Page 23 - MWC 8-25-2022s

Plan Now for Fall Fertilization of The Midwest Cattleman · August 25, 2022 · P23

Perennial Forages

Early fall is one of the best ways guide what nutrients
times to top-dress mainte- to apply and how much. If a
nance fertilizer on perenni- recent soil test has not been
al forages. Soils are usually made, now is a great time to
firm in September, and au- do it. If nutrient deficiencies
tumn topdressing provides are suspected, then tissue
needed nutrients for good tests combined with the soil
winter survival of the forage test values can be helpful in
stand and vigorous regrowth the diagnosis of nutrient is-
the following spring. Now is sues.
a great time to begin prepa- When recommendations
rations and acquiring fertil- call for high rates of phos-
izer supplies so timely fall phorus and potassium, there
applications can be made. is an advantage to splitting
Remember that hay crops the application, with half ap- are available at https://for- of 50 PPM, there is increased
will remove about 50 lbs of plied this autumn and the ages.osu.edu/forage-manage- potential of P losses into
K2O and 12 lbs of P2O5 per remainder applied next year ment/soil-fertility-forages. streams and lakes. Applying
ton of dry hay harvested. Ad- after the first cutting when We highly recommend using too much K will result in lux-
equate amounts of soil P and soils are firm. this tool to check any fertiliz- ury consumption by the for-
K are important for the pro- Ohio State University Ex- er recommendations you re- age plants, leading to exces-
ductivity and persistence of tension has an Excel tool to ceive, as we have seen some sive levels of K in the forage
forage stands. But nutrient help you determine the right fertilizer recommendations that can cause animal health
over-application harms the rates to apply based on your that are too high. problems. Judicious amounts
environment and can harm soil test report. The OSU It is crucial not to over of fertilizer are good for the
animals fed those forages. Fertility Recommendation apply P and K. For exam- wallet and our environment.
A recent soil test should al- Calculator and a user guide
ple, many dairies have high Ohio State University
levels of soil P, making the
BE SURE AND CLOSE was very scarce that sum- expense of fertilizer P un- Extension
continued from page 11 mer but fortunately Circle F necessary. When soil test P
Farms used only half of the exceeds the agronomic level
cows and 71 acres of available amount of hay that they nor-
pasture. A simple summary of mally feed in a winter and
Missouri’s Largest Hereford Breeder Breeder
this demonstration follows: was able to weather the sum- Missouri’s Largest Hereford
• Weaned the calves in mer drought more easily. I re-
mid-September, cows grazed alize this strategy may not be Genetics Selected for:
Genetics Selected for:
stalks for 17 days then fed hay for everyone and every year is • • Fescue Tolerance Fescue Tolerance
in a drylot for 70 days. Cows obviously different in terms of
gained 135 lbs during the dry weather and rainfall, howev- • • Balanced TraitsBalanced Traits
lot period and averaged 1345 er, it may be a strategy that • • Calving EaseCalving Ease
lbs on December 15. is worth considering in total • • FertilityFertility
• Cows grazed stockpiled or in part to strategically feed
fescue pastures from Decem- lower maintenance dry cows • • Performance Performance
ber 16 to March 31 (106 days) along with resting our pas- • • CarcassCarcass
and began grazing new spring tures for fall growth and sub-
Midwest’s Top Maternal Programwest’s Top Maternal Program
grazing on April 1. No other sequent winter grazing. Mid
supplements or hay was fed Last week I spent a consid-
during this time. erable amount of time on the
• Cows calved out on stock- road in western KY and I saw
Over 40 Years ears
piled pasture and not around quite a bit of hay feeding going Over 40 Y
of Continuously
muddy hay rings. on. In most cases however it of Continuously
• Body condition scores looked much like early spring Br
Breeding eeding
ranged from 5.2 (Dec 15) to in terms of hay being fed next
Quality Perform
5.5 (March 5). to the woods and cattle roam- Quality Performance ance
Polled Her
• Hay tested 10% protein ing in large fields. With some Polled Herefordsefords
and 51% TDN. of our area starting to receive 30th
30th
• Stockpile pasture aver- significant rainfall, we really Annual Sale
Annual Sale
aged 14.6% protein and 62% need to get the early spring Oct. 1
Oct. 1
Y
TDN. mindset of allowing our fields Your Brand of Herefordour Brand of Hereford 11:00 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
• 97% of cows calved before to recover before initiating Darr A
Darr Ag Centerg Center
Springfield,
March 15, 2007. grazing again. This could be Springfield,
JR
JOURNAGAN RANCHGAN RANCH
MO
JOURNA
• 94% of cows calved before simply done with temporary JR MO
March 1, 2008. electric fencing or we could L L
What’s interesting, is this just listen to the Mr. Ralphs
demonstration was done the of our past and “be sure and
winter prior to the Easter close the gate, son”. M
Marty Lueck, manager • 417-948-2669 or 417-838-1482arty Lueck, manager • 417-948-2669 or 417-838-1482
freeze and the subsequent M
Mountain Grove, MO 65711 • mvlueck@centurytel.net • JournaganRanch.comountain Grove, MO 65711 • mvlueck@centurytel.net • JournaganRanch.com
summer drought of 2007. Hay