Producers also can be more efficient in pasture fertilization through practicing better grazing management, says Mitchell. The hay from this type of field also often produces more protein than hay bales comprised of straight grass. Fertilizer can be topdressed on hay or pastures at any time during the growing season, but right after the first cutting and early fall provide times when the soils are usually firm enough to support fertilizer spreading equipment and the nutrients are applied to actively growing plants when they are most needed. This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Rain and snow also nitrogen to the ground, and roots of legumes such as alfalfa fix nitrogen in the soil. More than half the soil samples for forage tested at the laboratory at Auburn University have a pH too acid for best production and need agricultural limestone to correct this. If the soil tests High in one of these, then research has shown that applying more as fertilizer is a waste of money.. Legume and grass-style hay will nearly always flourish in the spring without the need of any fertilizer because it has had all winter to rest and build up nutrients. Manure Manager. Its critical to test feedstuffs that are drought stressed especially when nitrogen fertilizer has been applied. The labels on fertilizer bags can be quite confusing, especially to newbie homesteaders. Soil nutrient levels change more quickly when a hay crop is removed year after year in comparison with pastures, that benefit from the natural nutrient cycle. 
Topdressing hay fields with manure can build soil fertility with on-farm resources and help expand acres for spreading. Copyright 2022. We are aware of the gradual increase in gasoline prices so why would we not expect a similar trend in urea, ammonium nitrate, UAN solutions and other materials?. 
Making mistakes when fertilizing livestock areas can not only bring about a vastly disappointing hay or straw yield, but could also prove deadly for the animals themselves. Apply manure when soil is not wet. However, the single most valuable advantage forage legumes offer is better forage quality on average than grasses, which usually sharply increase animal gains and may enhance livestock reproductive rates, he says. Example: 12-12-12 fertilizer grade is composed of 12% nitrogen, 12% phosphate, and 12% of potash. Research has shown that in many poorly managed continuous grazing situations, less than half the forage produced in a pasture ends up being consumed by livestock. As long as the stand is at least one third alfalfa, you should not need any additional nitrogen. But producers need to first make sure that adequate moisture is present, and secondly, take care not to overgraze. Phone: 740-223-4043, 2022| 2120 Fyffe Road | Room 3 Ag Admin Bldg. Newsletter is produced by the Ohio State University Extension Agronomy Team, state specialists at The Ohio State University and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). 
Auburn Universitys soil test recommendations assume a high level of management and production and are based on the assumption that the forage produced can and will be used. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC. 
Breaking down what the three numbers in bold print actually mean will help you understand not only what you are buying, but what you need to give your hay fields and pastures both before the growing season starts and after each harvest. The next step is to push a pencil to determine whether investing in added fertilizer will pay off. Note When manure is used as the sole source of nitrogen for a grass hay crop, other nutrient levels in the soil, specifically phosphorous and potassium may increase over time. | Columbus, Ohio 43210. The OSU Fertility Recommendation Calculator and a user guide are available athttps://forages.osu.edu/forage-management/soil-fertility-forages. For every ton of legume or tall grass hay harvested from a hayfield roughly 50 pounds of potassium and 13 pounds of phosphorus is removed from the soil. Thank you. These steps will need to be repeated if the hayfield or pasture being tested is comprised of varying environmental attributes like those noted above. These natural benefits can be applied to hayfields by grazing them in the fall or early winter. If it is warmer than 50 degrees F (10 C) and the pH balance is higher than 6.5, the rate of urea conversion to ammonia gasses is substantially enhanced. Typically, one soil sample may adequately address the type of dirt over a 20 acre patch of land if the area is similar in drainage capacity, soil type, and topography. C.O.R.N. This site designed and maintained by CFAES Marketing and Communications. Available moisture is key to getting the benefit out of a fertilizer application. This means 52 pounds of phosphorus and about 200 pounds of potassium would be depleted from the dirt on every acre. Depending on the rate applied, supplemental fertilizer N may be needed for maximum hay production. The third and final number details the amount of potash (K20) in the fertilizer recipe. Adding more nitrogen to a patch of dirt that is already high in nitrogen can cause far more damage to the hay crop, straw crop, or pasture than would have occurred if you had simply left the area alone, and did not apply any fertilizer at all.
