Quantification of slow‐release fertilizer on year‐round forage production

Abstract

AbstractOverseeding annual ryegrass [Lolium perenne L. ssp. multiflorum (Lam.)] into warm‐season grass pasture is a common practice producing almost year‐round forage for cow–calf operations in the southern United States. Such an approach requires continuous soil nutrient availability throughout the season for consistent forage production. Coated fertilizers marketed as “slow‐release” may be an efficient and continuous plant nutrient source. Therefore, a study was conducted to investigate the impact of fertilization options targeting sustainable nutrient release on year‐round dry matter (DM) production. Research was conducted to determine fertilization effects of split application of uncoated inorganic fertilizer, slow‐release coated fertilizer, broiler litter, and zero‐fertilizer on forage production and nutritive value of annual ryegrass overseeded bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Fluegge) pasture. The slow‐release coated fertilizer produced more total forage mass (30 Mg ha–1), which was of higher crude protein during spring (≥200 g dry matter [DM] kg–1), than the other treatments (<23 Mg ha–1 and 173 g DM kg–1, P < .05). The broiler litter and split application of uncoated inorganic fertilizer produced similar amounts of forage DM. The N uptake from the slow‐release coated fertilizer was higher than the other treatments until mid‐summer. Although early spring‐applied slow‐release fertilizer can enhance total forage production and quality indicators, high cost limits revenue above variable cost of this slow‐release fertilizer to levels similar to that of split‐applied uncoated inorganic N, with broiler litter providing the more economic supply of N to pastures with long growing seasons.