12 hay feeding helps to build soil fertility poster
Transcript of 12 hay feeding helps to build soil fertility poster
Abstract
Producers can improve soil fertility by feeding
hay on pastures. The winter hay feeding season
in Arkansas is usually from November 15-March
31. Cattlemen can feed hay in a manner to
distribute the nutrients across the field.
In the hay feeding demonstrations, producers
have the option of feeding the hay in a
concentrated area or moving the feeding area
within a designated field each time a bale of hay
is fed. Optimum soil fertility for mixed warm and
cool season grasses is phosphorus (P) levels
between 72-100 pounds per acre and potassium
(K) levels between 262-350 pounds per acre.
Soil samples were taken in the designated hay
feeding area before hay feeding began and
again in the spring when hay feeding was over.
Forage samples from the hay were taken to
determine the amount of nutrients in a bale of
hay. Records were kept on the number of bales
fed and any supplemental feed fed in the
demonstration field. Based on the data
collected from the demonstration, the amount of
nutrients applied to the field from the hay can be
calculated and then compared to the change in
soil fertility.
Baxter County’s hay feeding demonstrations, as
well as in six other counties, has shown soil
fertility improvement by feeding hay in that area
of the field.
In summary, moving the hay feeding area within
a designated field each time hay is fed will help
to build soil test phosphorus and potassium
levels. Preference should be given to fields with
lower soil fertility. Increasing soil fertility levels
strengthens the existing pasture. The plants will
have better root growth, increased persistence
and yield.
Hay Feeding Helps to Build Soil Fertility
Keaton, *M.D.¹, Jennings, J.A.², Simon, K.J.³
¹ CEA – Staff Chair, U of A Cooperative Extension Service – Baxter County, Mtn. Home, AR 72653
² Professor Extension Forages, Arkansas Cooperative Extension, State Office, Little Rock, AR 72203
³ Extension Program Associate Forages, Arkansas Cooperative Extension, State Office, Little Rock, AR 72203
Producers can improve soil fertility by feeding
hay on pastures. The winter hay feeding
season in Arkansas is usually from mid-
November to the end of March. Cattlemen can
feed hay in a manner to distribute the nutrients
across the field.
Summary
Moving the hay feeding area within a
designated field each time hay is fed will help
to build soil test phosphorus and potassium
levels as well as increase the percent organic
matter. Preference should be given to fields
with lower soil fertility. Increasing soil fertility
levels strengthens the existing pasture. The
plants will have better root growth, increased
persistence and yield.
Baxter County’s hay feeding demonstrations,
as well as in six other counties, has shown soil
fertility improvement by feeding hay in that area
of the field.
Procedure
In the hay feeding demonstrations, producers
have the option of feeding the hay in a
concentrated area or moving the feeding area
within a designated field each time a bale of
hay is fed. In Baxter County, two
demonstrations were conducted. In one, the
hay was fed in a ring feeder and moved each
time a bale of hay was fed. In the other, the
hay was unrolled each time and fed across
the designated feeding area. Soil samples
were taken in the designated hay feeding
area before hay feeding began and again in
the spring when hay feeding was over.
Forage samples from the hay were taken to
determine the amount of nutrients in a bale of
hay. Records were kept on the number of
bales fed and any supplemental feed fed in
the demonstration field. Each bale of hay had
an average nutrient content of 8.9 lbs. N, 1 lb.
P and 7 lbs. K. At current commercial fertilizer
prices each bale had a $12.15 worth of
nutrients.
YELL
BENTON CARROLL BOONE
MARION
LAFAYETTE
INDEPENDENCE
BAXTER FULTON RANDOLPH CLAY
GREENE
CRAIGHEAD MISSISSIPPI
POINSETT
CROSS
CRITTENDEN
ST. FRANCIS
LEE
PHILLIPS
DESHA
CHICOT
ASHLEY
DREW
LINCOLN
ARKANSAS JEFFERSON
CLEVELAND
BRADLEY
CALHOUN
UNION COLUMBIA
MILLER
LITTLE RIVER
SEVIER
HOWARD
HEMPSTEAD NEVADA
PIKE CLARK
DALLAS
HOT SPRING GRANT
OUACHITA
POLK MONTGOMERY GARLAND SALINE
SCOTT
PERRY
PULASKI LONOKE PRAIRIE
MONROE
WHITE
WOODRUFF
CLEBURNE VAN BUREN
POPE
FAULKNER
CONWAY
LOGAN
JOHNSON
SEBASTIAN
CRAWFORD
WASHINGTON
FRANKLIN
MADISON NEWTON SEARCY
STONE
IZARD SHARP LAWRENCE
JACKSON
Results
Hay Feeding Moved Evenly
Around a Designated Area
Hay Feeding Concentrated
to One Area
Objective
County P lbs/ac K lbs/ac Organic
Matter
Baxter
(Ring
Feeder)
+86 +466 +1.7
Baxter
(Unrolled)
+50 +510 +1.7
Cleburne +22 +170 +2.4
Drew +20 +186 +0.7
White +22 +172
Yell +143 +342
County P lbs/ac K lbs/ac Organic
Matter
Bradley +216 +1283 +13.2
Union +734 +2673 +1.45