how often should i fertilize my pasture

Producers should take soil samples once per year from hayfields and every 3 years from their pastures. Hayfields need to be checked more frequently since large amounts of nutrients are removed in hay. Fertilizers are sold based on the percent nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potash

(K) they contain.

Full Answer

How much fertilizer does a pasture need?

In an intensively grazed pasture, on the other hand, over 80% of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are recycled back to the pasture. The fertilizer recommendation for a legume-grass pasture with a yield of 4.1 to 5.0 tons of dry matter per acre is 60 pounds of P 2 O 5 and 240 pounds of K 2 O.

When should I apply fertilizer to my farm?

Making multiple fertilizer applications before and during the growing season should help keep the soil at an optimal level of nitrogen – the nutrient that most often tends to be eliminated from the hayfield or pasture.

Should I fertilize my pasture or Hayfield?

Adding fertilizer to a pasture or hayfield can help infuse nutrients back into the soil and bring about robust growth of highly nutritious hay or field grass for the livestock to eat … if you do it right.

Should I Mow or clip my pastures before fertilizing?

For this reason, it is necessary to mow, clip or spray weeds to control them before making any fertilizer applications. It should be noted that using broadleaf herbicides on legume and mixed legume-grass pastures will injure the legumes, so these types of pastures should be only be mowed, clipped or spot-sprayed in the worst areas.

What is the best fertilizer for pasture land?

Most pastures can well use 50-100 pounds of nitrogen an acre in the fall application, Kallenbach said.

Is it better to fertilize pasture in spring or fall?

"A pasture mixture with 40% or more legumes may meet most its annual nitrogen needs through legume companions of white and red clovers." The time spent fertilizing your pastures this fall will result in quicker, more vigorous pasture growth next spring.

When should I fertilize my field?

Getting the fertilizer in place prior to plant growth in the spring is ideal. For warm season grasses such as switchgrass, big bluestem or foxtail millet, a June application is best. “April to early May is great for getting fertilizer down before those cool season grasses are starting their growth,” Volesky said.

Is it OK to fertilize a pasture with cows on it?

Fertilizer is good for plants, but not good for cattle. Veterinarians have received reports of cattle fertilizer poisoning this spring.

How long does fertilizer last on pasture?

Usually a majority of the nitrogen applied as a part of commercial fertilizer is gone in 60 days. Additionally, applying a high rate of N in one application provides more N than a grass crop can use at one time. This leaves grass pastures and hay fields deficient towards the middle through end of the growing season.

How much fertilizer do I need per acre of pasture?

Grass Needs N Nitrogen fertilizer should be considered for a grass dominant pasture. Research indicates that the first 30 to 50 pounds per acre of nitrogen are used most efficiently and that split applications of this amount generally maximize yield.

When should I put lime on my pasture?

It is important to apply lime immediately after the growing season or crop removal to allow lime to react, correcting soil pH before the next growing season.

How many pounds of fertilizer do I need for an acre of grass?

Per-acre rates can likewise be converted to per-1,000 square feet by dividing by 43.5. 10 pounds of 10-10-10 per 1,000 square feet equals 10 x 43.5 = 435 pounds per acre.

Should I fertilize my pasture in the fall?

It is generally recommended that for cool season mixed species pastures, no more than 40 lb of nitrogen per acre should be applied in the fall of the year. High rates of nitrogen application could lead to winter kill.

How do you improve poor pasture?

Improving Pasture QualityConduct a soil test. Based on the results, fertilize the pasture.Control the weeds.Create exercise areas and paddocks.Manage the grazing of the pasture by horses.Consider the need for reseeding or renovation.Don't overstock or overgraze pastures. Use rotational grazing.

How long after fertilizing can you graze?

Let it regrow for six weeks or longer and you should have some really good grazing available for July or August. What if it's dry in mid-May with poor prospects for regrowth? In that case, save your money and don't apply any more fertilizer.

How do you increase pasture production?

The Prices use six management practices to ensure sustained grass growth as well as soil, livestock, and economic health.1) Maintain a light stocking rate. ... 2) Rotate pastures. ... 3) Aim for slow, sustained grass growth. ... 4) Build populations of native grasses. ... 5) Supplement winter grazing. ... 6) Add value to livestock.

What does it mean when you have green grass in your pasture?

If you have noticed lush, dark green growth surrounding manure and urine spots in your pastures, this is an indication of nitrogen deficiency. A 30 percent stand of legume in the pasture can supply 30 to 50 pounds of nitrogen per year to the grasses in the pasture.

