Hello, Keith,
I suspected that diversity was necessary with the animals if it is necessary for plants and soil. Any particular rotations or combinations work best? Thanks for the benefit of your experience and knowledge. I also applaud your amazing dexerity. Milking compost worms is really difficult. :->
Tom
From: Keith Addison [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
Sent: Thu, 01 Dec 2005 13:59:13 -0300
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] New question on oil seed crops and ley farming
>Quick question. Can the animals just be earthworms or are rumanants required?
>
>Tom Irwin
Hello Tom
I spent 20 years trying to get earthworms to stand in for a cow, and
failed. And I really hated the milk! Sorry, just kidding... (But I've
eaten wormburger, very good!)
Well, okay, it would probably take a lot longer than that to prove
it, but by that time there wasn't much hope that it could work and a
lot of indication that it wouldn't. Scant hope in the first place.
I'm afraid earthworms are to be counted on the receiving side, along
with all the soil micro-organisms, not among the ruminants, they do a
different job. Or a different part of the same job.
I don't think it's confined to ruminants though, I reckon grazing
should be biodiverse, like the grasses are and the soil bugs. Maybe
the more biodiverse it is the fewer ruminants you need in the mix.
Also it involves composting as well, and if you're an artful
composter it doesn't much matter what kind of manure you use. Lots of
variables to juggle with. If you add earthworms at the composting
stage, or rather manure worms, you can get a lot more options, but I
think that's about as far back in the process as earthworms go.
I wish I could find the reference, I've got it somewhere (on paper!),
but it seems Europe's main grazing animal is the vole. Voles eat more
grass than anything else does. They have to be playing an important
overall role but they sure aren't ruminants. I never managed to get
hold of any vole dung to experiment with and there's not a lot of
literature on the role of the vole and how long the pasture will last
yer.
Best
Keith
snip
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