Biozest FAQ

Biozest helps pasture naturally resist stress and damage and improves pasture growth, quality and resilience.

When livestock graze Biozest treated pasture it is more efficiently digested to valuable meat and milk instead of waste products like urea and greenhouse gases.

Biozest is a plant elicitor (or a trigger) it increases plant and animal efficiencies by evoking and strengthening the plant’s immune system.

Technical definition: Biozest is an extrinsic compound elicitor designed to attach to plant membrane bound molecular pattern recognition receptors. Biozest is therefore a molecular pattern recognition receptor signalling compound.

No.

Biozest is a novel transformational technology; there are no comparable products in the market.

Developed by us here in New Zealand, Biozest is not a hormone like gibberellic acid.

Application of Biozest promotes sustainable, increased production.

Biozest is manufactured from plant extracts, fatty acids, plant compatible organic acids and wetting agents.

Biozest does not contain chemical fertilisers or microbes. Biozest is not brewed or fermented. Biozest does not directly feed the plant.

Instead, Biozest elicits, or prompts the plant itself to produce beneficial compounds called phenylpropanoids that result in increased pasture and livestock productivity.

For all farms 2 initial treatments are required – this kick starts the plant response.

For sheep and beef farms this is followed by 1 spray in Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

For dairy, the full programme is 2 initial sprays and then follow each grazing. However, you may follow a strategic application programme – apply 2 initial sprays and then only as needed to avoid feed deficits, overcome stress periods such as drought or frost, boost baleage production and generally increase feed quality and quantity.

For year round improvement to pasture growth and quality and milk/meat production as well as reducing environmental impact, the full programme is recommended.

We highly recommend Biozest for hay/silage production. Apply 2 sprays before locking up the paddocks. If a second cut will be made, apply another Biozest spray 3-5 days after the first cut.

Biozest can be applied using any spray equipment: knapsack sprayers, C-Dax, Tractor, Tow and Fert, Blast Sprayer or Helicopter.

The water rate can be varied to suit your spray equipment – the application rate should always be 1 Litre of Biozest per hectare.

Biozest should be applied to pasture that is as dry as possible. Biozest is effective on contact so it is not a problem if it rains immediately after application.

Not on very wet pasture (e.g. just after rain) but it can be applied on to pasture that is slightly wet e.g. covered in dew. If the pasture is damp keep the water rate as low as possible.

We have not quantified dung decomposition. However, scientists have established that when livestock consume feed rich in phenylpropanoids the type of urea excreted is in plant available form (i.e plants are able to take up and utilize the nitrogen resource) and is less liable to leach.

The following testimonial is typical of farmers’ observations:

“Dung is considerably thicker or more solid. Cows seem to graze the paddock harder. When changing to control paddocks dung is thin again. The effect on milk production was almost instant. As soon as cows go onto Biozest treated pasture the fat and protein content went up. Urine samples from grazing of treated and untreated paddocks show Biozest reduced urea excretion by 33%.” Henry Schipper, Dairy Farmer, Hauraki Plains

Biozest has no NPK content. Biozest is not directly feeding the plant. Biozest supports plants to produce bioactive compounds (phenylpropanoids) these have a range of roles in plant health and productivity but also signal to the roots to release exudates to solubilise nutrients in the soil and also to attract mycorrhizal micro organisms which also assist in the supply of nutrients to the pasture.

As every farm is very different, we recommend you carry out soil tests as normal and apply fertilisers only as needed.

We highly recommend the use of Biozest rather than urea if your aim is to increase pasture growth. If you have a deficiency then apply fertilisers but avoid applying nitrogen out of habit.

Our experience in the horticulture area (where we have been selling a product, Agrizest, based on the same technology platform, for over 13 years) is that many growers have been able to reduce their fertiliser use over time.

We have carried out a number of trials at commercial farm scale to assess the financial impact of Biozest.

For example: A sheep and Beef farming family who have been farming for generations evaluated Biozest via a full life-cycle, commercial scale trial on two farms. One farm was treated with Biozest and the other was the control. Pasture production and stock weight were monitored. The Farmax™ farm modelling tool was used to account for the complexities and variables in the farm system and predict the farming and financial outcomes.

The data (click to view table)shows that Biozest applications on pasture can improve productivity by over 30%. At a meat schedule price of $5.kg this increase in production will result in $865 increased net revenue / hectare. We can achieve this extraordinary improvement in milk and meat productivity because Biozest technology increases the feed conversion efficiencies in livestock.

Click for additional Trial Data

The results in the table are from a baleage trial carried out on an organic dairy farm in Cambridge, Waikato. (Click to view table) We have compared the value of additional bales produced on-farm vs the cost of buying in baleage.