How to maintain optimum soil fertility?

To maintain optimum soil fertility, a producer would want to use fertilizers or manure to replace these nutrients. Since legumes are desired in pastures, special care should be taken to ensure adequate phosphorus and potassium levels. Grasses are more competitive for phosphorus and potassium than are legumes.

Why do you need soil testing for grazing?

Since a regular nutrient management program has been an often-neglected practice for grazing, soil tests should be used to accurately determine phosphorus, potassium, and lime needs. Soil testing helps you apply fertilizers where they are needed, and avoids areas where they are not needed. Also, soil testing helps to prevent developing excessive levels of phosphorus and potassium. Phosphorus can runoff into streams and lakes, fueling algae blooms. Excessive levels of potassium can contribute to grass tetany or milk fever in grazing cattle.

How to determine sulfur needs?

To determine sulfur needs, do a soil test. A sulfur availability index (SAI) is calculated by estimating the sulfur released from organic matter, sulfur in precipitation based on location, subsoil sulfur, and sulfur in manure if applied. If the SAI is 40 units or more, response to added sulfur is unlikely.

How long before a pasture can lime be used?

Before establishing a pasture, apply lime at the recommended rate and incorporate into the plow layer at least six months to one year before pasture seeding. Although working the lime into the plow layer is the most desirable, this is not practical for many pasture situations.

What is the pH of pasture?

Last, but not least, do not forget about the soil pH. If there are mainly grasses present in your pastures, a soil pH of 5.8 to 6.0 should be adequate. A slightly higher soil pH of 6.3 to 6.5 is desired if you have mixed grass/legume pastures. This higher pH will help the legumes persist longer in the pasture.

Can you apply phosphorus and potassium together?

Since the timing of phosphorus and potassium applications is not critical, they can be applied separately, together, or in combination with nitrogen fertilizer. Taking a cutting of hay on some of the pasture acres to help regulate growth is a normal practice for many graziers.

How to maximize growth in hayfield?

Making multiple fertilizer applications before and during the growing season should help keep the soil at an optimal level of nitrogen – the nutrient that most often tends to be eliminated from the hayfield or pasture .

Why add fertilizer to pasture?

Adding fertilizer to a pasture or hayfield can help infuse nutrients back into the soil and bring about robust growth of highly nutritious hay or field grass for the livestock to eat … if you do it right. Making mistakes when fertilizing livestock areas can not only bring about a vastly disappointing hay or straw yield, ...

What is the label on a fertilizer bag?

The label on a fertilizer bag is known as the “grade” and is set as a national standard of measuring the contents of the mixture inside. The first number on a fertilizer bag refers to the amount of nitrogen (N) container in the bag. The second number pertains to the level of phosphate (P205) in the fertilizer mix.

What grass is growing in a hayfield?

Common cool season hay grass varieties include wheatgrass, brome, Timothy, and bluegrass.

What happens when nitrogen is volatilized?

When surface volatilization happens at least some of the nitrogen in the fertilizer has broken down to form ammonia gases. How much and how quickly this type of surface volatilization occurs will depend on several factors: the pH balance of the soil, moisture levels, and temperature.

How many pounds of fertilizer in a 50 lb bag?

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. The lightweight fertilizer material clings to the filler, and helps in the dispersal process. The pounds of nutrients in the bag is directly related to the amount ...

What is the second number in fertilizer?

The second number pertains to the level of phosphate (P205) in the fertilizer mix. The third and final number details the amount of potash (K20) in the fertilizer recipe. Together, these three numbers reference all of the primary nutrients the soil needs: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Why split application for hay?

Timely application will result in less loss due to leaching or denitrification. A split application can maximize overall forage production, and is recommended for hayfields and for pastures when animals unit per acre are high . The best management practice to improve nitrogen levels in pastures is to interseed legumes.

How long does it take for nitrogen to go out of a hay field?

Usually a majority of the nitrogen applied as a part of commercial fertilizer is gone in 60 days. Additionally, applying a high rate of N in one application provides more N than a grass crop can use at one time. This leaves grass pastures and hay fields deficient towards the middle through end of the growing season.

How much potassium is in 19-19-19 fertilizer?

One hundred pounds of 19-19-19 contains 19 % nitrogen, 19 % phosphorus and 19 % potassium or 19 lbs. of each nutrient. After soil testing match the recommended nutrients needed to the N-P-K ratio in your fertilizer.

Where do nutrients come from?

