Pasture options for economical fertilizing
The Baxter Bulletin
Nitrogen fertilizer prices have climbed sky high, leaving hay and cattle producers in a bind for spring forage. What affordable options will allow producers to grow enough forage this year?
The first thing to do and also the cheapest, is to get soil tests on all fields that normally would be fertilized. Cutting fertilizer rates without a good guideline can drastically cut needed forage production.
Soil test results are a valuable guide for directing fertilizer applications, and they are free. Soil samples can be submitted through Baxter County Extension office. Some fields may not need as much fertilizer as producers typically apply, while others may have declined in fertility and yield so that more fertility is required to restore yield.
Estimating forage need is another way to improve fertilizer efficiency. If spring forage production is often in excess of what is needed, then lowering fertilizer rates can be justified, but this should be determined for each farm to ensure adequate hay and pasture production.
In cases of excess spring growth, splitting a heavy spring fertilizer application into smaller spring and fall applications can extend the grazing season and reduce winter hay requirements.
Overseeding legumes such as clover and annual lespedeza will reduce fertilizer costs since nitrogen fertilizer is not needed for legumes. Legumes improve forage quality and reduce fescue endophyte problems. Clovers need higher soil fertility than lespedeza and most grasses. This makes soil tests even more important since spreading clover seed on fields with poor fertility can be a waste of money.
Annual lespedeza is a good choice where fertility is too low for clover to survive.
For information on soil testing or forages, call University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service at 425-2335.
Mark Keaton is staff chair for Baxter County at UA Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.