Grazing after fert

[Tarw Coch]

How soon can I graze cows after applying fert?
Not usually an issue as it usually goes on fairly soon after grazing but with it being so dry I’ve held off until we’ve had a bit of rain.
Not sure how long this damp weather will last, so was wondering if it’s ok to put fert on now on the next couple of fields to graze rather than risk it still being wet afterwards.

Thus far we seem to have had less rain than a lot of areas, last night being the first decent rain since February

 

[Beef farmer]

As soon as you've shut the road gate

 

[Beef farmer]

We blanket the whole grazing platform, never follow cows around.
Does following them around grow more grass? Certainly gold standard but costly

 

[Tirglas]

I've done both ways don't think much difference, currently following though, just because I've got more time really, applying 1 unit n per day so 28 units ish now.

Maybe milk ureas and grass protein fluctuate more and loose cows with the blanket approach especially those spread around a week before grazing and in fast growing conditions????

 

[lazy farmer]

We blanket the whole grazing platform, never follow cows around.
Does following them around grow more grass? Certainly gold standard but costly

Why costly.

 

[Chae1]

Cows always in field when I spread, never had any bother apart from them getting in way.

 

[tw15]

Put on 200 lts ha of ns30 liquid fert just as it started to rain the other day cows in field chucked some grub in the ring feeder that got them out the way .

 

[Beef farmer]

Why costly.

Takes an hour to wash a fert spreader and rear end of tractor. Weather you spread 350 acres or 35 acres it needs washing. So 1 wash every 25 days or 3 washes a week?

 

[deleted user 837354]

You can spread fert whilst they are grazing in it. And the day after doing it. It starts getting dodgy putting them in a few days after as the grass takes up the N but hasn't had time to grow any new tissue.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Usually prefer to follow.

Not really been an option though this year.
Done all the grazing ground today.

 

[early riser]

LIC grazing consultant advised to avoid grazing between 4 and 14 days post application.

Obviously depends on what rates you're putting on whether you risk N toxicity, for me however the main issue is one of palatability - I imagine a grass plant laced with N must be pretty sour to eat!

Always follow the cows round the platform here, definitely makes a difference on this farm and helps to spread risk

 

[lazy farmer]

Takes an hour to wash a fert spreader and rear end of tractor. Weather you spread 350 acres or 35 acres it needs washing. So 1 wash every 25 days or 3 washes a week?

Personally on a dry farm like yours I would be fertilising with the weather whether that is once a month or once a week.As for it taking a hour to put the flood hose around the tractor? I would be doing a time and motion study.

 

[Beef farmer]

Personally on a dry farm like yours I would be fertilising with the weather whether that is once a month or once a week.As for it taking a hour to put the flood hose around the tractor? I would be doing a time and motion study.

We deffiantly spread with the weather. And a volume washer isnt going to remove fert like a film remover and hot water. Each to their own, but this gear is to expensive to just rinse off.

 

[jimmer]

I use liquid fert, I just tell the contractor to lift the booms over the cows and drive on
Not noticed a palatability issue

 

[jerseycowsman]

We blanket the whole grazing platform, never follow cows around.
Does following them around grow more grass? Certainly gold standard but costly

We do the same thing. I may follow the cows later in the season when we have more time after calving and ai has finished. But in spring we just get the contractor in to do all the fields at once, even with the cows in the field he’s spreading!

 

[jerseycowsman]

I use liquid fert, I just tell the contractor to lift the booms over the cows and drive on
Not noticed a palatability issue

Why do you use liquid fert?

 

[The Agrarian]

These days I treat grazing ground the same as cutting ground. That's for heifers/stirks mind you, as the cows are inside. So I spread the whole farm when I'm doing silage aftermath. That's four sowings per year.

 

[Thick Farmer]

These days I treat grazing ground the same as cutting ground. That's for heifers/stirks mind you, as the cows are inside. So I spread the whole farm when I'm doing silage aftermath. That's four sowings per year.

I do the same. It hadn’t even dawned on me that there was a better way to do it. I hate spreading fert so just whack it on.

 

[jimmer]

Why do you use liquid fert?

Cheaper and more accurate

 

[jimmer]

Cheaper and more accurate

To add, I have minimal machinery and use local contractors for all tractor type work