Investment Priorities for Your
Forage System
Dr. Dennis Hancock
Extension Forage Specialist
Crop and Soil Sciences – UGA
10 Keys to Profitable Forage
Systems
(Listed in order of operation
on the farm)
10 Keys to Profitable Forage
Systems
1. Know your forage
options and match to
your animal’s needs
2. Establish it right the
first time.
10 Keys to Profitable Forage
Systems
3. Soil test, then lime and
fertilized as needed.
4. Emphasize nutritional
quality in your forages.
5. Use legumes to the
extent possible.
10 Keys to Profitable Forage
Systems
6. Prevent or minimize
pests or plant related
disorders.
7. Strive for efficient
forage use.
8. Minimize stored feed.
10 Keys to Profitable Forage
Systems
9. Reduce storage and
feeding losses.
10. Recognize the
difference between
costs and investments.
10 Keys to Profitable Forage
Systems
1. Know your forage options and match to your animal’s needs
2. Establish it right the first time.
3.Soil test, then lime and fertilized as
needed.
4.Emphasize nutritional quality in your
forages.
5.Use legumes to the extent possible.
6. Prevent or minimize pests or plant related disorders.
7. Strive for efficient forage use.
8. Minimize stored feed.
9. Reduce storage and feeding losses.
10. Recognize the difference between costs and investments.
Soil Test and Follow Fertility
Recommendations
Sample hayfields every year and
1/3 of your pastures each year.
Bermudagrass Hay Production – 2014
Breakdown of Projected Costs per Acre
$16 (g)
(a)
(b)
$140
(c)
(f)
(d)
$262
$12
(f)
(g)
(e)
$36
(e)
(d)
(a)
(c)
$70
(b)
$87
Fertilizer
Fuel and Maintenance
Pesticides
Interest on Var. Costs
Labor
Fixed & Mgmt Costs
Lime
$652/acre
or
$109/ton
DO NOT cut back on lime!
Get your priorities right!
1. Lime is still job #1.
How Soil pH Affects Availability of Plant Nutrients
The difference of a soil pH of 5.6 vs. 6.2:
Amt. Used
Nutrient Annually
Unit
Price
Dec. in
Efficiency
Value of
Decrease
(Lbs/acre)
($/lb)
($/acre)
N
200
$0.60
35%
-$42
P2O5
K2O
50
150
$0.55
$0.40
50%
10%
Total
-$14
-$6
-$62
Fertilization Strategies
Pasture A
pH = 6.2
P = 35
K = 180
OM = 3%
Hayfield 2 & 3
pH = 5.5
P = 15
K = 90
OM = 1.5%
Hayfield 1
pH = 6.0
P = 25
K = 120
OM = 2.5%
A Fertilization Trick
Split Your Nitrogen Applications!
• Long-term, this can increase yields by 5-10% and
increase NUE by 25-30%
 Especially important under extremes
 Leaching
 Volatilization (in the case of urea-based products)
 Late freeze
 Drought
• Helps to prevent NITRATE TOXICITY!
Another Fertilization Trick
Split Your Potassium Applications!
40-50%
in the Spring
50-60%
in mid – late season
K is for Persistence
Not Competitive
Leafspot Diseases
Poor Winterhardiness
Grows Very Slow
Poor Stress Tolerance
The Stand is Gone!
To set the stage…
• Current trends
- Poor quality forage
Photo credit: Noble Foundation.
80 vs. 95 RFQ
(16% lower than normal)
2013 Forage Quality Issues
10.3 vs. 11.5 CP
(10% lower than normal)
47.0 vs. 56.5 TDN
(17% lower than normal)
420
Pregnancy rate, %
90
410
Calving Interval, d
400
80
390
70
380
60
370
50
360
40
350
3
4
5
Body Condition Score (BCS)
6
Calving Interval, days
Pregnancy Rate, % of exposed
100
Forage Quality has High Value Now
Supplementing a Lactating Beef Cow
Crop
Bermudagrass
Tall Fescue
†
‡
Maturity
CP
TDN
Supplement†
Cost‡
-- % --
-- % --
lbs/hd/day
$/hd/day
4 weeks
10-12
58-62
0
$0
6 weeks
8-10
51-55
4.8
$0.55
8 weeks
6-8
45-50
7.5
$0.93
Late boot
14-16
66-70
0
$0
Early head
11-13
60-63
0
$0
Dough
8-10
50-54
5.3
$0.61
Assuming 50:50 corn gluten:soy hulls supplementation for forage quality on
low end of the range.
Approximate prices for Oct. 2013 ($230/ton).
Quality Differences in the
Major Forage Species
Digestible DM, %
High
Production
Legumes
Tropical Annual
Grasses
50
Tropical Perennial
Grasses
60
Cool Season Perennial
Grasses
70
Cool Season Annual Grasses
80
40
Figure 2. Digestibility ranges of major forage types. Note that the ranges
overlap, but some forage types are more likely to be lower in quality than
Mod.
Production
Maint.
Use Legumes to the Extent Possible
Benefits of Adding Legumes
A valuable source of N (time-released).
Species
Annual lbs
N value at
(N/acre) $0.60/lb. of N
Alfalfa
200-300
$120-180
Red clover
White clover
100-200
100-150
$60-120
$60-90
Annual clover
50-150
$30-90
The effect of annual clover addition on
‘Coastal’ bermudagrass yields.
Treatment
1965
1966
1967
1968
-------------- dry lbs/acre -------------Crimson; 200 lbs N/Acre
22500
22300
17500
24500
Arrowleaf; 200 lbs N/Acre
24000
21600
16500
27100
No Clover; 200 lbs N/Acre
17100
19800
15400
21600
7700
6600
3500
6200
No Clover; 0 N
Location: Starkville, MS
Source: Knight, W.E. 1970. Agron. J. 62:773-775.
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