Low-Cost Fertility Options for Forage

Producers

Ben BealeSt. Mary’s County Extension

Agent

Some slides and pictures adapted from:Dave Myers

Anne Arundel Extension Agent

Dave Myers

Ben Beale

Why worry about fertility?

Why worry about fertility?

Tall Fescue Fertilization BudgetCommercial Fertilizer

Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal – 5 tons bu

Unit lbs/Acre Price/lb $ Total/Acre

Nitrogen 230 .43 98.90Phosphorus 40 .29 11.60Potassium 100 .26 26.00

*Fertilizer Total 136.50

Fertilizer Application Costs:Bulk Spread (spring, summer, fall) 18.00

Fertilizer Application Costs 18.00

Fertilizer Grand Total $154.50 Acre* Includes Trucking

 

 

Alfalfa Fertilization BudgetCommercial Fertilizer

Scenario: Soil test results: K-medium, P-medium; Yield Goal – 6 tons bu

Unit lbs/Acre Price/lb $ Total/Acre

Nitrogen 0 .43 0Phosphorus 80 .29 23.20Potassium 450 .26 117.00

*Fertilizer Total 140.20

Fertilizer Application Costs:Bulk Spread (spring, fall) 12.00

Fertilizer Application Costs 12.00

Fertilizer Grand Total $152.20 Acre* Includes Trucking

 

 

HAY, GRASS PER ACRE FOR 2001ITEM UNIT QUANTITY PRICE TOTAL

GROSS INCOMEHAY, GRASS TON 4.5 $110.00 $495.00

VARIABLE COSTSSEED PRORATED OVER 3 YEARS ACRE 1 $15.00 $15.00SOIL TEST ACRE 1 1.00 1.00NITROGEN POUND 100 0.30 30.00PHOSPHATE POUND 50 0.30 15.00POTASH POUND 100 0.16 16.00LIME TON 0.5 26.00 13.00

2,4-D AMINE PINT 1 2.65 2.65BANVEL PINT 0.5 13.90 6.95

INTEREST ON OPERATING CAPITAL $99.60 0.5 8.5% 4.23TOTAL VARIABLE COSTS LISTED ABOVE $103.83FIXED/OVERHEAD COSTS (CUSTOM RATES ARE USED AS A PROXY FOR FIELD OPERATION COSTS)SPREADING FERTILIZER ACRE 2 $6.00 $12.00DISKING PRORATED OVER 3 YEARS ACRE 1 3.34 3.34CHISEL PLOWING PRORATED OVER 3 YEARS ACRE 1 4.67 4.67SEEDING PRORATED OVER 3 YEARS ACRE 1 4.67 4.67MOWING CONDITIONING ACRE 2 12.00 24.00RAKING ACRE 2 7.00 14.00BALING HAY BALE 150 0.50 75.00HAUL BALE 150 0.50 75.00

LAND CHARGE ACRE 1 50.00 50.00TOTAL FIXED COST LISTED ABOVE $262.67

TOTAL VARIABLE AND FIXED COST LISTED ABOVE $366.51NET INCOME OVER VARIABLE & FIXED COSTS LISTED ABOVE $128.49

PRICESNET INCOME ABOVE VARIABLE AND YIELDS $90.00 $110.00 $140.00FIXED COSTS LISTED ABOVE FOR 3 ($96.51) ($36.51) $53.49VARIOUS YIELDS AND PRICES 4 ($6.51) $73.49 $193.49

5 $83.49 $183.49 $333.49

Enterprise Budget for Cool Season Grass Hay

Fertilizer Options?Fertility Inputs for Forages

Manure

Bio-SolidsCommercial Fertilizer

Legumes

Back to the Basics:

• Understand the need for nutrients

• Understand how much of a nutrient we need.

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.

