R.U.M.-steers stack on the kilos!

Tony Bayliss, 'Kathrose', near Moree, has every reason to like the hard-working earthworm. Tony is in the middle of a two-year trial comparing R.U.M., the earthworm-based liquid plant food, and DAP fertiliser on his pastures.

So far his cattle have shown weight gains that have pleasantly surprised even local stock auctioneers.

Recently Tony sold a mob of 26 eighteen-twenty month old steers for between $450-$460. The top pen realised $1.18/kg live weight.

For his trial, Tony sowed two similar strips with oats. On one 12ha strip he spread DAP fertilizer at the rate of 96.7kg/ha whilst on the other he sprayed R.U.M. at 7L/ha. 20 milk-tooth steers were run on each strip and after 72 days the R.U.M.-fed stock had put on an average 58kg, as against the 52kg for those on conventionally-fertilised pasture.

With 30% lower production costs, the 'R.U.M.-sums' already put Tony on the right side of the ledger.

Yes, We Have Some Bananas, Today

This season, banana growers Colin and Ian Simpson are putting R.U.M. Liquid Plant Food through it's paces in some head-to-head trials with various fertiliser mixes.

Because their plantation, near Alstonville on the NSW North Coast, is situated on sloping hillsides, oats are sown between the rows as a cover crop to stop erosion.

"We've just sprayed out the oats with R.U.M. at 5L/ha and glyphosate at 2.5L/ha", Ian said.

"Also one application of R.U.M. and Gramozone at 5L/ha as an under-tree spray. I think that mix burns the weeds back a bit harder."

On their 10-month old plantation of ladyfingers, Ian had three trials going.

Trial one is R.U.M. by itself, trial two is a mix of R.U.M. with their own fertiliser and calcium ammonium nitrate, Nitrophoska and potassium nitrate. The third trial, which Ian is using as a 'control' fir comparison, is with fertiliser only.

NEWS FLASH:

Now, four months after the initial application Ian reports that new sucker growth "is markedly better" on the R.U.M. and fertiliser trial

R.U.M. Tip #14

Always store R.U.M. in its original container. We know someone who kept R.U.M. in a container marked 'diesel'... then wondered why his tractor wouldn't start. (Well, actually, it did start but kept trying to bury itself in the compost!)

Coffee, chillies and R.U.M.

Some like it hot!

We thought we'd heard it all but we had to admit defeat when Luke Maunder, our man-on-the-spot on the NSW north coast, told us that our R.U.M. went well with his coffee.

Barry Heffernan at 'Knockrow Ridge' near Lismore, puts R.U.M. Liquid Plant Food not only his 6 year-old, 100% Australia arabica coffee plants, but on his young plants as well.

"Their progress is particularly pleasing", Barry said.

Spraying R.U.M. at 5L/ha through a vertical boom, Barry ensured his coffee got a "clean, green" bill of health.

"Only 100 tonnes of coffee are produced annually on the North Coast", Barry told us, "but the quality is very high."

Barry also put in a trial plot of chillies and added some R.U.M. to the nutrient program. Apparently the hot little peppers have responded wonderfully and the crop has 'taken off'.

Left: Barry Heffernan, 'Knockrow Ridge', with a bag of precious, sun-dried 100% Australian arabica coffee. Right: Peter Irwin (Beaulieu R.U.M.) learns about coffee from Barry Heffernan.