Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Specialist

Crop and Soil Sciences – UGA

Dr. Dennis Hancock Extension Forage Specialist

Crop and Soil Sciences – UGA

Forage Management ConsiderationsForage Management Considerations

Southeast Beef Cattle Short Course | August 24th

Looking Ahead

• Thoughts on the investment in bermudagrass vs. bahiagrass.

Photo credit: Noble Foundation.

Looking Ahead

• Getting the most out of your nitrogen fertilizer.

Photo credit: Noble Foundation.

Looking Ahead

• New insect manage-ment tools

Photo credit: Noble Foundation.

Bermudagrass Pasture – 2011Breakdown of Projected Costs

$93.00

$23.50

$37.50

$5.50

$4.50 $6.09

$17.50

NitrogenPhosphorusPotassiumOtherLaborFixed & Mgmt Costs

Bahiagrass vs. BermudagrassBahiagrass vs. Bermudagrass

Bahiagrass vs. Bermudagrass Fertilization

Bahiagrass vs. Bermudagrass Fertilization

Bahiagrass

Potassium

Lo Med High V. High

Phosphorus

Lo *-80-80

*-80-40 *-80-0 *-80-0

Med *-40-80

*-40-40 *-40-0 *-40-0

High *-0-80 *-0-40 *-0-0 *-0-0

V. High *-0-80 *-0-40 *-0-0 *-0-0

Bermuda grass

Potassium

Lo Med High V. High

Phosphorus

Lo *-60-120 *-60-65 *-60-30 *-60-0

Med *-30-120 *-30-65 *-30-30 *-30-0

High *-0-120 *-0-65 *-0-30 *-0-0

V. High *-0-120 *-0-65 *-0-30 *-0-0

Tifto

n 85

Coast

cros

s II*

Russe

llP2

*

Coast

cros

s I

UF-Ria

ta

TifQ

uik

Tifto

n 9

Coast

al

Pens

acol

a

Tifto

n 44

Cheye

nne

Lare

do

Wra

ngle

r0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

Fora

ge Y

ield

s(l

bs D

M/a

cre

)Warm Season Perennial

Grass Variety Trial – Tifton (avg. over 2006-2008)

Warm Season Perennial Grass Variety Trial – Tifton

(avg. over 2006-2008)

Primary TypesPrimary Types

Option - Stocker Calves on Bahiagrass

Option - Stocker Calves on Bahiagrass

Photo credit: Clemson Univ.

ADG GainStocking Rate

Grazing Time

(lbs/hd/d) (lb/acre) (hd/acre) (days)

Pensacola (bahia) 0.95 222 1.5 131Coastal 1.08 331 2.5 131Coastcross I 1.50 469 2.5 131

Tifton 78 1.43 704 3.2 169Tifton 85 1.47 1032 4.4 169

(top) Utley et al., 1974. J. Anim. Sci. 38:490-495.(bottom) Hill et al., 1993. J. Anim. Sci. 71:3219-3225.

$35.17

$19.36

$3.20

$3.41

$8.95

$20.58

$4.26

Fertilizer Fuel & RepairsInterest on Var. Costs PesticidesLabor Fixed & Mgmt CostsLime

Bermudagrass Hay Production – 2011Breakdown of Projected Costs per Ton

$94.94/ton

Soil Test and Follow Fertility Recommendations

Soil Test and Follow Fertility Recommendations

Sample hayfields every year and 1/3 of your pastures each year.

What affects forage cost?

What affects forage cost?

Forage Cost ($/lb) Total Cost ($/Acre)

Forage Yield (lbs/Acre)

N Fertilizer Savings?N Fertilizer Savings?

Use of Urea-Based ProductsUse of Urea-Based Products• Without AN, users of

N face risky alternatives.

NH3 volatilization loss

• Urease is abundant in thatch & organic layers

High N use in hay.

Ammonium Nitrate Urea

The Effectiveness of Some Alternative N Sources at Low, Medium, and High Fertilization Rates on Hybrid Bermudagrasses (Relative to

Ammonium Nitrate).

The Effectiveness of Some Alternative N Sources at Low, Medium, and High Fertilization Rates on Hybrid Bermudagrasses (Relative to

Ammonium Nitrate).

Nitrogen Source Fertilization Rates

< 200 lbs* 250-350 lbs > 400 lbs

Ammonium Nitrate 100% 100% 100%

Amm. Sulfate 95-97% 95-105% 60-70%

Anhyd. Ammonia 92-94% 93-95% 94-95%

UAN Solution 80-85% 85-92% 92-95%

Urea 79-82% 82-92% 88-93%* Actual lbs of N per acre per year. Source: Burton and Jackson, 1962; Silveria et al., 2007.

Use of Urea-Based ProductsUse of Urea-Based Products• Without AN, users of

N face risky alternatives.

