Jones says that it changed his way of thinking about farm inputs and they are getting more serious about the way they manage the paddocks.

"I started to think about how to solve the problems of growing grass," Jones said.

"Fertiliser is not the solution. We needed to look for a multi-spectrum solution.

"During the drought we stopped using fertilisers, because of the cost. We had always spread manure back on to the paddocks using an old Marshall 2-tonne spreader, and we started noticing the effect and better production. Clover started coming back."

Jones and his wife, Julie, run the property where he grew up and came home to in 1988 to milk cows. It now covers 224 hectares, with a 36ha block leased over the road, and a further 36ha run-off block.

They have a system of making rows of compost from various types of manure and other material.

"We have used straw, mice-damaged hay, green waste – as well as our own cow manure and this year we've utilised more chook and pig manure," Jones said.

"Next year will be a more composted mix, with more nitrogen."

In July this year the Jones' purchased a Seymour Composter 4000. Since then, they have been using it once a week to turn the compost, powered by a 120 hp Massey Ferguson 5465 tractor.

The Seymour 4000 can process 700 tonnes of material an hour, turning what on most farms has traditionally been waste material into organically rich compost to help get organic matter back into the soil.

Jones said that when they were after a likely machine, they looked around and the price range of the Seymour Composter was an important consideration.

"This machine is simple to operate and we are learning all the time. Each time we use it we find out something different."

It suits a windrow 1500mm high and 3000mm wide with an operating speed of 500 to 800 metres per hour.

Seymour Rural Equipment says that an innovative drum and tine design expels the maximum amount of CO2.

The tines are positioned on the drum so that they pull product from the outside of the windrow to the inside with a fluffing action that lifts and aerates the hot material at the core of the heap.

They set up rows of the compost material with the manure on top, using the front-end loader, and put the composter on to pick it up and turn it.

"We let it settle for a day or so and then turn it. Let it heat up and turn it once a week for six weeks. Each pile needs to be more than 55º to kill pathogens and seeds and less than 65º.

"Then it's ready to spread.

"The longer you leave it, the more fungi will develop. We want the fungi to dominate for the worms."

Jones uses contractors to spread the compost these days, since the old Marshall "died of a thousand diseases".

"We have cut back on our use of granular fertiliser.

"We spray on liquid calcium, nitrogen and potash instead of chemical fertiliser.

"Our pastures are coming back and we've really noticed the response. And it's made the corn crop for us – last year we made 18 or 19 tonne."

Manure is flood-washed down from the large concrete feed pad into holding tanks and then collected by the front end loader to put onto the compost rows.

They have installed a large fibreglass tank to hold the liquid nitrogen near the feed pad and will spread 20kg/ha of liquid nitrogen four times a year.

Jones said the compost is applied to pastures at 3 tonnes/hectare, once or twice a year. Last year they spread compost onto 40ha, this year it has been nearly 80ha.

200 tonnes was applied in the two weeks before our visit in early November, and there was another 200 tonne standing by ready to go.

They are waiting for a further 600 tonne to compost satisfactorily and it will be spread in autumn, then again in spring.

A full visual soil test is conducted on three spots around the farm using a GPS locator.

"You can see that since we started this process, the soil has become more pliable, with more clover and more worms.

"The Brix test has lifted from 6s to between 9 and 15."

The Brix test is a measure of the mineral/sugar ratio of the plant cell protoplasm.

Crops or pastures with higher refractive index will have higher sugar content, higher protein and mineral content and a greater specific gravity or density.

This adds up to a more nutritious feed with lower nitrates and water content and better storage attributes.

Jones said the higher Brix rating aids nutrient take-up in the plant.

The Seymour Composter comes with provision for a water manifold and Jones has just built a 3000 litre water tank and frame to sit on the back of the machine to inject water as the piles were drying out too quick.

He said that in the Western district they have the opposite problem. They have too much moisture and have issues drying out the compost.

There are four full-time staff at the dairy and two part-timers for the weekend milking. Bill said that they have received a lot of enquiry about the composter and will consider contracting it in the future.

Working Clothes will focus on the performance of a new machine in the paddock each month. Send suggestions to Chris Dingle on 0417 735 001 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it