Farmers risk late season forage shortage
Farmers that delay or delete mid-season fertilizer applications in the face of apparently abundant grass supplies as we enter July are running the risk of later season forage shortages, warns Terra Nitrogen UK.
The company - which is reporting lower grassland fertilizer usage this season than is normal for June - says that farmers may be being lulled into a false sense of security due to good grazing conditions and strong silage stocks. The fear is that both grazing pastures and second cut silage ground is being left with inadequate nutrient supplies and that growth rates could fall away rapidly later in the season.
"We typically receive a lot of enquiries from farmers in August and into September, because grass supplies are running short, and the signs are that this situation could reach unprecedented levels this year," comments Terra Nitrogen's Richard Martin. "Fertilizer applied at the mid-season stage will help sustain growth rates into the later season, but if it is not applied or is delayed significantly there is the risk of a shortfall of forage when it is too late to remedy. The problem with applying fertilizer later in the season is that there is a risk that it will create a surge of growth that cannot be utilised due to deteriorating ground conditions.
"Grass will respond better to fertilizer earlier in the season, and that's why we always advise that two-thirds of the season's allocation should go onto grazing land before the beginning of June. It is certainly important at this stage to keep up the monthly top dressings. We are recommending 1½ bags/acre (50 unitsN/acre) as an appropriate application for grazing land into July."
Terra is also advising farmers that are preparing for reseeding to check soil nutrient levels sufficiently in advance to be able to rectify any deficiencies.
"It is advisable to test soil nutrient levels and pH every 4 to 5 years, and prior to reseeding is the ideal time," adds Richard Martin. "Soils should ideally have an index of 2 for potash and phosphate prior to reseeding, and a pH of between 6 and 7 is ideal for establishment."