Click for additional Baleage Data

On a farm in Oparau, Waikato a herd of 40 Angus stud bulls was divided into two throughout the 10 week finishing period. 20 bulls grazed on 20 hectares of untreated pasture while 20 bulls grazed on 20 hectares of Biozest treated pasture.
Click to view table

The sale price may be based, somewhat, on subjective assessments. However, this is influenced by important factors such as the comparative health and condition of each bull. Crucially, the sale price is supported by weight data: The 20 bulls that grazed on Biozest treated pasture, compared to the control bulls, gained an extra 22% (2-tailed t-test p=.008) in weight during the 68 day finishing period. Bulls that grazed Biozest treated pasture realized higher bids at auction. The net return per hectare increased by $1,645

The exact impact will vary from farm to farm depending on farm type, location, current inputs etc. We recommend you keep good records and compare the previous 3 or more seasons’ performance. Farmers will be able to see pasture and livestock responses shortly after application.

Yes.

In fact, the data shows that stock will preferentially graze Biozest treated pasture.

This is the same pattern we have seen in controlled trials where the data supports these observations. (for data see Biozest Trials scroll down to: Pasture Productivity, Resilience and Palatability)

Comment from the farmer: Seems they still prefer the treated block on right of trough. Only time they went to control was for shelter or the humans. Quite impressive as time goes on they seem to prefer this side more.

Yes.

Biozest has been assessed by MPI’s ACVM group and has been authorised as exempt from registration. Biozest can be used on all pasture and crops and has nil withholding and nil waiting period.

Biozest is exempt from the HSNO act. There are no environmental, transport or handling restrictions.

All of our products are approved by BioGro as inputs for organic production.

Yes.

The effect of Biozest on both pasture and ruminant efficiency was evaluated via split block trials followed by full-scale, full life cycle, on-farm trials. Aspects measured include pasture resilience, quality and productivity, livestock productivity (milk production, live weight) and urea excretion. The data are provided by farmers from their production records and milk processor records. The urine samples are taken by the farmers and analysed by Gribbles Laboratory.

Biozest engages ecologically. The multitrophic interactions makes the numerical responses highly variable. This, combined with the number of benefits delivered, makes conventional replicated small plot evaluations underpowered. The trials have been appropriately designed and reported. We are hands off when it comes to trials and data collection.

We are not farmers and have scientific/horticulture backgrounds so rely on the farmers and dairy companies themselves to provide us with the data. The key is that we can, and have, handed the protocol to a number of farmers who have achieved the same results in multiple seasons, locations, pasture and soil types.

Milk production and quality data come directly from the dairy companies such as Fonterra, Open Country etc.

These results are definitive and are the commercial outcomes of farmers.

Our paper, Cell signalling compound improves pasture and livestock productivity and the environment, has been published by the respected publisher, Springer.
This is an exciting step for us as our science and trial results have been further validated in 2 key ways:
1. the rigorous peer review process prior to publication
2. use by Kiwi farmers who are now using Biozest across their farms and achieving the expected results (see case study results).

Springer has a rigorous peer review process and publishes many well known and respected journals. Our paper details the impact of Biozest from pasture response through to ruminant function, including research methodology and trial results, and the clear scientific link between ruminant productivity, reduced urea excretion and GHG emissions.

Read the paper here: https://rdcu.be/cGRgc

Yes.

Our paper, Cell signalling compound improves pasture and livestock productivity and the environment, has been published by the respected publisher, Springer.

This is an exciting step for us as our science and trial results have been further validated in 2 key ways:
1. the rigorous peer review process prior to publication
2. use by Kiwi farmers who are now using Biozest across their farms and achieving the expected results (see case study results).

Springer has a rigorous peer review process and publishes many well known and respected journals. Our paper details the impact of Biozest from pasture response through to ruminant function, including research methodology and trial results, and the clear scientific link between ruminant productivity, reduced urea excretion and GHG emissions.

Read the paper here: https://rdcu.be/cGRgc

Throughout the development of Biozest, the technology and benefits have been subjected to various peer review processes.

The technology was submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) for examination. Our claims under novelty, inventive steps and industrial applicability were accepted. Therefore, there is no other comparable technological product in the market, we have full freedom to operate.

The Research and Development arm of Zest (Indigo Limited) was also a finalist in the PricewaterhouseCoopers New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards 2007.

Our efforts were also recognised in 2013 when chief scientist and founder Nathan Balasingham was nominated by scientific peers from over 60 countries for the biotechnology individual section of the World Technology Awards.

We have presented at several International Science Conferences for example: We were selected for vocal presentation at the Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference in 2007 titled “MAMP Receptor Signaling Compound Increases Productivity and Reduces Environmental Liabilities”.

We have presented at several other scientific conferences and recently, in August 2019, Zest Biotech founder and inventor of Biozest, Nathan Balasingham, submitted a paper and was selected, following review by the science committee, to give an oral presentation at the 7th GGAA – Greenhouse Gas and Animal Agriculture Conference in Foz do Iguassu, Brazil.

The GGAA is the world’s premier conference on livestock emissions research.

Every three years it brings together leading scientists and policy makers to review current knowledge and present significant new developments and advances in measuring, modelling, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from animal agriculture. We received very positive feedback from the conference attendees.