The ideal ratio of fertilizer for this type of hay-producing field would be one part phosphorus to four parts potassium. The following management is recommended for application of manure on grass hay fields: Compared to grass hay, alfalfa requires high phosphorus and potassium levels making manure an excellent source of these nutrients as well is boron for alfalfa production. Legume hay crops need less nitrogen than grass plants. If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing this content request accommodation here. Looking at agriculture like the science that it is and following best practices as dictated by what the ground, weather, and livestock habits relaying to you is truly the only way to cultivate robustly productive hayfields and pastures. For technical support please contact the CFAES Helpdesk. This gives the grazing area a solid nutrient boost before the dry heat and incredibly intense temperatures start to appear. Number 8860726. 10 new mower conditioners in 2016. Different livestock producers will need to take different approaches based upon their location, resources available, and type of operation. Driving heavy manure spreaders on wet soils causes soil compaction.
They hold moisture, drain better, and provide mineralized N to the growing grass crop. Not knowing what type of grass a hayfield or pasture is growing can cause some new homesteaders to think a field is not growing well and apply fertilizer unnecessarily. However, there are significant challenges in managing manure on alfalfa without damaging the productivity of the stand, particularly with solid manure and manure slurries. If the hayfield or pasture has had agricultural lime applied to it in the past 90 days, fertilizer that is urea based should not be used. Newsletter questions are directed to Extension and OARDC state specialists and associates at Ohio State. Its a slow process, but you can see it over time. All phosphate fertilizers come from limited rock deposits in Florida, North Carolina, North Africa, and a few other spots around the globe, he says. If you have sandy soil in all or part of your fields, consider using split percentage levels of nitrogen to avoid infusing too much of the nutrient into the soil and increasing the possibility of leaching. But be patient. Where high rates of phosphorus and potassium are recommended, there is an advantage to splitting the application, with half applied now after the first harvest and the remainder applied in the fall. The information presented here, along with any trade names used, is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is made by Ohio State University Extension is implied. Legumes such as alfalfa and clover fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, but phosphorus and potassium are also key macronutrients vital to soil and plant health. This publication has been funded in part by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation, Inc. Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination Information, UMass Research and Education Center Farms, Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory, Water Testing / Environmental Analysis Laboratory, Conservation Assessment Prioritization System (CAPS), Extension Risk Management/Crop Insurance Education, North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative, Agriculture & Commercial Horticulture Resources. Wait before fertilizing your warm-season grass meadows.. A 50 pound bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 15 actual pounds of fertilizer nutrients, and the rest being comprised of natural filler materials like limestone and sand. What is an Alabama cattleman to do? asks Charles Mitchell, Auburn University Extension agronomist-soils. A soil test can tell you how much phosphorus to use; usually 20-40 pounds peracre will stimulate legume growth nicely in most hay meadows. Lines and paragraphs break automatically. Although every attempt is made to produce information that is complete, timely, and accurate, the pesticide user bears responsibility of consulting the pesticide label and adhering to those directions. Almost all our potash in now mined and imported from western Canada. First, is the value of the nutrients in the material high enough to justify the cost of obtaining and applying it? This is the same result that would occur if 20 percent to 30 percent more fertilizer was applied. The pounds of nutrients in the bag is directly related to the amount of nutrients and formulated via a math equation based upon multiplying 50 by the first number in the recipe. Most manufactured nitrogen fertilizers are made from fossil fuels. If the fertilizer is spread onto ground that is already wet and rain is not in the forecast for a few days, the evaporating water can attach to the ammonia gases released, and risk losing the urea content of the fertilizer. CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. Be aware of the forecasted weather conditions when applying nitrogen. