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Low-Cost Fertility Options for Forage Producers

Low-Cost Fertility Options for Forage Producers. Dave Myers. Ben Beale St. Mary’s County Extension Agent Some slides and pictures adapted from: Dave Myers Anne Arundel Extension Agent. Ben Beale. Why worry about fertility?. Why worry about fertility?. Tall Fescue Fertilization Budget

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Low-Cost Fertility Options for Forage Producers

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  1. Low-Cost Fertility Options for Forage Producers Dave Myers Ben Beale St. Mary’s County Extension Agent Some slides and pictures adapted from: Dave Myers Anne Arundel Extension Agent Ben Beale

  2. Why worry about fertility?

  3. Why worry about fertility?

  4. Tall Fescue Fertilization Budget • Commercial Fertilizer • Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal – 5 tons bu • Unit lbs/Acre Price/lb $ Total/Acre • Nitrogen 230 .43 98.90 • Phosphorus 40 .29 11.60 • Potassium 100 .26 26.00 • *Fertilizer Total136.50 • Fertilizer Application Costs: • Bulk Spread (spring, summer, fall) 18.00 • Fertilizer Application Costs 18.00 • Fertilizer Grand Total $154.50 Acre • * Includes Trucking

  5. Alfalfa Fertilization Budget • Commercial Fertilizer • Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal – 6 tons bu • Unit lbs/Acre Price/lb $ Total/Acre • Nitrogen 0 .43 0 • Phosphorus 80 .29 23.20 • Potassium 450 .26 117.00 • *Fertilizer Total140.20 • Fertilizer Application Costs: • Bulk Spread (spring, fall) 12.00 • Fertilizer Application Costs 12.00 • Fertilizer Grand Total $152.20 Acre • * Includes Trucking

  6. Enterprise Budget for Cool Season Grass Hay

  7. Fertilizer Options?Fertility Inputs for Forages Legumes Manure Commercial Fertilizer Bio-Solids

  8. Back to the Basics: • Understand the need for nutrients • Understand how much of a nutrient we need.

  9. Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium Recommendations Based on pre-plant soil tests and yield goal The lower the soil test value, the higher the nutrient recommendation Nitrogen Recommendations • Nitrogen recommendations are based on crop and yield goals.

  10. Agricultural Nutrient Management Program Medium (26-50) Excessive (>100) Low (0-25) Optimum (51-100) Potash Recommendation(lb/acre)as a function of soil fertility level (FIV-K) for corn grain (yield goal - 150 bu/ac) # K2O/A FIV-K

  11. Good recommendations depend on good soil samples UMD-AGNR Photo Archive; http://www.photos.umd.edu

  12. Beef/Dairy/Swine Manure UMD-AGNR Photo Archive; http://www.photos.umd.edu

  13. Distribution of Available Nitrogen from Organic & Ammonium Nitrogen Components in a Typical Dairy Manure (assumes incorporation the same day as application) 0.6 lb 2.4 lb 6 lb 3 lb

  14. USNAD, Gambrills MD: No-Tillage System Average Manure Analysis 1989-1997 Available Stockpile Lagoon Nutrient lbs/ton lbs/1000gal N 3.0 0.24 P 7.0 1.34 K 16.0 5.02 Ca 8.0 1.13 Mg 3.0 0.69 S 1.5 0.05 Mn 0.08 0.004 Zn 0.05 0.002 Cu 0.02 0.003

  15. http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/agron/nutrient/Plan/2003_Manure_Summary.pdfhttp://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/agron/nutrient/Plan/2003_Manure_Summary.pdf

  16. Tall Fescue Fertilization Budget Dairy/Beef Manure Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal -5 tons Unit lbs/Acre Total $/Acre Manure (on-farm) 15 tons/acre 0.00 Nitrogen 45 (220) 185 lbs @ .43/lb 79.55 Phosphorus 105 (40) 0.00 Potassium 240 (100) 0.00 Manure & Fertilizer Costs 79.55 Manure/Fertilizer Application Costs: Manure cleanout 1.00/ton 15.00 Manure spreading 15 ton/acre 22.00 Fertilizer spreading 12.00 Manure Application Costs 49.00 Manure Fertilization Grand Total $128.55/Acre (*) Amount required Savings of $25.95

  17. Alfalfa Fertilization Budget Dairy/Beef Manure Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal -6 tons Unit lbs/Acre Total $/Acre Manure (on-farm) 15 tons/acre 0.00 Nitrogen 45 (0) 0.00 Phosphorus 105 (80) 0.00 Potassium 240 (450) 210 @ .26lb. 54.60 Manure & Fertilizer Costs 54.60 Manure/Fertilizer Application Costs: Manure cleanout 1.00/ton 15.00 Manure spreading 15 ton/acre 22.00 Fertilizer spreading 6.00 Manure Application Costs 43.00 Manure Fertilization Grand Total $97.60 Acre (*) Amount required Savings of $54.60

  18. Poultry Litter UMD-AGNR Photo Archive; http://www.photos.umd.edu

  19. Table 2. Average Nutrient Values for Virginia Manure Tested 1998-99 Poultry Litter as a Fertilizer and Soil Amendment Authors: G. L. Mullins, Professor, Crop and Soil Environmental Science and E. S. Bendfeldt, Associate Extension Agent, Agricultural and Natural Resources; R.A. Clark, Extension Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Virginia Tech Publication Number 424-034, Posted January 2002 Additional Benefits: Organic Matter and pH

  20. Figure 2- 4a. Distribution of available nitrogen from organic and ammonium nitrogen components in a typical broiler litter 4 lb 16 lb 20 lb 20 lb This litter contains 60 pounds of total nitrogen and 36 pounds of available nitrogen per ton.

