Nitrogen requirement for a 1 cut Westerwold then flipped over into Maize

jackrussell101

Member
Mixed Farmer
Trying to see if there is any way of reducing my fertiliser usage and was just wondering how much nitrogen a single cut of Westerwold would require?
 

O'Reilly

Member
Probably more to the point to plant something like Cotswolds seeds 'fast and vast' mix so that you can fix some n yourself, OR plant a cover of vetch and oats just to fix n and incorporate. Too late for all these things for this season, but it's how we need to think
 

Boysground

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
1st cut is always best quality so I would max out on that and reduce further applications on any second and subsequent cuts you do.
I would apply any slurry you can and reduce the nitrogen accordingly.
i grow Italian only mixtures and ( I use metric) 2.5 kg/ ha/ day isn’t too far off for my chalky southern farm. That’s nitrogen not product. Depending on the weather I would put the 1st n on in the second half of feb.

Bg
 
I think reducing nitrogen on first cut is a false economy. There is much more scope to cut back later in the year with warmer soils. I'd be putting on 120 units expecting a pit filler.

But he won't be able to reduce anything later in the year as the field is going into maize?

If the field has been hit with slurry multiple times in the past, I would go with 70 units, cut it a snitch earlier and get the maize in pretty sharpish?
 

More to life

Member
Location
Somerset
But he won't be able to reduce anything later in the year as the field is going into maize?

If the field has been hit with slurry multiple times in the past, I would go with 70 units, cut it a snitch earlier and get the maize in pretty sharpish?
I'm making the assumption that it's not his only field of grass.
 
Location
West Wales
I think reducing nitrogen on first cut is a false economy. There is much more scope to cut back later in the year with warmer soils. I'd be putting on 120 units expecting a pit filler.

when do you aim to harvest with 120 units? I’ve felt for a while we’re not making the most of our first cut in terms of volume often having a much better second but We often have a crap early may meaning either harvest late April or risk mid May onwards
 
when do you aim to harvest with 120 units? I’ve felt for a while we’re not making the most of our first cut in terms of volume often having a much better second but We often have a crap early may meaning either harvest late April or risk mid May onwards
We spread before valentines day the 1st dose and again 4 weeks later, get to 120 units or there abouts and cut anytime after 20th April. Last year was the 27th.
 
Same again this year? We’ve moved to liquid N and foliar feeding so needed to work out a plan

edit: all artificial n or including n from slurry?
Weather dependant. Our slurry is fairly watery and by 1st March there is hopfully too much grass to drive a tanker through, so without a dry jan/Feb it will be from a bag.
Minimum of 90 units from bag regardless of slurry application.
We can always grow a 1st cut, the other 4 are not so certain
 

Farmer Keith

Member
Location
North Cumbria
Always put 85 units on first cut here in 2 applications and have never had a pre cut sample come back high for N. Assuming you still get a straight line response out of N if you’re not going organic where’s the logic in cutting back? These cows will take some feeding off the back of a lorry next winter IMO.
 
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