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Our fields have responded well to the rainy days, and the cool-season grasses are really thriving in the late spring season. A nominal fee may be charged for the service. It might be younger than you think, Late-gestation trace mineral supplementation shows promise, 7 tips for limiting the spread of invasive species in your pastures, 60 stunning photos that showcase ranch work ethics, 65 Photos That Celebrate Cowgirls & Cattlewomen, It's hay time! Timing of fertilizer application is everything. Legumes can provide up to 150 pounds of N per acre, enough to produce up to 3 tons of dry matter per acre. Strategic applications of nitrogen might be needed on pure grass hay and pasture stands. Consider the potential for forage contamination with the Johnes disease. In fact, a given producer may need to take different approaches at different times or in different fields including using soil testing, legumes, organic wastes, alternative sources of fertilizer N such as urea, timing of fertilizer application, and improved grazing management. In many cases, applying fertilizer will pay very well, but not in every instance.. But, be sure to use the types and amounts of fertilizer that work best for the plants in your hay meadow. Nitrogen is probably the most important factor in grass production, but keeping everything balanced, including phosphorus and potassium, is key, he said. Legumes actually help add nitrogen back into the soil during the growing process. Regardless of nutrient sources, here are some facts to keep in mind, says Mitchell: A dry ton of grass forage contains about 50-10-40 pounds N-P2O5-K2O. Keeping these facts in mind, says Mitchell, Alabama producers can get the most out of their fertilizer budget with one of several available alternatives. Wetter regions and irrigated fields are more likely to give a much greater return for investment, while drier, arid areas will see a smaller increase in tonnage. Therefore application of manure on hay fields can increase the economic return from manure nutrients compared to late fall applications of the same manure for next years crops. On the average, a ton of fresh broiler litter will contain at least 60-60-40 pounds N-P2O5-K2O. These practices can greatly improve soil health and nutrient levels, but they are not always possible due to location and availability of water and winter protection.. Grass tetany is a livestock metabolic disease that is related to magnesium deficiency. Some homesteaders and farmers with warm season grasses choose to apply just a little bit of nitrogen fertilizer in the early spring to help bolster late spring growth before baling but doing this without a soil test could increase the chances of grass tetany. Registered in England and Wales. Manure applied before planting must be incorporated into the soil. Essentially, when your area has received less than normal precipitation and you applied nitrogen to your forage crops you need to monitor the situation. Some research in Wisconsin and Minnesota has shown manure can sometimes improve alfalfa yields when compared with commercial fertilizer sources. Applying too much fertilizer is a waste of money; applying too little will result in less-than-optimum forage production. Like cool-season grasses, recommended nitrogen rates decline from 60 pounds in eastern Nebraska to 30 poundsout west. Cool season grasses typically do not thrive until the latter part of spring instead of the early spring. How to control sucking & biting lice on cattle, When is the best time to wean? The second factor is whether the material contains any pathogens, heavy metals, or other undesirable components that could be harmful to animals, humans, or to the soil.. Use equipment that applies uniformly and without clumps. The distribution of forage growth in pastures may also be more favorable, thus helping reduce the need for stored feed. her homesteading skills are unmatched, she raises chickens, goats, horses, a wide variety of vegetables, not to mention shes an expert is all sorts of homesteading skills such as hide tanning, doll making, tree tapping and many, many more. If you do not know what nutrients the soil lacks or has an overabundance of (or the pH balance), it would be impossible to choose the right fertilizer for the area or know how much should be applied. Rains and snowmelt replace a small amount of nitrogen, but its a losing battle if you dont ever put anything back.. Because our soils are typically low in soil organic matter, we must provide almost all the N needed by the crop. Agriculture and Natural Resources
In addition, a single fertilizer recipe mix might be perfect for one hayfield, but be entirely wrong for an adjacent one or a nearby pasture. With a hay crop, its all taken off, and you are removing nutrients year after year. Many hay producers across the state have completed or are in the process of completing their first cutting of the year. Nature has provided the perfect patterns for renewal of the soil; as animals graze, they return recycled plant material rich in nitrogen to the ground in the form of manure. Sometimes, dividing up a pasture into quarters or thirds and fertilizing is the best way to keep the soil in a grazing area continually infused with nutrients.