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Posted 27 August 2011. Forage and Grazinglands. Bermuda Season Isn’t Over Yet Source: University of Arkansas Press Release. www.uaex.edu Bentonville, Arkansas (August 19, 2011)--Desperate times call for desperate measures, but the decision to apply a late nitrogen fertilizer application isn’t a big leap of faith.
In northwestern Arkansas, where bermuda hay producers have won more than a decade’s worth of national awards for hay quality, “the recent off-and-on rainfall saturated well between showers. More importantly, the moisture pattern and amount was sufficient to absorb nitrogen fertilizer and trigger substantial forage growth,” said Robert Seay, Benton County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. “The gamble.” Seay said, “concerns whether additional moisture will occur over the next 3-4 weeks to help convert applications of 60 pounds per acre of nitrogen into economical yields.” However, hay prices and current demand reduce this risk substantially, even though late season yields are normally below those of earlier cuttings. Producers with hybrid varieties such as Midland-99, Ozark or Vaughn’s, have a yield advantage during the fall growth period. However, Greenfield and other common varieties can also produce significant yield by mid-October, which provides sufficient reason to consider nitrogen fertilization. For the quality hay market “the last growth period, based on our 12 years of Bermuda hay sample data, is always the highest quality of the year,” he said. “However, I think a lot of hay equipment will be running in mid-October simply due to demand at home or down the road.” According to hay industry and marketing sources, all forage has increased in value. As a decision-making example on late season nitrogen applications, Seay said. “1,000 pounds per acre of dry matter yield, equivalent to 20 small hay squares, has a current gross market value of $100 – $140 per acre in the field, depending on your marketing skills.” For pasture, production value should be evaluated on the: • Amount of hay it replaces • Added flexibility it provides toward retaining livestock, or; • The option it provides by allowing producers to defer grazing fescue and other cool season forages. Looking ahead to next year, northwest Arkansas has been selected to host the American Forage and Grassland Field Tour and National Hay Show, May 17-18. Bermuda hay will be the featured forage. Seay’s concern is, “It will be a little embarrassing for the host not to have a sufficient number of exhibits on hand.” “We’ve had 80 Arkansas producers and a dozen from southwest Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma to achieve Bermuda hay production that exceeded a relative feed value of 100,” he said.. “I know there are other producers who simply haven’t thrown their hat into the ring.” Contact: |
