Applying fertilisers containing nitrogen and sulphur means the grass uses nitrogen more effectively, you get more kgs of dry matter per kg of nitrogen that you apply
Are you looking for information on grassland and forage crops? Start by choosing your crop.
With 1st cut silage making in full swing, our attention should turn to fertilising 2nd cuts. We thread a fine line with N applications, too much produces grass with lower sugar and higher ammonia and butyric acid levels, which can make silage less palatable. Too little N compromises yield, and protein levels can be lower.
For swards with good yield potential, we advise 330 – 370 kg/ha of YaraBela AXAN for 2nd cuts. In multi-cut systems, this rate may need to be adjusted where the cutting interval is less than 6 weeks. Calculate the rate by multiplying the rate of N uptake (assume 2.5 kg/ha per day) by the number of days between 1st cut harvest date and the expected 2nd cut harvest date.
Each kg of N applied should return 20-25 kg of grass dry matter (DM). If N is costing £1.00 per kg then each kg of DM is costing 5 pence to grow. In comparison, cake at £320 tonne costs 37 pence per kg DM.
Using the Fertiliser Manual (RB 209) the available N per cubic metre of 6% DM cattle slurry applied during the summer months is 0.65 kg by splash plate and 0.8 kg if band spread. If slurry doesn’t meet the P & K requirements of the crop use YaraMila SulphurCut or YaraMila Zero P Cut.
Don’t apply N without applying sulphur, even on 2nd cuts. It’s an easy win, from both an economic and environmental perspective. Lastly, apply slurry within a few days of taking your 1st cut and follow on with fertiliser a week later to avoid any unnecessary 2nd cut yield loss.
The latest grassland fertiliser and nutrition advice from the Yara agronomists.
If you are short of time why not check out our bite-size podcasts for the latest thoughts on grassland nutrition.
If you would like more information and would like to speak to one of our area managers or agronomists please find all their contact details here.
Contact your local Yara area manager or agronomist
If you would like to find your nearest Yara supplier or merchant simply use this searchable map with all their contact details here.