MOUNTAIN MEADOW FERTILIZATION AND HAY PRODUCTION

Prepared by Bill Ekstrom, CSU Extension Agent
Rio Blanco County
bekstrom@coop.ext.colostate.edu

There are a lot of questions concerning correct rates and time of fertilizer application on irrigated mountain meadows. Unfertilized fields in Rio Blanco County will yield about 1.3 to 2 tons of hay per acre while fertilized fields will produce 3 to 5 tons per acre. Improved grass species like Timothy, Orchard and Brome have the ability to produce over 2 tons only with additional fertilizer. Locally the two most important fertilizers are nitrogen and phosphorus. Insufficient amounts of either nutrient will limit your production.

Fertilizer applications attempt to bring nutrients into balance. Information based on past production and soil test results can aid in developing a fertilization program. This article is an attempt to help you in developing production goals.

Soil testing information and equipment are available from the Cooperative Extension Office. If you have questions, please call (970) 878-4093 in Meeker or (970) 675-2417 in Rangely.

NITROGEN FERTILIZER GENERALITIES

FERTILIZER RATE AND PROTEIN CONTENT

Protein Percentage

N Rate/Acre	Fall	Spring
0	7.2	7.2
50	8.8	8.8
100	9.1	9.0
150	9.0	11.0

** Early spring application, no later than May 15th, is usually more effective than fall, except in stands predominantly composed of Smooth Brome. Smooth Brome and Blue Grass develop more reproductive heads when fall fertilized. This results in an increased yield. Meadows with high populations of brome and bluegrass should be fertilized in the fall.

**Early spring application, prior to May 15th, is preferred for meadows composed of Timothy, Orchard, Meadow Foxtail, and Wheat grass. Early spring fertilization triggers these varieties to develop seed heads, which will increase production.

NITROGEN EFFECTS NUMBER AND TYPE OF SHOOT DEVELOPMENT

**One ton of additional hay production takes about 100 pounds of nitrogen, 34 pounds are removed in hay and 66 pounds are utilized through grazing, natural loss, run off and non-harvested plant parts.

**With a single late cutting the most economical responses are with an application of 60 to 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

**Split your application in a two cutting system, 2/3 applied in early spring and 1/3 applied after first cutting.

**A pound of N is a pound of N, regardless of the carrier (Urea or Ammonium Nitrate) or if it is a liquid or solid. Liquids may become tied-up in surface organic matter residue and not available. Both products may burn green foliage depending on temperature and application rates. Cost should be the primary factor in selecting nitrogen or phosphorus sources.

**Liquids and solids are subject to loss from volatilization from high heat, so apply during cool temperatures.

**Because grass plants accumulate nitrogen very fast and trans-locate it throughout the plant, avoid grazing livestock on fertilized fields. Fertilize no earlier than 3-5 days prior to livestock removal. Hay yield and grazing studies at Spur Ranch on Piceance Creek illustrated fertilizer application should be delayed until after spring grazing.

OLD LAND GRAZING AND NITROGEN FERTILIZATION TIMING TEST PLOTS

**Applications over 60 pounds of nitrogen will retard clover and legume populations. A study in Yampa applied 80 pounds of nitrogen and reduced the clover population from 15% to almost 0%.

FERTILIZATION EXAMPLE:

A meadow is 90% Smooth Brome (no spring graze). Preferred choice: Apply nitrogen and phosphates next fall as late as possible, on cold dry soils and non-frozen ground. Base rates according to yield goals. Second choice: Spring application, early as possible, prior to May 15th.

FERTILIZATION EXAMPLE:

A meadow is 50% Smooth Brome, 30% Timothy and 20% Orchard (spring graze). Preferred choice: Delay application until after livestock leave. Base rates on yield goals. Apply phosphates next fall.

FERTILIZATION EXAMPLE:

Same meadow as above (no spring grazing). Preferred choice: Spring application, early as possible, prior to May 15th. Base rates on yield goals. Apply phosphates next fall.

FERTILIZATION EXAMPLE:

A meadow is 30% Smooth Brome, 30% Timothy, 20% Orchard and 20% legumes (spring graze). Preferred choice: Delay application until after livestock leave. Apply no more than 60 pounds of Nitrogen and base phosphate application on yield goals. Apply phosphates next fall.

PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER GENERALITIES

**Phosphate fertilizers are slow to incorporate; therefore fall-applied phosphate is preferred. Small amounts (25% to 30%) of spring applications may become available, the majority will be useable the following year.

TOP DRESSING PHOSPHORUS ON MIXED GRASS FORAGE IN FALL IS SUPERIOR TO SPRING

**Phosphorus fertilization can increase protein in hay and stimulate legume growth. Fertilization could increase yield and quality.

**Acceptable soil phosphate level to support legumes is 12-14 parts per million and grass is 9-10 ppm. Levels below this will inhibit production. Usually 30-40 pounds of phosphate applied annually is adequate for 3 to 4 tons of production.

**An interest savings could be gained by delaying spring phosphate applications until fall. An additional price discount is often available on fall fertilizers, but there would be an application cost.

TIMING OF HARVEST

Mountain meadows play a major role in livestock production providing the key to your winter feeding program. Harvesting your forage at the optimum time is very critical to your yearly feed costs. By harvesting each field to fit the maturity of grass species you can reduce protein or energy supplements next winter. The following chart highlights the optimum time to harvest for yield. By comparing it to the second chart you can see that optimum yield is not optimum protein. Assuming a cow needs over 8% protein next winter you will need to harvest a Brome stand prior to August 1st or prepare to supplement with protein.

TOTAL SEASONAL FORAGE YIELD AS A FUNCTION OF DATE OF FIRST CUTTING FOR THREE SPECIES, 1972

IMPORTANCE OF QUALITY FEED

The following example illustrates the effect of lower feed quality on hay consumption and rate of gain for heifers. A total of 24 pounds of forage was available to a group of heifers but consumption was limited (20.9 or 18.9 pounds) due to inefficient digestion. Notice the rate of gain for each group.

Feeding quality forage could reduce your feed bill by reducing the amount of hay needed. The following chart reflects the savings incurred by feeding higher quality forage.

COW FORAGE INTAKE  Gain = .75 lbs/day

COST SAVINGS: 120 lbs. Of Hay for 4 months at $75/ton = $4.50 savings per head.

PROTEIN LEVELS ON COW PRODUCTIVITY

FERTILIZATION GOAL EVALUATION

Efficient fertilization is essential for economical production. In order to develop an effective fertilization program, simply fill out the step-by-step form and bring it to the Cooperative Extension office for analysis.

STEP 1: Identify field use
Location
A: Expected grazing management.

STEP 2: What plants are produced?

STEP 3: List recent fertilizer analysis.