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Evaluate Forage Fertilization Needs After Harvest Forages may be the easiest and lowest cost feed sources to grow for livestock, but the crops still demand the attention of soil fertility evaluations after harvest to insure quantity, quality and long-term availability. When combining a 28- to 30-day harvest interval with a sound fertility program, Mike Stewart, Great Plains director of the Potash & Phosphate Institute, says many forage crops can deliver livestock feed quality needs while maintaining long-term stand survival. "Forages remove large quantities of nutrients from the field with each quality ton harvested," he says. "Nutrient removal varies with species, but on average a ton of forage removes about 50 to 60 pounds of nitrogen and potash per acre and up to 15 pounds of phosphate." Stewart suggests if the forage yield was six tons per acre, then about 360 pounds of nitrogen and potash and 90 pounds of phosphate would be needed to avoid draw-down of soil fertility levels. Both phosphorus and potassium promote quality root systems that best capture available soil water and allow rapid re-growth of roots and shoots after harvest. Sulfur and magnesium also contribute to the maintenance of a balanced forage fertility program. "If these nutrients fall below the optimum levels, yield and quality decline and competitive weeds and other undesirable species will eventually takeover," Stewart says. "Fertility should never become a limiting factor in forage crop production." Producers can best determine forage potassium requirements and guide applications by using a combination of soil testing and crop nutrient removal information. They can provide forages with the necessary nutrients in the form of potassium-magnesium sulfate (K-Mag(R)), according to Ray Hoyum, vice president of market development and communications at IMC Global. "A K-Mag program delivers potash, magnesium and sulfur in a water-soluble form that's readily available to any forage crop," he says. "These nutrients work immediately to help improve nitrogen and phosphorus efficiency and minimize the risk of grass tetany, a serious health condition in animals linked to a shortage of magnesium and calcium in forages." Mined and processed by IMC Global, K-Mag is a 3-in-1 fertilizer combination that consists of 21-22 percent sulfur, 20-22% potassium and 10-11% magnesium. |
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