Fall Forage Practices
Fall Fertilization of Pastures and Hayfields
Plan Now to Use Small Grain Pasture for Winter Forage
Fall Fertilization of Pastures and Hayfields
One of the key components of a successful forage production program is a solid fertilization plan. Typically, fertilization is considered a springtime procedure. However, there are many reasons to consider making fertilizer applications in the fall.
Recommendations for fall fertilization include stockpiling tall fescue by applying fall nitrogen to tall fescue can increase the growth for grazing during the winter, reducing hay feeding by one or two months. For stockpiling tall fescue, fertilize after the fall rains begin, when the fescue has begun to regrow after the summer heat and drought. It will be best to have the pasture grazed or clipped to remove all summer growth from the field. Approximately 60 lbs of nitrogen per acre is best for stockpiling tall fescue.
Current soil-test results are essential for knowing how much phosphate and potash to apply. Fall is also a good time to sample soil to determine the fertility status of pastures. Soil-test results will show what nutrients are needed and how much to apply.
Fertilizer is less expensive during fall. Often the price for fertilizer is cheaper during this time of the year compared to spring. Also, since it is not the busy season, it may be easier to get it done.
Producers should consider applying fertilizer this fall and using clovers next spring to provide the nitrogen needed for a solid forage production program. Only one application needed if clovers are used. If clovers are utilized in a tall fescue, no nitrogen is needed during the spring. Since all the potash and phosphate required for a year can be applied at one time, applying all of these two, plus the nitrogen for stockpiling, can mean that only one fertilizer application is needed each year.
Fall fertilization improves cold tolerance of Bermudagrass. Since Tennessee is on the northern border of the adaptation of Bermudagrass, there is the potential for winter kill for most of the Bermudagrass in the state. A fall application of potash and phosphate will help improve the cold tolerance of Bermudagrass.
When trying to determine the best type of fertilizer to use, the biggest consideration is the form of nitrogen. The two main types of nitrogen fertilizer used in Tennessee are urea and ammonium nitrate. Urea is 46 percent nitrogen, while ammonium nitrate is 34 percent nitrogen. For fall fertilization, ammonium nitrate is best because of the greater potential for nitrogen loss with urea during the fall. Nitrogen can be lost to the atmosphere as ammonia when conditions are hot with moderate moisture.
Temperatures 75 F or above, with high soil pH and moisture, can result in the loss of 20 to 30 percent of the nitrogen from urea when applied to the soil surface and not incorporated by rainfall because all of the nitrogen is in the ammonia form. If urea is used for fall fertilization, it is best applied when rain is expected with two to three days or a urease inhibitor should be used to delay conversion of the urea to the ammonium form.
Fall fertilization is a management tool that can be utilized on most cattle farms in Tennessee. Because phosphate and potash are stable in the soil, a once-a-year application is adequate. Fall application of these nutrients fits nicely with a stockpiling program, because nitrogen can be added with the potash and phosphate to make a balance fertilizer application.
Plan Now to Use Small Grain Pasture for Winter Forage
Fall is approaching, which means it is time for cattle producers to decide whether calves are going to be sold or held over until next spring. Producers should carefully consider grazing options before making their decision. While keeping calves can result in bigger calves and higher prices, this marketing alternative depends on having a good source of feed during the winter. To ensure adequate grazing throughout the winter it is recommended to start integrating small grain pasture into your feeding plans.
Small grain and ryegrass pastures provide high quality grazing during the fall, winter and spring. It doesn’t matter if you plant 5 acres or 100 acres, the high nutrient content of these forages can promote excellent performance from any group of livestock. Grazing on small grain pasture can be used both to fatten calves as well as to supplement the diet of beef cows.
Use the following steps for planting and utilizing small grain pasture:
Planting method - Both conventional and no-till methods of planting can be used, however, no-till planting has been shown to provide a more firm base for winter grazing and less winter kill than conventional planting. Each of these methods depends on the reduction of competition from existing vegetation. For successful no-till planting, this vegetation must be killed chemically with a herbicide. Seeds should be placed between one-fourth and one-half inch deep in the soil.
Planting dates - For fall grazing, seedings should be made early. Rye, which will produce the earliest fall grazing, should be planted August 15 to October 15. Wheat should be planted September 1 to October 15. Adequate moisture is essential for stand establishment during fall months, however, small grain plantings made after October 1 usually produce little fall grazing. Including ryegrass in the mixture will produce grazing later into the spring.
Seeding rates - If fall grazing is expected from wheat or rye, 2 bushels per acre should be used with 10 pounds of crimson clover. If no fall grazing is expected, then seeding rates can be dropped back to 1.5 bushels per acre. Fifteen pounds per acre of ryegrass can be added in place of half a bushel of the small grain to provide grazing later into the spring. Producers can check with their local Extension office for recommended varieties.
Fertilization - A soil test should be taken to determine if there is a need for lime, potash or phosphate. Information from a soil test will provide assurance that the establishment and production of the pasture will not be limited by low nutrient levels, or that money is not wasted by excessive application of fertilizer. Small grain pastures are highly responsive to nitrogen fertilizer. Apply 30-45 pounds of nitrogen per acre at planting, and then 30-45 pounds nitrogen per acre on March 1. If ryegrass is included in the mixture, add another 30 pounds of nitrogen per acre on May 1.
Grazing management - Harvesting the forage by grazing generally results in a large amount of waste, due to trampling and rejection of forage around manure piles. The amount of waste can be decreased if animals are confined to small areas of the pasture, called a paddock, and then rotated to another area when all of the forage in the first paddock has been consumed. Grazing should begin when the forage is approximately 8-10 inches tall. The animals should be removed when plants are grazed down to about 3 inches. Electric fencing can be used to divide a large pasture into several paddocks, with paddock size adjusted so that 3 to 7 days is required to graze it down. After the animals are rotated, the paddock should be clipped to remove any rejected areas that have become mature.
Fall Forage Practices
Gary Bates, Professor and Extension Coordinator, Forage Specialist, The University of Tennessee