Potash Recommendation (lb/acre) as a function of soil fertility level (FIV-K) for corn grain (yield goal -

150 bu/ac)160

135

11095

80

50 4535 30

20

00

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110

Optimum (51-100)

Excessive (>100)Low (0-

25)

Medium (26-50)

# K2O/A

FIV-K

Agricultural Nutrient Management Program

Good recommendations depend on good soil samples

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

Beef/Dairy/Swine Manure

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

Distribution of Available Nitrogen from Organic & Ammonium Nitrogen Components in a Typical

Dairy Manure (assumes incorporation the same day as application)

Unavailableammonium nitrogen

Available ammoniumnitrogen

Available organicnitrogen

Unavailable organicnitrogen

2.4 lb

3 lb

6 lb

0.6 lb

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

USNAD, Gambrills MD: No-Tillage System

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

Tall Fescue Fertilization BudgetDairy/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 0.00Nitrogen 45 (220) 185 lbs @ .43/lb 79.55Phosphorus 105 (40) 0.00Potassium 240 (100) 0.00

Manure & Fertilizer Costs 79.55 Manure/Fertilizer Application Costs:Manure cleanout 1.00/ton 15.00Manure spreading 15 ton/acre 22.00 Fertilizer spreading 12.00

Manure Application Costs 49.00Manure Fertilization Grand Total $128.55/Acre

(*) Amount required Savings of $25.95

 

 

Alfalfa Fertilization BudgetDairy/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 0.00Nitrogen 45 (0) 0.00Phosphorus 105 (80) 0.00Potassium 240 (450) 210 @ .26lb. 54.60

Manure & Fertilizer Costs 54.60 Manure/Fertilizer Application Costs:Manure cleanout 1.00/ton 15.00Manure spreading 15 ton/acre 22.00 Fertilizer spreading 6.00

Manure Application Costs 43.00Manure Fertilization Grand Total $97.60 Acre

(*) Amount required Savings of $54.60

 

 

Poultry Litter

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

Manure type

Total N* Total P2O5* Total K2O*Available N Broadcast

Available N Incorporated Immediately

Poultry solid w/out litter (53)

54 57 42 42 57

Poultry deep pit (5)

50 50 27 27 50

Poultry solid w/ litter (761)

72 58 43 43 58

*All nutrient values are reported in pounds per ton. Numbers in parentheses indicate number of samples. Available nitrogen estimated based on application to a spring or fall crop. Available N Broadcast: Assumes 60% of the organic nitrogen and 50% of the ammonium nitrogen are plant available Available N Incorporated Immediately: Assumes 60% of the organic nitrogen and 90% of the ammonium nitrogen are plant available

                                                                                              

          

Poultry Litter as a Fertilizer and Soil AmendmentAuthors: 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

Figure 2- 4a. Distribution of available nitrogen Figure 2- 4a. Distribution of available nitrogen from organic and ammonium nitrogen from organic and ammonium nitrogen components in a typical broiler littercomponents in a typical broiler litter

Unavailable ammoniumnitrogen

Available ammoniumnitrogen

Available organicnitrogen

Unavailable organicnitrogen

This litter contains 60 pounds of total nitrogen and 36 pounds of available nitrogen per ton.

16 lb

20 lb

4 lb

20 lb

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

Tall Fescue Fertilization BudgetPoultry 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) 0.00Phosphorus 800 (40) 0.00Potassium 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 34.00Manure Fertilization Grand Total $74.00 Acre

(*) Amount required Savings of $80.50

 

 

Alfalfa Fertilization BudgetPoultry 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) 0.00Phosphorus 450 (80) 0.00Potassium 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 22.00Manure Fertilization Grand Total $44.50 Acre

(*) Amount required Savings of $107.70 (If cost share applies)

 

 

Bio-Solids-Wet

http://www.synagro.com/

Biosolids Average Plant Available Nutrients:

lbs/tonN 34.0P 19.1K 6.0

Tall Fescue Fertilization BudgetBio-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 Synagro 0.00Nitrogen 221 (230) 0.00Phosphorus 124 (40) 0.00Potassium 39 (100) 61 lbs @ .26/lb 15.86

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

 

 

Alfalfa Fertilization BudgetPoultry 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 Synagro 0.00Nitrogen 221 (250) 0.00Phosphorus 124 (80) 0.00Potassium 39 (450) 411 lbs @ .26/lb 106.86

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

 

 

Sewage Sludge Heavy Metal Tolerance Guidelines

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

Liming Cost

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.

2007 RatesDelivery Miles Charge/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

Genstar Aglime Domino LimeMoisture 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%

In Summary:

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

In Summary:

• 1) Important to get things in the right place– Alfalfa requires high K

• Poultry Litter, Manure

– Grasses require high N • Sludge, Manure

In Summary:

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

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.

“Any Questions?”

This man knows what he is smelling about! (Dr. Les Vough Pictured)

Ben Beale

Maryland Cooperative Extension

301 475 4481

bbeale@umd.edu