Human health and soil fertility
Dr William A Albrecht
University of Missouri
(Publication 1950’s)
The question that Dr Albrecht researched for over 30 years was to understand why livestock acted in ways that made no sense when grazing. Why do animals choose to graze paddocks with full healthy pasture by:
Grazing through the fence
Only one part of the paddock is frequently grazed
Between two similar farms, one produces good healthy stock versus the other
The other puzzle he wanted to understand is why animal illness was increasing despite industry development and the link to declining human health.
The scope of his research was ahead of its time including detailed animal nutritional analysis across generations from different types of feed produced on a range of soil types.
Research conclusions
A “healthy” plant appearance can be a deceiving measure of actual nutritional food value
The loss in plant and animal health can be traced directly to the soil
Farming practices have focused on growing yield - animals have enough to eat but don’t have enough to support health and growth
Increasing indices of poor bone structure and nervous conditions
This passes on to us and our children
Animals know the difference and seek out feeds rich in nutrients
“Action can be taken”
Dr Albrecht
To correct this situation minerals taken out of the soil must be replaced correcting the fertility loss. Building topsoil is an investment that will be returned through quality crop and animal production.