zone of the plant. Bio S.I. agricultural products are WSDA-certified for use as an organic program input and ready to use.

Carbon sequestration is a topic of concern in some areas. More and more agricultural producers are becoming interested in their carbon footprint and other emission controls. One of the biggest carbon sequestration systems is our native and improved perennial grass fields. The two best ways to increase the sequestering ability of those grasslands are to increase the root zone and humus (carbon) fraction.

Soil-borne bacteria are the facilitators of the soil; without them the nutrients we apply for plant growth would be bound and unused or simply volatilize into the atmosphere. Bacteria use the nutrients we apply to growing plants and convert them into plant-available forms, increasing the efficiency and availability of those components. Without a diverse population of soil organisms, our plants are being held back from their full growth potential. A benefit of greater nutrient utilization is that forage crops will have a higher nutritional content as growing seasons progress.

As forage is harvested from pasture, some of the debris is left behind to decompose and be utilized by the soil life as a food source. When diversity and density of soil life is lacking, soil crusting, thatch build-up and water-ponding can be detrimental to forage production. When organic material is left on the soil surface, it begins the decomposition process — which can be slow if adequate soil life is not present — and this is where thatch and ponding can result.

It’s not enough just to have organic matter present. Organic matter must eventually result in increasing the humus fraction. The humus fraction is responsible for increasing the soil’s water-holding capacity and nutrient availability. Ponding occurs when soil particles are so closely aligned that larger, un-decomposed organic particles clog valuable pore space. The addition of beneficial soil-borne bacteria will work to decompose the organic matter, convert that organic matter into humus, and increase pore space, resulting in an increase in water infiltration, soil humus fraction, and soil tilth.

 Bio S.I. Ag Formula + Humic Acid should be used in conjunction with fertilizer applications throughout the season or run through an irrigation system to avoid increased time in the field for additional applications. Bio S.I. SD 25 should be used as a post-season (fall) or pre-season (early spring) application. Bio S.I. SD 25 is specifically designed to increase the decomposition of organic matter — increasing the humus fraction in less time and increasing water infiltration.

 

Livestock

Cattlemen and dairymen are always on the lookout for a way to effectively increase production without sacrificing quality. Bio S.I. Technology Jackpot direct-fed microbial and Bio S.I. Technology Floor-Mate environmental spray allow just that. Cattle can convert the energy of the sun through plant growth into meat and milk, but not without a whole host of microorganisms within their digestive system; this is where Bio S.I. Jackpot can help. As a result, we must also manage the effluent created by our cattle which brings its own problems to the table; this is where Bio S.I. Floor-Mate can help you build a healthier environment.

Bio S.I. Jackpot is a ready-to-use direct-fed microbial for all meat and milk animals. The specifically selected soil-borne microbes work to augment the rumen to ensure a more hospitable environment. The diversity of Jackpot allows several functions to be improved in the fermentation vat.

Different types of microbes prefer to live and work in different pH ranges and some can withstand extremely acidic conditions. Through the use of Bio S.I. Jackpot, the rumen begins to maintain a more acceptable pH for a broader diversity of microbes, thereby increasing the potential for volatile fatty acid production which directly correlates to meat and milk production.

Bio S.I. Jackpot has two main purposes as a direct-fed microbial: one, out-competing pathogenic bacteria through competitive exclusion, and two, improving performance factors such as reducing morbidity and mortality, increasing average daily gain and so on. Bio S.I. Jackpot is easy to use with water supply injection systems, direct application to water tanks, direct addition to daily feed ration, and when used as an oral drench.

There are three primary factors that set Bio S.I. Jackpot apart from competitors: First, the contents of the container are live viable organisms, not freeze dried. Powdered or dry direct-fed microbials usually contain a large percentage of carrier and the reanimation, or percentage that come back to life, is low and inconsistent. Second, diversity is the name of the game. Many DFM products have two to six different species of Lactobacillus which is not adequate to compete with the daily bombardment of pathogens. Third, Bio S.I. Jackpot is certified for organic use by WSDA and feed input verified by IMI Global, which means it can be used in any value-added and all-natural production system without worry.

Once we have given the animal what it needs to improve performance we are left with cleaning up after them. That’s where Bio S.I. Floor-Mate comes into use.

Bio S.I. Floor-Mate is a specially formulated mix of soil-borne microbes that eliminate ammonia while working to digest and decompose organic material rapidly. When ammonia is eliminated and solids deteriorate faster, opportunities for respiratory illness and vector-borne pathogens are reduced. Also, the operation won’t be smelled from a mile away, which helps improve relations with neighbors.

In dairies, Floor-Mate can be used in flush tanks and added to lagoons. It can also be used to improve compost piles used for green chop and silage growth.

 

Small Grains and Field Crops

One of the most notable differences between Bio S.I. Technology and our competitors is that we offer programs that have positive impacts from soil life all the way to post-harvest organic matter digestion.

It’s not enough to just sell a product; it’s our continued service to the producer to ensure his goals are met.

That’s why we have a three-step program for small grains and field crops. It utilizes Bio S.I.  Ag Formula + Humic Acid, Bio S.I. Select, and Bio S.I. SD 25.

Bio S.I. Ag Formula + Humic Acid is our standard microbial inoculant with a small amount of humic acid. Ag Formula should be used pre-plant to ensure a healthy diversity and quantity of beneficial microbes inhabit the seed bed. It should also be used throughout the growing season to maintain those healthy levels. Producers often overlook the fact that if it were not for microorganisms within the soil and rhizosphere, the nutrients we apply on and in the soil would be all but lost.

A primary job of soil microbes is to convert unusable forms of nutrients into usable forms for plant growth. The secondary actions or beneficial consequences result in a healthier root system, more nutrient uptake, more efficient water utilization, increased plant immunity, and increase in yield.

Bio S.I. Select is a specially formulated seed inoculant containing microbes with endo- and ecto-mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizae are important to the process because they can immediately create a protective barrier around new root radicles after emergence. They extend the root system through a system of silk-like threads called hyphae that draw water and nutrients back to the parent root system. Hyphae are an exterior defense network keeping pathogens, nematodes and detrimental fungus at bay. Bio S.I. Select improves germination of seedlings because it allows for immediate nutrient uptake by the new plant. Because it is placed directly over the seed in furrow, it is extremely efficient.

Bio S.I. SD 25 is the final and a vital step in the process. After harvest we are left to decide what to do with the remnants. Some bail, burn, turn under or simply leave it on top as cover. With Bio S.I. SD 25, a producer has an opportunity to recapture the nutrients within the organic matter that remains after harvest. This can be accomplished because Bio S.I. SD 25 has specifically selected species of microbes that degrade and decompose highly cellulosic material from wheat and barley to cotton and rice.

One of the major benefits  of Bio S.I. SD 25 is the increase of soil humus fraction and building the carbon reserve. The field litter is also left on top, reducing wind and water erosion. An increase in tilth and aggregation allows for greater water infiltration and reduced crusting. Also, pathogens and fungi don’t have a home to overwinter in, reducing the need for expensive soil fumigants and pesticides.

This three-step process yields results in the first season with benefits increasing year after year. Soil health is the key.