Pasture Fertilizer: A Complete Guide for Pasture Management

Introduction to Pasture Fertilizer

Adequate Pasture management is necessary for the expansion and development of livestock enterprises particularly under management practices where profitability is the main aim of production.

Pasture as a primary source of feed for livestock derives its nutrients from the soil for nourishment.

In most cases, the soil cannot release adequately the nutrients required by the plant for healthy growth due to continued usage, leaching, and certain factors that have led to losses of fertility and nutrients. The soil needs to be conserved and revitalized to ensure that the pasture gets the right amount of nutrients for proper growth and productivity.

One of the methods of conserving grazing land is through fertilizer application.
Pasture fertilizers are organic or inorganic substances in the form of liquid, granular, pellet, powder, or granular applied to grazing land to enhance soil fertility and promote the growth of forage crops.

Sustainable Pasture land or grazing for livestock enterprise needs an adequate amount of essential nutrients to enhance the normal growth and development of forage crops.

The uses of Fertilizers in the forage have become an integral part of pasture management practices because of the ability to revitalize the pasture land and ensure proper shoot, leaves, and root and fruit development.

The rate of livestock consumption in the forage land will have a drastic effect on the forage crops if fertilizers are not applied to the pasture. Among the grazing land inputs, fertilizers account for about 50-60 %, outside water and contribute to the maximum growth of forage crops.

Factors to be Considered Before Applying Pasture Fertilizers

The management of pasture for profitability in the livestock industries depends on certain factors that the rancher or the herder needs to consider before applying the required pasture fertilizers, some of these factors include.

Soil Testing: this is very crucial in fertilizer application in the pasture. Conduct soil testing and analysis to determine the type of nutrients deficient and available in the soil. This will enable the rancher to know the types of nutrients required by pasture crops and plan for fertilizer application.
Types of Forage: the type of forage crop cultivated on the pasture determines the pasture fertilizers to be applied. Pasture Grasses require more nitrogen fertilizers than legumes forages. Legume forages can synthesize nitrogen through the aid of the bacteria colonizing their root nodules. Forage grasses require complete or mixed fertilizers for maximum pasture productivity. The use of only nitrogen fertilizer for grasses may not be effective if phosphorus and potassium are not included in the application.
Soil Types: soil types such as sandy soil, clay, and loamy soil should be considered before the application of fertilizer in the pasture. Sandy and clay soil are usually very acidic. These acid soils require an adequate amount of lime fertilizer to reduce the impact of the acidity on the grazing land. Soil with grasses where nitrogen fertilizers are frequently used and that of predominantly legume stands can easily be acidic. However, the use of pelleted or liquid lime fertilizer can neutralize the impact of soil PH value.
Time of Application: This is another factor to be considered before the application of fertilizers in grazing land. It is advisable to apply fertilizer on the pasture during the onset of the rainy season and spring to enable forage to make optimal uptake of nutrients. Cold-season grasses such as bromegrass, orchardgrass, tall fescue, reed canarygrass, and Kentucky bluegrass are more productive and have their greatest growth rate in April, May, and June, slow in July and August. As the weather starts cooling in late summer, and the moisture supply improves, their growth rate state and continues into October at this point Adequate N must be available during spring to early summer and late summer to fall for best growth and grass yields while Warm-season pasture grasses, such as switchgrass, big bluestem, eastern gamagrass, sudangrass and so on others, yield and growth maximumly in June and August. It slows when the season is cooler during September, and stops in October when the frost has stopped. Then Nitrogen should be applied during the summer months for the best growth and yield of these grasses ( as cited by Iowa State University extension and outreach)
Method Management: forage crops in the pasture should be strategically and profitably planned before fertilizer application. A rotational grazing schedule should be adopted when applying fertilizer in the pasture for opening pasture grazing. Livestock should not be allowed to graze during fertilizer application or immediately after the application period. The pasture should be given enough time like 1-2 weeks for forages to absorb the nutrients without being disturbed by the grazing animals.
Types of Fertilizers to be Used: This is another important factor to be considered in applying fertilizers to a grazing field. Usually, there are two types of fertilizers, they are organic or inorganic fertilizers. The inorganic fertilizers are artificially or industrially produced and are available for plant use within a short period while the organic fertilizers are natural and are gradually released to forage crops. The continuous use of inorganic fertilizers in the pasture can lead to an increase in soil acidity. In contrast, the continued use of organic fertilizer leads to improved soil structure and increased the activities of microorganisms in the pasture. The combination of both organic and inorganic has been proven to be very effective.

Pasture Crops Nutrient Requirement.

