For Minerals, Trace Elements & Animal Health — Start Here

What Really Saved My Cows

The EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast (Ep. 5)

When 25-year-old Ewan Campbell faced a devastating facial eczema outbreak on his dairy farm, it nearly cost him everything. Cows were dying, money was vanishing, and the standard advice wasn’t working, until one old farmer’s suggestion changed everything: “Just put some lime on.”

In this episode, Ewan and Stephen revisit the story that shaped a lifetime of discovery. What began as a crisis became a turning point, revealing how soil health, not quick fixes, holds the true key to animal wellbeing and farm success.

We discuss:
• The shocking impact of facial eczema and how it nearly broke the farm
• The moment lime proved to be the unexpected cure
• Why soil balance and complete proteins matter more than chemicals
• How high nitrates and poor soil structure fuel disease
• Why prevention, not reaction, is the real solution
With honesty, humour, and hard-earned lessons, this episode unpacks how one farmer’s challenge became a breakthrough in understanding the deep connection between soil health, livestock vitality, and farming resilience.

Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan Campbell
Powered by: EcoFarm Aotearoa – ⁠www.efa.nz⁠

Subscribe for weekly conversations exploring soil health, biology, and regenerative farming solutions.

MUSIC CREDITS

"Mesmerize" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Almost Bliss" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

"Angel Share" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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Discover how Vitus, a carefully crafted free-choice mineral blend, is helping farmers:
✅ Reduce metabolic issues like milk fever
✅ Improve livestock digestion and resilience
✅ Naturally balance mineral deficiencies before and after calving
✅ Let animals self-regulate — no dusting, no guesswork
✅ Slash costs and reclaim time by solving root causes, not symptoms
🌿 Vitus is made from:
Dolomite
Diatomaceous earth
Kelp meal (for iodine)
Natural salts (for trace minerals and structure)

🎥 You’ll see real footage of animals going crazy for Vitus, hear the science behind its formulation, and learn how natural nutrition creates healthier animals and more profitable farms.
📦 Order Vitus 1-ton bulk online: 👉 https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/product/vitus-1-ton-bulk-orders/

🔗 More on regenerative farming at:
🌐 https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz

#Vitus #EcoFarmAotearoa #AnimalNutrition #RegenerativeFarming #NZFarming #HealthyLivestock #DrenchResistance #SoilHealth #DairyFarming #pastureraised


🎵 Music Credit: "1998" by Another Kid – Used in the opening and closing moments of this video. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) 🔗 Free Download/Stream: https://www.audiolibrary.com.co/another-kid/1998 🎧 Artist: Another Kid on SoundCloud 🎶 Music promoted by Audio Library: https://youtu.be/OJivL4HV9Sw

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In this clip from An EcoFarmers Discovery, episode 8, Results On The Hoof, Ewan shares how running his own butchery and processing operation revealed dramatic differences in meat quality, especially once his grass-fed heifers began producing beef with low saturated fat and Omega-3 levels rivaling salmon.

He explains how healthy soils create healthier animals, leading to CLA-rich, nutrient-dense beef that cooks cleaner, tastes better, and performs far beyond grain-fed standards. Ewan also exposes the shortcomings of conventional research protocols, which often ignore farm origin entirely, and recalls how even lab staff ended up buying his beef once they tasted the difference.

It’s a fascinating look at how science, soil, and practical farming come together to redefine what “good meat” really means.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify
Or watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/Wi92XyATrvQ

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In this clip from An EcoFarmers Discovery, episode 8, Results On The Hoof, Ewan Campbell shares the eye-opening moment he discovered how the meat industry quietly swaps out top-quality carcasses, and how that experience pushed him to rethink food quality from the ground up.

He and Stephen reflect on how truly exceptional meat begins long before processing with soil nutrition, mineral balance, and the farmer’s care and why most consumers have never tasted beef raised in genuinely healthy systems.

Ewan explains how improving soil fertility transformed his herd, earned him a place supplying top restaurants, and proved that better meat doesn’t have to cost more to produce. It’s a candid look at how far ahead EcoFarm was 30 years ago, and why the industry still hasn’t caught up.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify
Or watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/Wi92XyATrvQ

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In this clip from An EcoFarmer’s Discovery - Chapter 7, Ewan recalls how a chance invite to a Brookside Laboratories training course sparked his lifelong curiosity about soil. Surrounded by scientists, he discovered that soil testing is like finding a hidden bank account of minerals waiting to be unlocked. Guided by Dr. William Albrecht’s philosophy: “read books and study nature; if they don’t agree, throw away the books”. Ewan learned that understanding what’s beneath your boots is the real key to better farming.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify
Or watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/WRUaWcZL8ew

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In this short clip from the EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast (See Link Below)

Every farm is a factory, and the minerals are its machinery.

In this episode, Ewan explains how understanding minerals and their relationship to DNA can completely change the way we grow food. Drawing inspiration from early regenerative thinkers like Walter Russell and Charles Walters, he explores the harmony between soil chemistry, biology, and human health.

