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Dealing
With High Fertilizer Costs
Many of the forage meetings around the country this
spring have at least one common topic: high fertilizer costs and how
growers can avoid or reduce them. This issue of eHay Weekly will
concentrate on that subject as well as offer its usual state reports,
calendar and a few other news bites.
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Texans
Battle Fertilizer Costs
High natural gas prices, a decrease in the number of
fertilizer facilities and increased demand worldwide have caused
nitrogen fertilizer prices to go through the roof. That means hay
growers and livestock producers will have to make changes to stay
profitable, according to Texas A&M University experts.
“With increasing fertilizer and energy costs, we have to make
adjustments to our livestock and pasture management,” explains Gerald
Evers, AgriLife Research forage management scientist. “We are going to
have to find where our fertilizer dollar will bring back the largest
return. We will be talking (more) about soil fertility and soil
fertilizer recommendations as well as about soil pH, which is very
critical to get good use of our fertilizer.”
He tells producers to be prepared to live with lower forage production
and reduced stocking rates. Cattle producers have not seen price
increases for their end products and are struggling to pay for
high-priced fertilizer for pastures and forage crops. With nitrogen
selling for around 70 cents/lb, some fertility program adjustments must
be made. He recommends lengthening the grazing season five to six weeks
by overseeding with annual ryegrass and clovers in fall.
Stockpiling can also help lengthen the grazing season. “When we would
begin to feed hay, instead we graze the standing hay crop,” Evers
says. He also advocates making the most of the recycled nutrients.
“Over 90% of the nitrogen, phosphorus and potash that’s in the
forage a cow eats is actually excreted back on the soil.”
Evers will be a featured speaker at an April 18 workshop on surviving
high fertilizer and fuel costs, to be held at the Texas AgriLife
Research and Extension Center in Overton. Registration costs $20 and
will include a lunch. Contact Charles Long at 903-834-6191, or email c-long@tamu.edu. Contact Evers at
903-834-6191.
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Soil
Test Should Drive Fertilizer Decisions
Hay growers should use soil-test information to make
sure they’re applying fertilizer when it will give them the most
return for their dollars, says Ray Smith, University of Kentucky forage
specialist. He says factors to consider for optimal forage production
include proper pH, adequate phosphorus and potassium, and nitrogen to
boost plant growth in non-legumes. Additional fertilizer needs depend on
the field’s use, forage crop grown and existing soil nutrient levels.
Phosphorus is important to the root system and yield, while potassium is
critical for disease tolerance and winter survival.
“I would really encourage soil testing because hopefully you will have
some pleasant surprises,” Smith says. “Hopefully, your soil-test
levels will be more than you expected.”
If phosphorus and/or potassium are in the high range for your area, no
fertilizer is needed. In the medium range, apply enough fertilizer to
replace the nutrients removed by hay or grazing. Higher rates are
recommended if soil-test levels are low.
If the test is in the upper part of the medium range, a grower might
apply less than the recommended fertilizer rate or wait a year hoping
for lower prices. In the medium range, soil has enough potassium and
phosphorus for this year, but the levels will fall rapidly if removed
nutrients are not replaced, say Smith.
Each ton of cool-season grass hay removes about 12 lbs of phosphate and
50 lbs of potash. Removal by grazing is much lower – 4 lbs of
phosphate and 16 lbs of potash. It is important to get these nutrients
back on the field fairly soon to maintain crop yields, and soil testing
is an important tool, he says.
Smith recommends splitting fertilizer applications to get nutrients to
the plants when they need it most. Phosphorus and potassium can be
applied at any time because they stay in the soil. However, Smith says
recent studies have shown that winter freeze-thaw action makes potassium
more available for the first spring hay cutting. So, especially for
alfalfa, it may be best to put on half the amount needed after the first
cutting and save the other half for after the third cutting to get
better growth throughout the summer.
“With any fertilizer product, it doesn’t hurt to meter it out
throughout the year,” Smith states. “A year ago, we talked about
getting a good yield increase with a spring application of 80-100 lbs of
nitrogen, and you would make money. The way the price of nitrogen has
gone up, I’m not confident at all to say that now.”
Instead, he believes splitting nitrogen applications would be a good
idea. Applying 40-50 lbs/acre to fescue or orchardgrass in mid-March
will boost the first-cutting yield, but putting on 80-100 lbs then may
not add enough yield to offset the extra cost. “It’s better to put
out 40-50 lbs for the first cutting, then put more out as the plant is
regrowing for the second cutting,” he says. “If the weather turns
dry, then save the nitrogen for fall application to build forage
stockpiles for winter. If you are not cutting hay until the middle of
June, it’s probably not important to put any out in June because
cool-season grasses aren’t going to have much growth then.”
