Livestock types such as dairy cattle, swine, beef cattle, sheep, horses and poultry need calcium and the quantity of the mineral required depends on several factors such as breed, age of animal, forage type, introduced feed and the environment in which the livestock are raised.
CALCIUM AND THE DAIRY COW
A number of factors should be taken into account when selecting a suitable limestone product such as bird species, life stage, feed delivery system and the calcium content of seasonal or standard feed regimes.
Poultry health products available in the regions we operate include:
Hydrated lime can be used to help control viruses, bacteria and parasites, as well as to absorb urine and significantly reduce odors.
Soil testing is essential to assess pH and nutrient levels prior to applying agricultural lime and to gauge whether a farm is in need of capital or ongoing maintenance inputs of agricultural lime. Where a large increase in soil pH is required, capital application of agricultural lime is best. This is where lime inputs are far greater than the usual levels required for maintaining pH.
Lime products can be applied when treating dairy effluent pond sludge for further processing or storage. Under the appropriate conditions lime will dewater sludge and correct sludge acidity which may assist with sludge decomposition.
When applied at the appropriate rates, agricultural limestone (Aglime) can assist croppers to improve soils and consequently crops in the following ways:
Preventing or correcting aluminum / aluminium toxicity can be complex, however getting the pH of the soil in the right zone is a significant step in the right direction.
Trials conducted in New Zealand over a three year period showed that the main pasture response to the limestone occurred after the initial application and then increased over time. Other pasture and soil related responses recorded included improved legume content, decreased pasture litter and an increase in earth worm numbers. Find out more about these lime trials in our additional resources below.
May 21, 2022 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Graymont is pleased to announce that it completed the acquisition of a limestone quarry located in Ipoh, Perak, from subsidiaries of NSL Chemicals Ltd. The quarry first commenced production in the 1990s and is located in an area renowned for high quality limestone.
Graymont publishes its 2021 Sustainability Report, designed to provide an overview of Graymont’s commitment to achieving industry leadership in all aspects of sustainability – health, safety and environment, economic and social. It is what underpins Graymont’s mission to deliver essential calcium based solutions to meet the world's changing needs. The report can be found in the Sustainability section of this website. The French version will be available shortly.