A3B-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 12, 1991
John E. Baylor
Forage Specialist (Retired)
Penn State University
Fundamentals Of
Forage Fertilization
It occurs to me that for one or
more of several reasons the
farm economy, this year’s severe
heat and drought in many areas,
your concern for effective nutrient
management—you may have lost
sight of the continued importance
of a sound forage fertility prog
ram. So in this month’s column
I’d like to get back to basics and
review just what a sound fertility
program means to you.
Fertilizer is, in the opinion of
many experts, one of the most, if
not die most, important inputs to
profitable forage yields. However,
with today’s rapidly changing
prices both for production
inputs and farm products it’s
hard to come up with specific fig
ures on net returns from fertiliza
tion. And, of course, fertilizer
responses depend on soil fertility
levels at the time fertilizer is
applied. That’s why a regular soil
testing program is so essential.
Forage Fertilization
Dividends
Adequate fertilization, based on
soil testing, can give your forage
crops a big boost in a number of
ways. It helps seedlings get off to
a fast start. It assures consistently
higher yields. It helps plants sur
vive winter better. It permits ear
lier, more frequent cutting for top
quality. And it helps plants recov
er better from insect attacks and
other stresses.
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An added bonus, say many ani
mal scientists, is that fertilizer
applications may also initiate a
host of chemical and physiologi
cal changes in forage plants than
can affect, significantly, the health
and nutritional status of animals
consuming the forage.
Fertilizing Established
Legume Stands
For established legumes, espe
cially alfalfa, potassium is the key
to high yields, high quality forage,
and long-lived stands. But pho
sphorus is important too. Legumes
actually need about one-third as
much phosphorus as potassium.
But, since phosphorus moves
slowly in the soil, it may take time
before the plants respond.
Generally, when potassium and
phosphorus are applied to legumes
is not critical if adequate
amounts are applied for the
growth period. For single applica
tions, apply now, or as soon as
possible after the last harvest.
Where higher rates of fertilizer are
'"ceded, split applications, one
’ialf now and one-half after first
cutting may be best.
What is important is the ratio of
phosphate to potash in your top
dressing fertilizer. In fact many
studies suggest a fertilizer ratio of
0-1-4 (N, P. 0,, K.O) may be best on
most soils for intensive, high
yielding legume production.
Based on Pennsylvania studies,
and the data from our alfalfa
growers program, for alfalfa at
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least, annual applications of
100-pound P.O, per acre and 400
pounds K.O per acre may be about
right for yield goals of 6 to 8 tons
of hay equivalent per acre. How
ever, a soil test is still your best
guide.
And while phosphorus and
potassium are the key nutrients for
top legume yields, secondary ele
ments and micronutrients may
also be important. Of the former,
several research trials show alfalfa
responding to sulfur fertilization.
And boron should be applied
annually at the rate of at least two
pounds per acre.
Fertilizing
Established Grasses
Cool season grasses need all
three major, nutrients nitrogen,
phosphorus, and potassium. How
ever, nitrogen is the key to higher
yields and quality. Normally for
cool season grasses, such as
orchardgrass, a split application ol
nitrogen (60 pounds in early
spring, another 40-50 pounds after
each cutting) is considered best
However, I’ve just reviewed
some Virginia research or
orchardgrass suggesting that some
nitrogen (40# N/A) applied right
now, either as N fertilizer or as
manure, may actually result in
more vigorous, weed-free
orchardgrass stands that last lon
ger than those maintained under
more traditional fertilization prac
tices. The verdict is still out on
this but it is something to
consider.
Animal Manures
Speaking of manure, there’s no
doubt that the use of properly
handled and stored animal manure
can greatly reduce your fertilizer
needs, especially on cool season
grasses.
Manure contains the three
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major plant nutrients N, P. 0.,
and K.O as well as other nutri
ents. Normally we would not
recommend applications of man
ure to good young (1 or 2 years)
stands of legumes. However, sum
mer or fall applications can be
effectively made on old legume or
legume-grass stands, or pure grass
stands.
One caution don’t count on
NFU Members
Speak To
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Twenty-four members of the
National Farmers Union (NFU)
told U.S. Agriculture Secretary
Edward Madigan that the Bush
Administration needs to begin
focusing attention on the immedi
ate needs of American fanners in
addition to activities in the interna
tional arena.
The Farmers Union delegation,
headed by NFU President Leland
Swenson, told Madigan that "sen
sible, reasonable, and significant
changes” in U.S. farm policies are
necessary for the survival of fami
ly farm producers.
“I agree with Senator (Robert)
Dole (R-KS) when he calk the
farm economy a ‘house of cards,’”
Swenson said in reference to a let
ter Dole sent to the White House
last week.
The Farmers Union members, in
Washington lobbying as part of an
NFU legislative “fly-in,” told
Madigan that immediate action is
needed to reform federal dairy pol
icy and to provide disaster assis
tance to farmers whose crops were
hurt by weather disasters this year.
The Farmers Union members
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the manure to supply all of the nit
rogen. And, when used, it should
be applied to fields at the rate
which supplies just the amount of
nutrients used by the crop.
In this regard, a manure analys
is can be very helpful. And it,
along with a good soil testing
program, can save fertilizer and
also keep soil nutrient levels in
place.
Madigan
articulated the hardships they are
facing because of low prices for
milk, grains, and livestock. They
believe policies that would provide
incentives for production manage
ment are the key to their survival
on the farm.
A proposed two-tier dairy prog
ram, under which farmers would
be discouraged from overproduc
ing as a way to stabilize market
forces, is an example of the kind of
program the farmers say they
wank Although a version of the
two-tier proposal did not make it
through Congress before the
August recess and is still pending,
NFU is pushing to have it consid
ered again before lawmakers
adjourn for the year.
But the farmers said Madigan
was intransigent about the dairy
bill. “He expressed no willingness
whatsoever to negotiate or com
promise at all on a supply
management program for dairy,”
said Swenson.
The secretary did say however
that he was willing to support up to.
a billion dollars in disaster assis
tance for farmers if it can be dontb
this fiscal year, which ends Sep
tember 30. j
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