Smith reminds growers that the time to apply nitrogen to grass stands is
when the grass starts growing. “The important thing is, if you say you
can’t afford nitrogen this year, the first pounds you put on are the
most efficiently used.” Don’t apply nitrogen to grass fields that
also contain 25% legumes. It will provide a yield bump, but might cause
the grass to crowd out the legumes.
Finally, proper soil pH is important for plant growth, and also ensures
efficient use of potassium and phosphorus, he says.
Contact Smith at 859-257-3358.
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Good
Pasture Management Makes Fertilizer Pay
One way to make sure pasture fertilization programs are
worth the money is to manage grass pastures so the grass actually gets
eaten instead of wasted, suggests Bruce Anderson, University of Nebraska
forage specialist. “If you fertilize pasture in spring and then let
animals graze continuously on one pasture throughout the season, much of
the extra growth is wasted,” Anderson says. “They trample, manure
and foul, bed down on, and simply refuse to eat much of the grass.
Eventually, less than one-third of the extra grass ends up inside your
livestock.”
To make fertilizer pay, subdivide pastures with cross fences and control
when and where animals graze. Give animals access to no more than
one-fourth of the pasture at a time, and preferably less. “Then graze
off about one-half of the growth before moving to another
subdivision,” he says. “If your pastures aren’t already subdivided
into at least four paddocks, your fertilizer dollar might be better
spent on developing more cross fences and watering sites.
“With nitrogen fertilizer costing over 60 cents per pound this spring,
though, does it pay to fertilize pasture?” Anderson asks. He cites
Nebraska research that shows producers can get 1 lb of additional calf
or yearling gain for every pound of nitrogen fertilizer applied.
However, this rule-of-thumb assumes that the amount applied is within
general recommendations, which are based on the potential amount of
extra grass growth expected. That growth is affected mostly by moisture.
It also assumes that the pasture will be well-managed so the extra
growth will be harvested efficiently.
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Consider
Alfalfa Nutrient Needs, Expert Says
With the high costs of fertilizer, and the demand and
higher prices for alfalfa, it’s more important than ever that hay
growers analyze their crops’ nutrient needs and decide whether
fertilizing alfalfa pays or not. That’s according to Steve Orloff, a
farm advisor in northern California's Siskiyou County. Orloff spoke at
the National Alfalfa Symposium last month.
Orloff talked about how to determine which nutrients were deficient in
alfalfa and what to do if they are. For more on the story, visit our
Symposium recap of his talk at: hayandforage.com/hay/alfalfa/spring-alfalfa-needs.
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Kentucky
Hay supplies this past winter were some of the lowest
in decades in Kentucky. As a result, many farmers scrambled to find
enough hay for their livestock, and hay prices increased substantially.
“Certainly, when all is said and done we will see the lowest carryover
we’ve seen in many, many years,” says Tom Keene, hay marketing
specialist with the University of Kentucky. “It’s going to put a lot
of pressure on the 2008 crop.”
Some hayfields may be planted to wheat, corn and soybeans. One hay
grower Keene knows has said he’ll have to get the same prices for his
2008 hay as he received in 2007, or he’ll switch crops. Keene expects
Kentucky farmers will work furiously to bale as much hay as possible to
meet their needs. “It’s going to be interesting. Producers learned
some tough lessons this year. Many will be better cattle and forage
managers in 2008 than they were in 2007.”
Keene points out it will be crucial for hay growers to know what they
have invested in their crops in terms of expenses.
Contact Keene at 859-257-3144.
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Wyoming
Ervin Gara III, owner of Wyoming Haybusters,
Torrington, WY, sold out of dairy hay early this winter, but says
overall hay demand slowed in his area after the first of the year.
“There is still some hay around,” he says. “I’m not sure if
people were waiting it out or what. Last year people were knocking down
doors looking for hay, but demand hasn’t been quite as high this
year.” Beef cow hay has been selling for about $110/ton in eastern
Wyoming. Supreme hay has been bringing $135-150/ton, while premium hay
has been selling for $120-135/ton.
Gara is going to plant an additional 1,200 acres of alfalfa this year,
bringing his total up to 4,500 acres. All of his alfalfa is irrigated.
He says even with the irrigation, water issues can be challenging at
times. “Water didn’t get delivered until late in June and early July
last year,” he explains. “Some hay had burned up by then. This year
we are supposed to have early water available for hay production. Last
year we had 70 days of water. Between 100 to 110 days of water would be
ideal for hay production.”
He usually takes four cuttings of alfalfa a year, baling 4 x 4 x 8'
bales. He bales at night to take advantage of the dew, and strives to
cut at 32-35 days. Gara also custom harvests about 500 acres. All hay is
sold based on test results, mostly to dairies. His main customer is one
of Colorado’s largest dairies, but he also sells to dairy and beef
clients in Wyoming, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Texas.
Contact Wyoming Haybusters at 307-532-1746.