Forages require an adequate amount of micro and macro elements for healthy growth and productivity. Some of the types of nutrients required by forged crops are:

S/No	Nutrient Element	Functions
1	Nitrogen	Proper growth of shoots and leaves of forage crops
2	Phosphorus	For Proper root and fruit development of pasture crops
3	Potassium	Helps to build forage crops’ skeletal structure and resist disease attack
4	Calcium	helps in root devolvement
5	Sulphur	Helps in plant respiration
6	Iron	Help in the coloration of leaves
7	Magnesium	Helps in chlorophyll formation
8	Boron	Helps improper shoot and stem development.
9	Copper	Increase fruiting of forages and resistance to fungi attack
10	manganese	Improve the yield of the plant

Types of Pasture Fertilizers

There are two types of fertilizers for pasture. They are:
1. Inorganic fertilizers, and
2. Organic fertilizers

The Inorganic Fertilizers

Inorganic fertilizers for pasture are also called synthetic or mineral fertilizers. They are substances in the form of granular, powder, and pellet that are manufactured in industries containing nutrients and essential elements for the improvement of pastureland and productivity of forage crops.

This type of fertilizer can be liquid or solid. Inorganic fertilizers are the most widely utilized type of fertilizer in the pasture.

Their wide usage is a result of their ability to be easily absorbed by forage and their ease of handling compared to organic fertilizers. The inorganic or synthetic fertilizers are divided into three. They are:

1. Single-nutrient fertilizers for pasture
2. Complete or mixed fertilizers for pasture

Single Nutrient Fertilizers

These are fertilizers that are capable of supplying one single nutrient element to forage crops and are target-specific, Examples of such fertilizers are nitrogen-based fertilizers, phosphorous-based fertilizers, and potassium-based fertilizers.

They provide only one primary nutrient per time. Examples of Single Fertilizers for pasture are:

Nitrogen-Based Fertilizer: Examples of Nitrogen based pasture Fertilizers are Urea, ammonium chloride, NH3 – ammonia, NH3xH2O – ammonia water, CO(NH2)2 – urea, NH4NO3 ammonium nitrate, KNO3 – potassium nitrate, NaNO3 sodium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2 – calcium nitrate, and aqua ammonia. Note: these are the active ingredients, they have various trademarks and names in the market. Nitrogen Fertilizers aid adequate growth of shoots, leaves, and chlorophyll formation which help to produce succulent leaves for grazing farm animals such as goats, sheep, cattle, pigs, horses, and donkeys.
phosphorus Based Fertilizers: The example of phosphorus-based pasture Fertilizer are Ca3 (PO4)2 phosphate rock, bone meal, Ca (H2PO4)2 + 2CaSO4 – simple superphosphate, Ca(H2PO4)2 – triple superphosphate, CaHPO4x2H2O – precipitate, basic slag and Mofos – complex fertilizer. Phosphate fertilizer aids adequate root and fruit development of forage crops.
potassium fertilizer: Examples of Potassium pasture fertilizers used in the grazing land are Silvinit, KCl – sylvite, K2SO4 is the potassium sulfate, K2SB3 – potash, wood ash, and peat ash

Complete or Mixed Fertilizers

These are broad-spectrum fertilizers that contain three or more nutrient elements well blended in an adequate proportion.

Mixed fertilizer contain the primary essential nutrient element in a good ratio for the growth and productivity of pasture crops.

These complete fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in good proportion. Examples of Complete or mixed fertilizers used for enriching pastureland are mono ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, urea ammonium phosphate, NPK 15:15:15, NPK 15:10:10, NPK 20:10:10.

Organic Fertilizers

These are fertilizers derived from the natural materials of plants and animals an origin.

These types of fertilizer are sourced from the waste of plants and animals in the pasture or the ranch environment.

They are major waste products of goats, sheep, cattle, pigs, and fowl, and water drains from fish ponds, kitchen waste, litter waste, peels of cassava, the dust of milled rice, shells of groundnut, corn, cut pasture grasses and legumes and other waste or of plants material.

Technology has evolved to enhance the Industrial production of Organic fertilizers from natural materials in the laboratory or industries.

Organic fertilizers are considered the best form of fertilizer for the pasture, due to their modification of the physical properties of the soil, aid the water-holding capacity of grazing land, supply food for soil microorganisms, and create favorable soil conditions for beneficial forage microbial activities to thrive.

Forms of Organic Fertilizer

Innovation and the latest practices in fertilizer production industries have been able to come up with two forms of organic fertilizers. They are:
1. Liquid-based organic fertilizers, and
2. Solid-based organic fertilizers

Liquid-based Organic Fertilizers

These are fertilizers derived when plants and animal waste are allowed to ferment or dissolve in water and are applied in the form of water to grazing land to improve the soil structure and increase soil fertility.

It is normally referred to as organic tea. This organic tea can be dissolved in water and used to fertilize pasture. It can be done at home or in the industry depending on the technology available.

Liquid-based organic fertilizers can also dissolve in water from compost manure, green manure, and farm yard manure.

The process involves soaking the required amount of preferred organic manure for about 1-2 weeks to allow the materials to dissolve appropriately in water. Stir every two days to allow for thorough fermentation.

