Finding the Sweet Spot:
More Production. Fewer Cows. Healthier Soil.
Most farmers add cows to grow production. Chris Parry did the opposite – and it worked. He cut cow numbers from 285 to 228 and started with the AgriSea. Five years later, production has grown from 71,000 to over 100,000 kg milk solids, in-calf rate sits at 82%, and the farm feels like a different place.
The Numbers Tell the Story
Under the old system the farm ran around 280 cows and produced an average of 71,000 kg milk solids over three years – about 254 kg MS per cow. Now, with just 228 cows, production reached 103,000 kg MS in the 2024–2025 season. That is a 45% lift in total production from 20% fewer cows – and nearly 80% more milk solids per cow.
~254 kg MS per cow
~452 kg MS per cow
The Per-Cow Story
It Started with the Soil
For Chris, the shift began when he admitted to himself that the farm had gone stale. Production wasn't moving, and when he looked at the soil, it just didn't look right – clumpy, patchy, tired. He'd already seen good results using AgriSea products in his home garden, and the idea of trying them on-farm had been in the back of his mind.
A Country Calendar episode that aired that weekend sealed it. The episode featured a farmer who had switched to organic and biological soil treatments. That was enough. They stopped using synthetic fertilisers and started using AgriSea Soil Nutrition across the whole farm.
No Nutrients Other Than Nitrogen
Rather than adding more inputs, Chris went the other way – removing all synthetic fertilisers apart from 40kgN/ha and replacing them with a biological nutrition approach built around AgriSea's biostimulants.
AgriSea Field Consultant from the Start
Working with AgriSea Field Consultant Mark Powick helped Chris set realistic expectations from the outset. Mark told him it wasn't going to be a silver bullet – but explained what to expect over four to five seasons. That honesty mattered.
Soil with Bounce and Life
"The soil's got bounce and life to it. You dig down and find worms everywhere – that never used to happen." Earthworm activity is one of the clearest practical signals of improving biological soil health.
The Results Took Time – and Kept Coming
The gains built gradually across multiple seasons, not in the first year. Chris's experience mirrors the advice he was given: biological soil systems need time to establish, but once they do, the compounding effect is real.
The Soil Test Results – 2019 to 2022
Comparing the 2022 soil tests against the 2019 baseline shows consistent improvement across phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and trace elements. The trace element gains are particularly significant – cobalt up 125%, manganese up 59%, zinc up 35% – all of which Chris notes have a direct effect on pasture growth and stock health.
(mg/l)
(mg/l)
(mg/l)
Other Changes That Came With It
The soil nutrition programme was the foundation, but it wasn't the only change. Over the same period several other improvements were made to the system – each one reinforcing the gains from the others. Chris is clear that the overall result is a product of multiple things working together.
Once-a-Day to Twice-a-Day Milking
The farm moved from mostly once-a-day milking to twice-a-day for most of the season – a management change that, combined with the improved cow condition from better pasture, contributed to the per-cow production lift.
In-Shed Feeding Added
In-shed feeding was introduced alongside the pasture improvements, allowing better control of individual cow nutrition and supporting performance through the season.
Diverse Pasture Resowing
The farm was undersown with a diverse pasture mix including AgriSea-supported seed – building on the improved soil biology to establish pastures better suited to long-term productivity.
AgriSea Animal Nutrition Through the Water
AgriSea Animal Nutrition was added through the farm water system, supporting cow health and mineral balance across the whole herd – contributing to the 82% six-week in-calf rate.
In His Own Words
"I remember asking my contract milker: When do we stop dropping numbers? Because the results are still going the right way."
"He explained how it worked – getting vitality back into the soil and the pasture biome, and what we might see over time. Lower fertiliser bills, fewer vet costs, maybe less need for nitrogen."
"Even the trace elements improved, which I reckon greatly affects pasture growth and stock health."
"The whole farm just feels more balanced – and it's working better for everyone involved."
Photo Gallery
Images from Quixley Farms showing the transformation and results of the AgriSea program.
Recommended Products
These AgriSea products were used on Quixley Farms to support soil health, pasture quality, and overall herd performance in the transition to fewer cows with higher production.
Soil Nutrition
Biological soil programme designed to improve soil structure, microbial activity, and nutrient availability through targeted applications
Learn More
Animal Nutrition
Seaweed-based animal supplement that supports rumen health, condition maintenance, and overall herd performance during critical periods
Learn More
Pasture Nutrition
Foliar nutrition programme that enhances pasture growth, quality, and resilience through seaweed-based biostimulants
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