NH3 volatilization loss

• Urease is abundant in thatch & organic layers

High N use in hay.

• Enhanced Efficiency N Fertilizer Products may reduce volatilization loss

Urease inhibition Encapsulate &

release

Ammonium Nitrate Urea

NBPT

maleic-itaconicco-polymer

PolymerCoating

Ammonia Volatilization Trap Data 2008-2009 (avg. over two locations)

Ammonia Volatilization Trap Data 2008-2009 (avg. over two locations)

AN4 U4 AN2 U2 ATU SU NSN ESN CON0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1402008 2009

Amm

onia

(NH

4-N

) Vol

atiliz

ation

(p

pm)

Bermudagrass Hay Yield2008-2009 (Calhoun)

Bermudagrass Hay Yield2008-2009 (Calhoun)

Urea ATU NSN ESN0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

2008 2009

Fora

ge Y

ield

(lbs

/acr

e)

Results: Yield DataResults: Yield Data

2008-09: Forage Yield of ‘Russell’ Bermudagrass

Equal Splits†

2008 2009

Source Eatonton Calhoun Eatonton Calhoun-------------------- (lbs of DM/acre) ---------------------

ATU 2 8908‡ 19291 11431 17525ESN 2 6430 16033 8163 17019NSN 2 8704 16985 10226 16464Urea 2 8490 17302 10730 14955Urea 4 7211 18500 8142 15948AN 4 9641 18218 12106 17604Check - 2688 10009 2178 10409LSD0.05 1204 1552 1059 2460† Equal split applications of N that occurred during the season.

Total N applied = 300 lbs N/acre.‡ Items that are in bold font are not significantly different from

the highest value in the column.

Bermudagrass Hay Yield2010 (Equal splits, 4 applications, 300 lbs N/ac

total)

Bermudagrass Hay Yield2010 (Equal splits, 4 applications, 300 lbs N/ac

total)

AN ATU Urea0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Calhoun Eatonton

Fora

ge Y

ield

(lbs

/acr

e)

Summary of EE N productsSummary of EE N products

Agrotain Treated Ureaas compared to urea applied in the same way (averaged over 4 site-yrs):

• Reduced ammonia volatilization by over 63%.

• Produced 11% more forage yield.• Recovered 19% more of the

applied N.• Did not substantially affect crude

protein content.• Did not substantially affect the

risk of nitrate toxicity.

Fall ArmywormFall Armyworm

• Fall armyworm infestations can be a problem anytime,…

• But, the effects are most devastating in drought years.

• Application if above threshold (>3 larvae per ft2)

• Fall armyworm infestations can be a problem anytime,…

• But, the effects are most devastating in drought years.

• Application if above threshold (>3 larvae per ft2)

Fall ArmywormFall Armyworm

ACES – ANR-1019

Fall ArmywormFall Armyworm

Fall Armyworm Control

InsecticideRate

per acreGrazing

Interval (days)

Sevin / carbaryl maximum 14

Lannate 2.4LV 2 pt 7 (3 for hay)

Mustang MAX 4 fl. oz. 0 (1 for hay)

Karate Z (2.08) 1.28-1.92 fl. oz. 0 (7 for hay)

Baythroid XL 2.6-2.8 fl. oz. 0 (0 for hay)

Intrepid 2F (suppl.) 4 - 8 fl. oz. 0 (7 for hay)

Tracer 4SC 1-2 oz. Dry (3 for hay)

Dimilin 2L 2 oz. 0 (1 for hay)

Coragen 3.5-5.0 oz. 0 (0 for hay)

Lannate is not labeled for use on fescue. Methyl parathion is labeled but is only effective on small larvae.

A New Pest in BermudagrassA New Pest in Bermudagrass

Photo by: Tim Varnedore, UGA Extension

Photo by: Tim Varnedore, UGA Extension

Photo by: Tim Varnedore, UGA Extension

Stem boring maggot (fly) damaging bermudagrass hay fields, Irwin County, GA, July 2010

Photos by: Will Hudson, UGA Entomology

Bermudagrass stem maggot, Atherigona reversura, native to AsiaBermudagrass stem maggot, Atherigona reversura, native to Asia

(Larval photos by Ruth Donaldson, UGA-Griffin)

Photo by: Will Hudson, UGA Entomology

Bermudagrass stem maggot damage and management?

• Little information.• Multiple generations.• Yield, quality loss??• Thin-stemmed

varieties seem less preferred

• Farmer trials: single appl. of pyrethroid insecticide provide only negligible control.

• Little information.• Multiple generations.• Yield, quality loss??• Thin-stemmed

varieties seem less preferred

• Farmer trials: single appl. of pyrethroid insecticide provide only negligible control.

Grazing School

Sept. 21-22, 2011Athens, GA

Grazing School

Sept. 21-22, 2011Athens, GA

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