After it has been thoroughly fermented use a watering can to apply the liquid organic fertilizer to your pasture or use a filter or sieve to fine liquid and use a well-calibrated knapsack to apply your organic fertilizer to your forage crops.

The liquid-based organic fertilizer has a competitive value with the inorganic fertilizer in the market.

Solid-Based Organic Fertilizers

These are normal organic fertilizers sourced from the plants and animal remains in the pasture or ranch environment. Three types of solid-based organic fertilizers for forage crops exist. They are

Farmyard Manure: they are derived from Solid and liquid excreta (such as dung and urine) with litters of all farm animals applied directly into the grazing land to increase soil fertility.
Green Manure: in pasture land, this involved planting a leguminous crop, ploughing, and mixing green crops with soil to enhance the soil nutrients and productivity.
Compost Manure: this manure is prepared from various remains of plant materials, such as straw, sugar cane refuse, rice hulls, forest, litter, weeds, leaves, and kitchen wastes, and is allowed to decompose for about 3 months of thorough mixing and turning and are used to manure the pasture land.

Method of Fertilizer Application in the Pasture

The methods of fertilizer application in the pasture are:

Broadcasting: In the pasture, it will not be easy to fertilize individual plants due to the population density of forage crops on the land. The best thing to do is to evenly spread or throw fertilizers uniformly on the pasture surface.
Spot Application: this is the application of fertilizer on a particular spot where nutrients are lacking in the pasture.
Top dressing: this involves the application of fertilizers on top of existing forage crops.

Question Frequently Ask

What is the best time to fertilize pasture?

The best time to apply fertilization in the pasture is when soil testing has been done and after the confirmation of nutrient deficiency in the pastureland.

Fertilizer application should be during the early rainy season when the rain is less heavy because too much rainfall will lead to the leaching and runoff of fertilizers.

Cool-season forage grasses should be fertilized around April while Warm-season grasses should fertilized in late April to early May.

Fertilize can also be applied around late May or early June but not advisable because the heavy rain may wash away the nutrient ingredient.

The application of fertilizer in spring/early summer is dependent on the summer moisture and the absence of excessive heat. During the midsummer pasture fertilizer application is usually not recommended because the growth of most cool-season forage is poor at this time of year.

Fertilizer application can also be done during land preparation to enable the soil to have adequate soil nutrients for the healthy growth of pasture.

Phosphate fertilizer can be applied to grazing land at this time for proper seed germination and overall development of pasture because of their immobile ability in the soil.

What is the cheapest way to fertilize pasture?

In the grazing field, applying fertilizer individually to forage plants is very difficult and completely impossible due to the population density of the pasture crop.

The best way to apply fertilizer when forages are on the field is “broadcasting” for granular, pelleted, and powdered fertilizer.

While foliar or top dressing application method is considered best for liquid pasture fertilizer. Broadcasting involves spreading or throwing fertilizer evenly on the pasture surface of grazing land.

What is the best fertilizer for the pasture field?

There are no particular fertilizers described as best for forage crops. It depends on the nutrient lacking in which the pasture crops are deficient after the confirmatory test from the soil analysis or test.

Legume forage requires a high amount of straight or single fertilizers such as Phosphorus and potassium or mixed or complex fertilizers like N: P: K 0:20: 20. While forages grasses require a high amount of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and potassium (k).

That is to say that N: P: K fertilizer is more appropriate for forage grasses. Soil with the deficiency of P and K should have adequate amounts of N applied to the grazing field in split to aid the growth and development of crops.

The uses of P and K in the pasture are very crucial for legume establishment, and cell division, and give high yields.

They also help maintain forage yields, and also enhance disease resistance, winter hardiness, and longer stand life.

When to fertilize fescue pasture?

Tall fescue botanically referred to as Festuca arundinacea is a cold-season grass, this pasture grass is productive and reaches its growth threshold rate around April, May, and June.

In early April, it is advisable to apply the first dose of fertilizer. During July and August, they experience a slow growth rate.

During the late summer and as the weather starts cooling, and the moisture supply improves, their growth rate state and continues into October, at this point, it is also advisable to apply the second dose of pasture fertilizer during spring to early summer and late summer to fall for best growth and grass yields

Can you fertilize pasture with a cow on it?

It is not advisable to fertilize pasture with cows on it. Fertilizing grazing land should be strategically and profitably planned before fertilizer application.

A rotational grazing schedule should be adopted when applying pasture fertilizer in the pasture for opening pasture grazing.

Livestock should not be allowed to graze during fertilizer application or immediately after the application period.

The pasture should be given enough time like 1-2 weeks for forages to absorb the nutrients without being disturbed by the grazing animals.

Can you fertilize pasture with Horses on it?

It is not advisable to fertilize pasture with horses on it. Fertilizing grazing land should be strategically and profitably planned before fertilizer application.