How can I farm livestock beneath the soil as well as on top?

She explains how the hardworking insect introduces organic matter into the soil making it available for earthworms and other organisms, as well as reducing compaction and aerating the soil through their tunnelling activities.

“If you don’t have livestock below the soil, you can’t support the livestock above it,” says Sally-Ann. 

Healthy soil for livestock

Healthy soil, with micro-organisms including fungi, micro-animals and insects such as dung beetles and earthworms, is crucial for nutrient cycling and water infiltration, fundamental processes for supporting robust plant growth and, consequently, healthy livestock.

Sally-Ann also shares how she has developed the soil on her own farm enough to see her spade “dripping with earthworms”. 

Her emphasis on the importance of soil echoes the views of Tom Tolputt and Professor Andy Neal heard in the very first episode of Farming Focus™, suggesting farm resilience starts with soil health. 

Improving soil quality

Speaking alongside Sally-Ann, plant and soil health educator Joel Williams echoes the need to support the organisms living in the soil. 

“Keeping your soil covered is one of the best things farmers can do as many of the micro-organisms living in the soil like to grow in association with plants,” says Joel Williams.

He encourages farmers to embrace today’s popular soil health principles: “There’s a reason they’ve become popular. They provide an easy stepping stone and entry point because they are simple and applicable.” 

Following regenerative farming principles was also discussed by Tim Williams and Louise Penn in ‘Is regenerative farming here to stay?’, by Mark Brooking in ‘Regenerative farming is the future’ and a podcast episode considering its place in the market.

Episode Showstoppers

1.     With all farmers needing to farm profitably, focus on the habitat below the ground to increase your output above.

2.     Aim to maintain a living root below the ground throughout the year, increasing the diversity of plant species being grown while incorporating more organic matter into the soil and integrating livestock wherever possible.

3.     The greatest compaction can be between the ears. An openness to change is critical so learn from others by going to farm walks or joining a cluster group, look at your own soil and start doing something however small.

Listen to the full main episode and bonus below - also available via Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

About our guests

Sally-Ann Spence is a science educator and active researcher specialising in land management, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. She is also a co-founder of the Dung Beetle UK Mapping Project hosted by the Museum of Natural History in Oxford.

Joel Williams runs Integrated Soils and is an independent plant and soil health educator providing workshops and consultation on soil management, plant nutrition and integrated approaches of sustainable food production.