These nutrients are derived from several sources including residual nutrients in the soil, the breakdown of manure and soil organic matter, and nitrogen produced by N-fixation in legumes. Most importantly, nutrients are supplied to plants through the application of commercial fertilizer and lime. So il testing is the first step to knowing how ...

When to apply lime to grass?

For cool season grass pastures, research shows that split applications of fertilizers generally maximize yields when N is applied in the late summer, early spring and occasionally in the late spring.

When to broadcast grass seed?

The use of frost seeding is a simple technique of broadcasting seed between mid-February and early March when the ground is still going through periodic freeze/thaw cycles.

When to apply N to hayfields?

For grass hayfields, apply N when plants are in an active growth phase and will uptake the most N. Ample precipitation and/or soil moisture along with cooler temperatures provide plants the best chance to respond. Timely application will result in less loss due to leaching or denitrification.

What are the benefits of thick stands of grass?

Thick stands of grasses and legumes will not only improve forage quantity and quality, but will also control future weed pressure. The best returns from pasture fertilization will depend on effective utilization through well-managed livestock and forage programs.

Why is fertilization important?

Fertilization is important in any efficient, highly productive forage program. Years of research and farmer experience have demonstrated large increases in days of grazing, annual gain or milk production per acre by fertilizing low-yielding pastures.

How long should I wait to fertilize pasture?

DELAY GRAZING: For best fertilizer response, delay spring grazing until pastures have been growing for at least two to three weeks. Avoiding continual grazing, switching between pastures or paddocks, and maintaining at least 3 to 4 inches of pasture growth will allow pastures to recover much quicker.

What is the key to soil testing?

The key to soil testing is to collect a good representative sample of the pasture. So separate samples should be taken for different soil types, management areas and paddocks. Care should be taken to avoid high traffic areas and areas where applying fertilizer may be difficult.

Why is soil testing important?

The key to soil testing is to collect a good representative sample of the pasture.

How often should I take a soil sample?

Generally, soil sampling should be done every three to four years. This will allow growers to maintain optimum soil fertility levels. More information on how to take a representative soil sample can be found in the publication, Take a good soil sample to help make good decisions, CROP 3108.

Can grasses be fertilized with N?

Grasses can respond very quickly to N fertilization when other growing conditions are good. However, this may not be as profitable if P and K levels are inadequate. Generally, most pastures are composed of "cool-season" grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, smooth bromegrass, orchardgrass, fescue and reed canarygrass.

How to test soil for nutrient?

To test your soil, use a spade or auger and probe your soil to a depth of six inches. When sampling pastures try to avoid areas near manure piles, fence lines, water sources, mineral feeders and hay bales as these areas will have excess nutrient build up. "Walk in a random zigzag pattern throughout your pasture to get a representative sample ...

What do you need to know before you apply fertilizer?

In order to apply the appropriate fertilizer you must know what nutrient levels (nitrogen, phosphate and potassium) are present in the soil.

What does fall fertilization do to grass?

orchardgrass, bluegrass, fescue and rye) feeds the root system and crown base of these plants.". Fall fertilization will increase tillering, shoot branching, ...

Share "Seeding and Fertilizing Pastures"

Is your pasture worn out and patchy? Is the cover thin and are unwanted plants encroaching on the space? Are your animals’ needs not being met when they graze? Seeding and fertilizing pastures can help keep fields in top condition to provide nourishing forage and a comfortable space for your horses, cattle, and other grazers.

Why Seed and Fertilize?

A pasture is much more than an open space with grass cover. When well-managed, your pasture can be a thriving, productive field that meets most or all of the nutritional requirements of its grazers, whether your horses, cattle, goats, sheep, alpacas, or other livestock are housed there.

Best Times for Seeding and Fertilizing

Seeding and fertilizing pastures can be done at nearly any point in the year, depending on the plants grown and the overall condition of the field. Mid-winter treatments are not typically possible due to frozen ground, however, and mid-summer treatments are often ineffective because of moisture requirements and overheating.

Check the Soil First

It isn’t enough to toss seed or fertilizer on your pasture and hope for improvement – it is essential to test the soil to be sure it is in top condition to nourish the right grasses and legumes for your fields.

Choose the Best Plants

Not every pasture will be able to nourish every desired plant, and it is important to select the right legumes and grasses for your pasture not only to meet your animals’ needs, but that will thrive in the available field.

Be Patient With Pasture Management

It can be tempting to let grazers back into a pasture as soon as new growth appears, but it can take several weeks or months for new plants to become firmly established in the field. If the plants are overgrazed before they are established, they will not regrow well and your time, effort, and expense will have been wasted.