The “Humus Flywheel” That Changed This Dairy

What happens when a dairy farm cuts synthetic nitrogen to ~10%… and pasture improves?
Today we’re back near Lang Lang, Victoria with Tom & Kim Kent and agronomist Peter Norwood to see what’s changed in 6 months.

Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw/join

Tom and Kim have been rebuilding soil structure, biology, and nutrient cycling—reducing artificial fertiliser, minimising herbicide, and using fungally-dominant compost to unlock nutrients already in the soil. We dig holes, look for worms + fungal activity, talk phosphorus cycling, iron/aluminium constraints, and why trace elements (like cobalt) can help the plant convert soluble nitrogen into amino acids—supporting milk production and herd health.

If you’re chasing more productivity for less input, and you want practical, measured steps (soil tests, sap tests, animal hair tests) this one’s for you.

🔎 Topics covered

regenerative dairy farming in Australia

soil biology and fungal dominant compost (Johnson-Su style)

reducing synthetic fertiliser inputs (urea, DAP) on pasture

unlocking bound phosphorus through fungi and soil structure

improving soil aggregation, worms, carbon, humus, microbial cycling

plant sap testing, trace elements, cobalt, amino acids, soluble nitrogen

dairy herd health links: liver load, mastitis risk, fertility, lameness

profitable pasture management, grazing recovery, silage systems

📌 Mentioned in this video

Location: Lang Lang, Victoria, Australia

Guests: Tom Kent, Kim Kent, Peter Norwood

Concepts: “Humus flywheel”, nutrient cycling, fungal biology, trace elements

Inputs discussed: urea/URA, DAP, lime, gypsum, foliar nutrition, compost

Full Circle Nutrition https://fullcirclenutrition.fullslate.com/

✅ Next steps

Subscribe for more soil, grazing, fencing, and practical farm systems:

Watch the earlier visit with Tom & Kim: https://youtu.be/GvT6PZvDGAk

#regenerativeagriculture #dairyfarming #soilhealth #pasturemanagement #australianfarming

3) Chapters

00:00 Digging in: what changed in 6 months?
00:28 Back at Lang Lang: the farm + the mission (soil → profit)
01:35 Worms, fungal signs, and the bacteria-to-fungi balance
03:20 The original constraints: aluminium toxicity + low performance zones
04:05 Measuring the system: soil tests, sap tests, hair tests
04:27 The big shift: cutting synthetic fertiliser (urea/DAP history)
05:30 From 240–270 units N → ~20 units/year (mostly foliar)
06:27 The problem paddock: structure recovery and biology turning the corner
08:05 Iron + aluminium bottlenecks, “concrete soil” to aggregation
09:03 DIY fungally-dominant compost (poor man’s Johnson-Su)
10:15 Unlocking bound phosphorus without spreading P
11:25 “Humus flywheel”: why biology spins, chemistry flattens
12:00 Pasture composition: grass-dominant, clover spreading naturally
13:50 Grazing recovery: diversity appearing without a 28-species mix
15:00 Pest pressure shifts + milk fat/protein response
15:47 The humus flywheel explained (sugars → microbes → minerals)
18:05 What’s next: trace elements, structure, access to locked nutrients
19:10 Soluble nitrogen + cow health: why conversion to amino acids matters
21:15 Mastitis, feet, fertility: the animal health link
26:25 The numbers: fertility, milk solids, production/ha, fertiliser cost
28:05 Final takeaway: keep testing, keep learning, keep moving forward

Check out my website for even more content https://timthompson.ag/
Support me on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/timthompsonmedia
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/timthompsonmedia
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timthompson.ag
Subscribe for a new video each week! New content uploaded every weekend.
My Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw