Forage and hay production are at the top of the mind for many cattle producers given the low forage production many have experienced the last 12-18 months and the nationally low hay supplies. Stocking rate and fertilizer application are the two main factors that producers can control in terms of increasing forage production for grazing or hay.
If pastures are overstocked, stubble height and root mass are reduced, which leads to less forage production. Reducing stocking rates allows for more forage production because more plant tissue is available for photosynthesis and extra root mass is available to capture water and nutrients from the soil. Additionally, reducing stocking rates allows cattle to select higher-quality forage, which leads to better performance.
Although nitrogen costs remain higher than they were a few years ago, prices have come down. Many forages respond well to nitrogen fertilizer applications, including some natives. An additional 20 to 50 pounds of forage can often be produced from each pound of nitrogen fertilizer applied, assuming other nutrients are not limited and a reasonable amount of rainfall occurs. Below are examples showing the cost from additional nitrogen to produce a ton of additional forage.
- 20 pounds of additional forage per pound of nitrogen:
$0.65 x 100 pounds of nitrogen = $65 per ton of additional forage - 50 pounds of additional forage per pound of nitrogen:
$0.65 x 40 pounds of nitrogen = $26 per ton of additional forage
Given current prices and the lack of hay carryover, investing in some additional nitrogen fertilizer could be a very cost-effective strategy. Consult research for the forage species in your area to determine potential yield responses to additional nitrogen applications. To help manage weather risk, avoid applying nitrogen to the entire operation at the same time. Apply fertilizer to a portion of the acres once it rains, then fertilizer more acres.
For many forage species, hay quality drops significantly as the forage matures. Unfortunately, weather conditions or logistical challenges may prevent hay harvest at the desired time. One strategy to help manage this is to have multiple fields that can be grazed or cut for hay instead of just one or two hayfields. With multiple fields, if a field is ready for hay harvest but can’t be cut, then cattle can be allowed to graze that field while another field is growing so it can be harvested when quality is higher.