  21. Average Poultry Litter • Not incorporated, applied in three split applications. • Qualify for cost share with FIV less than 100 for N based and less than 150 for P based. • 1 ton of poultry litter in first year will give: • 26 lbs N • 100 lbs. P • 100 lbs K

  22. Tall Fescue Fertilization Budget Poultry Litter Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal -5 tons Unit lbs/Acre Total $/Acre Broiler Litter 8 tons/A @ 5.00/ton* 40.00 *($25/ton - $20/ton MDA cost share) Nitrogen 208 (220) (amount negligible) 0.00 Phosphorus 800 (40) 0.00 Potassium 800 (100) 0.00 Manure & Fertilizer Costs 40.00 Manure/Fertilizer Application Costs: Manure spreading 8 ton/acre 24.00 Stock pile Maintenance 10.00 Manure Application Costs 34.00 Manure Fertilization Grand Total $74.00 Acre (*) Amount required Savings of $80.50

  23. Alfalfa Fertilization Budget Poultry Litter Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal -6 tons Unit lbs/Acre Total $/Acre Broiler Litter 4.5 tons/A @ 5.00/ton* 22.50 *($25/ton - $20/ton MDA cost share) Nitrogen 117 (0) 0.00 Phosphorus 450 (80) 0.00 Potassium 450 (450) 0.00 Manure & Fertilizer Costs 22.50 Manure/Fertilizer Application Costs: Manure spreading 4.5 ton/acre (2X @ $8) 22.00 Manure Application Costs 22.00 Manure Fertilization Grand Total $44.50 Acre (*) Amount required Savings of $107.70 (If cost share applies)

  24. Bio-Solids-Wet

  25. http://www.synagro.com/ Biosolids Average Plant Available Nutrients:lbs/ton N 34.0 P 19.1 K 6.0

  26. Tall Fescue Fertilization Budget Bio-Solids Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal -5 tons Unit lbs/Acre Total $/Acre Biosolids 6.5 tons/acre applied by Synagro0.00 Nitrogen 221 (230) 0.00 Phosphorus 124 (40) 0.00 Potassium 39 (100) 61 lbs @ .26/lb15.86 Biosolids & Fertilizer Costs 15.86 Biosolids/Fertilizer Application Costs: Bulk Spread KCL (180 lb/acre) 8.00 Biosolids/Fertilizer Application Costs 8.00 Biosolids/Fertilization Grand Total $23.86 $/Acre (*) Amount required Savings of $130.64

  27. Alfalfa Fertilization Budget Poultry Litter Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal -6 tons Unit lbs/Acre Total $/Acre Biosolids 6.5 tons/acre applied by Synagro0.00 Nitrogen 221 (250) 0.00 Phosphorus 124 (80) 0.00 Potassium 39 (450) 411 lbs @ .26/lb106.86 Biosolids & Fertilizer Costs 106.86 Biosolids/Fertilizer Application Costs: Bulk Spread KCL (700 lb/acre) 16.00 Biosolids/Fertilizer Application Costs 16.00 Biosolids/Fertilization Grand Total $116.86 $/Acre (*) Amount required Savings of $35.34

  28. Sewage Sludge Heavy Metal Tolerance Guidelines

  29. De-Hydrated Sludge • Use is similar to fertilizer. • Granulite 5-3-0 • Mineralization rate of 50% • In-expensive, easy to spread, readily available in Baltimore. • Contact: Cullin’s Lime for more info in St. Mary’s

  30. Liming Cost

  31. Domino’s Lime • May offer a good value compared to conventional lime. • By product of Domino Sugar refinement process located in Baltimore , MD • Domino Lime may be obtained directly by contacting Tom Reilly, Eastern Materials Inc. at 410 365-6839 or 410-439-1811. Genstar AglimeDomino Lime Moisture 5.0% -- CaO (calcium oxide) 51.0% 47.24% MgO (magnesium oxide) 1.0% 0.70% CaCO3 Equivalent (CCE) 93.0% 80.09% Pass 20 Mesh 98.0% 100.00% Pass 60 Mesh 80.0% 99.72% Pass 100 Mesh 56.0% 99.66% 2007 Rates Delivery MilesCharge/Ton Delivered 0-50 $ 5.68 51-70 $ 7.30 71-90 $ 8.92 91-110 $10.55 111-130 $12.17 131-149 $13.80 >150 $15.42 and up

  32. In Summary: UMD-AGNR Photo Archive; http://www.photos.umd.edu

  33. In Summary: • 1) Important to get things in the right place • Alfalfa requires high K • Poultry Litter, Manure • Grasses require high N • Sludge, Manure

  34. In Summary: • 2) Take good soil test. Operate with good information. Do not apply nutrients you do not need.

  35. In Summary: • 3) Explore you Options. Manure, bio-solids, poultry litter, dehydrated sludge and fertilizer may or may not be a good fit depending upon your operation.

  36. “Any Questions?” Ben Beale Maryland Cooperative Extension 301 475 4481 bbeale@umd.edu This man knows what he is smelling about! (Dr. Les Vough Pictured)

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