Manure analysis is necessary because the quantities of nutrients contained in manure, especially the phosphorus and potash components, will vary from farm to farm. Type of livestock, ration, bedding, added liquids and storage system all affect the final nutrient analysis. Using average values for a livestock class is useful as a last resort, but the […]
Manure can be an excellent source of nutrients for forage crops, as it is readily available on livestock farms. The value of manure in crop production is often underestimated. Manure contains all the nutrients needed by crops but not necessarily in the proportions needed for specific soil and crop conditions. In addition to nitrogen, phosphorus […]
Alfalfa has high fertility requirements (Table 1). Because the entire above-ground biomass is removed at harvest, and this plant material is still green, soil nutrient draw-down can be very rapid. Alfalfa growers may wish to soil test annually to ensure the crop is getting enough nutrients. One Production Year (3 cuts) Lifetime (10 cuts) […]
Manure should be applied on forages as soon as possible after harvest. Once regrowth starts — typically within 5 days after cutting — equipment traffic can damage active growing points. The trampled crop must start growing all over, which reduces yield and sometimes delays maturity in the tracked areas compared to the rest of the […]