We have presented at several International Science Conferences for example:

• 1st International Symposium on Bacterial Canker of Kiwifruit (Psa), Mt Mauganui, 2013

• ISHS XII International Symposium on Plant Bioregulators in Fruit Production, Orlando, Florida 2013.

• 2nd World Congress on the use of Biostimulants in Agriculture, Florence, Italy, 2015

• The 7th Greenhouse Gas and Animal Agriculture Conference (GGAA), Brasil, 2019. This is the premier international conference summarising the collective state of scientific knowledge on greenhouse gas abatement strategies and production systems adaptation needs for the livestock sector.

• International Symposium on Climate-Resilient Agri-Environmental Systems, Ireland, 2020

Biozest can double pasture productivity therefore the quantity of carbon sequestered by rotationally grazed pasture is doubled.

When ruminants graze Biozest treated pasture, more pasture is converted to milk and meat less is wasted as urea and methane.

Biozest sustainably improves pasture productivity, it is not a fertilizer and therefore has no negative impact on the environment.

Biozest will affect your FEP in terms of the inputs you require to produce pasture and feed (for example you may be able to reduce chemical fertiliser use (particularly sources of N and you may be able to produce enough baleage or crops so that you no longer need to buy in feed).

Increased productivity, of both pasture and livestock, may also allow you to increase riparian margins, if required, without a negative impact on revenue.

Biozest may provide an alternative to chemical fertiliser application (or allow reduced reliance on treatments such as urea) year round but may be of particular significance in winter and spring when chemical fertiliser applications (such as N and P) are considered high risk.

Biozest may also enable a reduction in herd size, if required or desired, while stabilizing or even increasing revenue due to increased productivity.

It looks like the current preferred model for assessing nutrient management and environmental footprint is Overseer – despite its shortcomings and the requirement for a huge additional investment to improve the standard and accuracy of the model.

Overseer Ltd (which holds the exclusive licence to the Overseer intellectual property) is largely owned by Ravensdown and Balance (99.93%). Overseer has been designed as a farm management and sales tool and centres around the inputs that these major fertiliser companies supply.

Overseer does not recognise any nitrate reduction technologies beyond fertiliser products.

While Biozest is unique in that it reduces both emissions and urea excretion while also significantly increasing productivity, there are other technologies to reduce urea excretion or nitrate leaching. However, none of these technologies are recognised by Overseer.

There seems to be a closed door to outside technologies. This is a problem for the recognition of urea/nitrate reduction and will also be a problem for the recognition of emissions reduction technologies.

However, the UN FAO has developed and provided a modelling tool (GLEAM) to measure and account for all farm emissions for each sector, farming type and geographical area. Country-specific emissions factors are also defined in the National Inventory Reports (this includes data for New Zealand). Baselines have been established and the tool is constantly being improved and updated. Therefore, any changes in farming operations that contribute to the reduction of methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide can be quantified and effectively managed.

GLEAM is freely available and includes an online tool.

Whichever modelling tool is adopted, it must be able to take into account all emissions mitigation measures. To improve the speed and quality of innovation there must be a mechanism to include technologies developed by companies of all sizes and outside of the fertiliser companies and CRIs and the pathway must not be financially prohibitive or put privately held IP at risk.

The best option is:

1. use the internationally developed and recognised model (GLEAM), that is not tied up with private interests

2. ensure there is an accessible pathway for the recognition of new technologies.

We would also add that if farmers are to be penalised for not achieving nitrate and emissions reductions, they should also be rewarded for achieving reductions beyond the minimum or baseline. The goal is to reduce emissions/pollution as much as possible – every achievement beyond the baseline adds to the cumulative effort to slow climate change and clean up our waterways. Incentives will drive improvements beyond the minimum, enable the best farmers to be rewarded and drive further innovation.

When a large enough number of farmers are using Biozest, farmers may have the influence to persuade the government and AgResearch scientists to configure the resulting benefits into the freely available UN FAO modelling system (GLEAM http://www.fao.org/gleam/en/ ) which will quantify and report on the environmental and greenhouse gas footprint.

Once the government has developed the appropriate tools, farmers using Biozest should be able to calculate their impact and potentially claim credits.

The science that enabled us to develop this unique technology is well established.

As this is established science, a literature search on any aspects of the science will reveal numerous scientific references some going back decades.

Our paper, Cell signalling compound improves pasture and livestock productivity and the environment, has been published by the respected publisher, Springer.

This is an exciting step for us as our science and trial results have been further validated in 2 key ways:
1. the rigorous peer review process prior to publication
2. use by Kiwi farmers who are now using Biozest across their farms and achieving the expected results (see case study results).

Springer has a rigorous peer review process and publishes many well known and respected journals. Our paper details the impact of Biozest from pasture response through to ruminant function, including research methodology and trial results, and the clear scientific link between ruminant productivity, reduced urea excretion and GHG emissions.

Read the paper here: https://rdcu.be/cGRgc