Case Study: Toad's Farm Bega Valley
Building Resilience and Animal Health from the Soil Up
For Ian “Toad” Heffernan at Toad’s Farm in the Bega Valley, transitioning to a biologically focused nutrition program with Ocean2Earth has delivered compounding benefits across the entire farming operation. Over the past few years, Ian has integrated Ocean2Earth products into his conventional system, resulting in stronger pastures, improved drought resilience, and noticeably healthier livestock.
The “Salad Paddock” Trial
The mixed-species “salad paddock” — sown with chicory, plantain, ryegrass, lucerne, and clovers — is one of the most compelling examples of what Ocean2Earth’s biologically active program can do alongside conventional inputs. When the paddock was sown, just 80kg of Super Phosphate was applied. Rather than relying on heavy synthetic inputs, Toad complemented this with a blend of Ocean2Earth BAM (Biologically Activated Minerals), Seaspray Fish Hydrolysate, kelp, and molasses.
The result is a powerful demonstration of biological efficiency. Ocean2Earth’s products stimulate the soil biology that converts synthetic fertilisers far more effectively — meaning a small amount of Super Phosphate goes much further than it would on its own.
The biology also works to make the grass itself more nutrient-dense, delivering better feed quality with every grazing.
As of last weekend, the paddock has now supported 13 grazings and one silage cut — all at a fraction of the cost of a conventional program. Even through a prolonged dry spell, a follow-up application of Ocean2Earth compost and fresh chicken manure before rain saw the pasture bounce back rapidly.
“It performed out of sight, and it didn’t cost us a lot of money,” Toad notes. “It’s pretty exciting that we can get that much feed off one paddock at the price that we did.”
Healthier Soil, Healthier Cows
Beyond pasture growth, the most significant impact has been on animal health. By building healthier soils and producing more nutrient-dense grass, Toad’s Farm has seen a dramatic reduction in herd health issues.
“We’re not treating near as many cows with mastitis or foot rot,” Toad explains. “The build-up of healthy soils and healthier grass is definitely paying us dividends.”
A further demonstration of what healthy soil biology can achieve is the farm’s millet crop — grown entirely without synthetic inputs. After a prolonged dry spell, the millet responded strongly to rain, bouncing back with vigour that Toad attributes directly to the biological foundation built through Ocean2Earth’s program.
In a region prone to dry conditions, the improved soil biology is also helping the farm hold on longer during dry spells. For Toad, the shift to Ocean2Earth’s biologically active nutrition is proving that when you take care of the soil, the soil takes care of the herd.