You’ll learn how nature’s design from the spiral of DNA to the balance of minerals creates resilience, profitability, and truly clean food. It’s farming at its most intelligent and its most natural.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify
Or watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/uIyYgAeemE0

#soilhealth #regenerativeagriculture #ecofarming #sustainablefarming #farmingpodcast #soilbiology #HealthySoilHealthyFood #realfarming #agriculture #farmersofyoutube #farmwisdom #biologicalfarming #soilscience

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In this short clip from the EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast (See Link Below)

Could your sore back have something to do with your soil?

In this fascinating episode, Ewan explores how mineral imbalances in the land mirror imbalances in the human body. From aluminium and silicon to phosphorus and calcium, every element that affects the soil’s structure also influences the strength and health of animals and people.

Through decades of observation, soil testing, and curiosity, Ewan reveals the "spine of the soil" and shows how everything from hip problems to poor plant growth can trace back to the same missing minerals.
This is not just farming science. It is a reminder that nature, health, and the human body all share the same code.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify
Or watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/uIyYgAeemE0

#SoilHealth #FarmingPodcast #RegenerativeAgriculture #EcoFarming #SoilBiology #HumanHealth #HealthySoilHealthyPeople #FarmLife #Agriculture #FarmersOfYouTube #NatureConnection #SoilWisdom #RealFarming

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Are you having Fun farming? You really should be. We are the Health Gatekeepers of the country and it shouldn't be that hard. See the Full video here
https://youtu.be/u9hoZMvCqHI?si=s_8lmHhcCuSG9z_V

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Calving Time? The stock needs the right balance of minerals to grow up healthy and strong. See the Full video here
https://youtu.be/u9hoZMvCqHI?si=s_8lmHhcCuSG9z_V

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Are farmers looking at Milk Fever the wrong way? See the Full video here
https://youtu.be/u9hoZMvCqHI?si=s_8lmHhcCuSG9z_V

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Want a great way to save money while enjoying livestock longevity on the farm? Learn how to keep your animals healthy and full of vitality longer! See the Full video here
https://youtu.be/u9hoZMvCqHI?si=s_8lmHhcCuSG9z_V

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See the Full Video Here https://youtube.com/shorts/eFwxOVpnyS8 and learn why the experts need to talk to each other.

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Feeding out Vitus this May (2021) was so rewarding.

In almost every circumstance when Vitus is feed out to stock they are at it like a bull to a red rag? Yep because they are often deficient in something important and they know as soon as Vitus turns up they can get what they are hanging out for.

Well this year they didn't even hardly turn a head... yes they will feed on it over the next few days but the fact that they are content shows we are getting close with good soil fertility.

Most farmers supplement their animals with various major and trace elements through many mechanisms. These supplements are designed to take the place of elements that are lacking in pasture to aid in getting the best animal health and growth rates when the animals are in a state of mineral deficit. Identifying the deficits is achieved by blood testing, liver biopsy and herbage analysis. All these tests have value, but the herbage test probably has the most in the sense that the animal is the result of whatever it is eating. Mineral deficits in the feed result in mineral deficits in the animal.

Check out more about Vitus at www.ecofarmaotearoa.com

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An EcoFarmer’s Discovery Chapter 12: The Meat Producer

Welcome to An EcoFarmer’s Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive deep into one chapter of Ewan Campbell’s journey.

You’re invited to read along. Get the audiobook via Spotify by searching An EcoFarmer’s Discovery, or grab it on Kindle, and explore each chapter with us as we unpack the stories, observations, and principles behind regenerative farming. A new episode drops every Friday, covering 26 chapters across 26 weeks.

In This Episode
This episode focuses on the meat produced on Ewan’s farm, and what happens when animal health, soil function, and nutrition are aligned.

Ewan and the team unpack how changes in soil biology, mineral balance, and feed quality translate directly into the quality of meat leaving the farm. Rather than chasing premiums or labels, the focus is on producing food that is clean, nutrient-dense, and honest, with nothing to hide.

The conversation links soil testing, herbage testing, and animal observation back to real outcomes, including flavour, structure, shelf life, and consumer trust. It is a practical look at how farming systems show up at the end of the chain, on the plate.

We explore:
• How soil health influences animal health and meat quality
• Why mineral balance and pasture diversity matter for livestock nutrition
• What herbage and soil tests reveal about feed quality
• The connection between clean systems and clean food
• Why producing good meat starts long before the animal is finished

This episode is about accountability, observation, and pride in producing food that reflects a well-functioning farm system from the soil up.

Follow along. Watch full episodes on YouTube and Spotify Video.

Useful links:
• Learn more at EcoFarm Aotearoa (efa.nz)

Our FREE E-Book!
https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/
Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:
https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=d5fd8cf669b14be0

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In this clip from The EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast, Ewan shares how one cheap, practical fix changed everything, dropping spore counts from 280,000 to under 20,000 in just days.
Stephen and Ewan break down why lime works, how it restores soil pH and prevents fungal toxins from thriving, and why the real cure isn’t expensive chemicals—it’s understanding the biology beneath your boots. From scepticism to proof, this story shows how sometimes the simplest ideas carry the most power.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify
Or watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/GDPjECeUmO4

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