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Celebrate
National Agriculture Week
This week has been designated as National Ag Week; Ag
Day is celebrated March 20. The purpose of the National Ag Day program?
To help Americans understand how food and fiber products are produced,
value agriculture’s contribution to a strong economy, and appreciate
the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable
products.
The Ag Day organization points out that each American farmer feeds more
than 144 people. More than three million people farm or ranch in the
U.S. Individuals, family partnerships or family corporations operate
almost 99% of U.S. farms. Over 22 million people are employed in farm or
farm-related jobs, including production agriculture, farm inputs,
processing, marketing and wholesale and retail sales.
For more about Ag Day, visit www.agday.org/.
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Calendar
March 19-20 -- 2008 Central Plains Dairy Expo,
Sioux Falls Convention Center, Sioux Falls, SD. Visit www.centralplainsdairyexpo.com
or call 218-236-8420.
March 28-29 -- 2008 Northeast Grasstravaganza, Holiday Inn,
Binghamton, NY. Visit www.cnyrcd.org
or call 877-384-8829 or 607-334-3231, ext. 4.
March 29-30 -- Connecticut Horse Symposium, Ratcliffe Hicks
Arena and Horsebarn Hill Arena, University of Connecticut, Storrs.
Morning seminars and afternoon demonstrations, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each
day. Vendors welcome. Call 860-486-4471 or email jenifer.nadeau@uconn.edu.
Learn more at www.canr.uconn.edu/ansci/equine/horsesymp.htm.
April 1-3 -- Dairy Calf And Heifer Conference, Mayo Civic
Center, Rochester, MN. Learn more at www.calfandheifer.org.
April 4-6 -- Hoosier Horse Fair & Expo, Indiana State
Fairgrounds, Indianapolis. Learn more at www.indianahorsecouncil.org/horse_fair.htm.
April 10-13 -- Ohio Equine Affaire, Ohio Expo Center, Columbus.
Visit www.equineaffaire.com.
April 18-20 -- Midwest Horse Fair, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Visit midwesthorsefair.com.
April 22-23 -- Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference, Grand
Wayne Center, Fort Wayne, IN. Featuring information for Indiana,
Michigan and Ohio. Learn more at tristatedairy.osu.edu/agenda.htm.
April 25-27 -- Minnesota Horse Expo, Minnesota State
Fairgrounds, St. Paul. Visit www.mnhorseexpo.org.
May 16 -- North Carolina State University Horse Forage Management
Short Course, Ramada Inn Blue Ridge, Raleigh, NC. Special emphasis
will be placed on maximizing the use of forages and hay or pasture to
economically meet horses' nutrient requirements. Learn more at www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/horse/SC_Clinic/SCmain.htm.
June 6-8 -- Western States Horse Expo, Cal Expo Fairgrounds,
Sacramento, CA. Call 800-352-2411 or visit www.horsexpo.com.
June 11-12 -- Four-State Dairy Nutrition And Management Conference,
Grand Harbor Conference Center, Dubuque, IA. Covering dairy industry
topics for Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. Contact Evonne
Hausman at ehausman@uiuc.edu.
July 11-13 -- North Carolina Equine Extravaganza, North Carolina
State Fairgrounds, Raleigh. Learn more at www.equineextravaganza.com.
Sept. 17-20 -- National Hay Association Convention,
Oak Brook Hills Marriott, Oak Brook, IL. Contact Don Kieffer at
800-707-0014, or visit www.nationalhay.org.
Sept. 30-Oct. 4 -- World Dairy Expo, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Visit www.worlddairyexpo.com.
Oct. 31-Nov. 2 -- Virginia Equine Extravaganza, Richmond
Raceway, Richmond. Learn more at www.equineextravaganza.com.
Nov. 6-7 -- 2008 Beef Quality Summit, sponsored by BEEF
magazine, Antlers Hilton Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO. Visit beefconference.com/?cid=resources.
Nov. 13-16 -- Massachusetts Equine Affaire, Eastern States
Exposition Center, West Springfield. Visit www.equineaffaire.com.
Feb. 15-16, 2009 -- Southwest Hay And Forage Conference,
Ruidoso NM. Contact Gina Sterrett at 575-626-5677 or Justin Boswell at
575-840-9908.
June 21-23, 2009 -- American Forage & Grassland Council Annual
Conference, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, Grand Rapids, MI. Call
800-944-2342 or email info@afgc.org.
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Send Questions & Comments
To...
Lora Berg, Editor,
eHay Weekly,
hfg@hayandforage.com
For information on Hay & Forage Grower, contact:
Neil Tietz, Editor, ntietz@hayandforage.com
or
Fae Holin, Managing Editor, fholin@hayandforage.com
For specific information from past issues of eHay Weekly and
Hay & Forage Grower, click on hayandforage.com, and use the search
function in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.
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