How soon can fertilized pasture be grazed?

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I have just spread granulated chemical fertilizer on my pasture (18-18-18) and it has rained lightly twice but the morning dew has been quite heavy. The grass is about 4 inches high and night temps go down to 0' C sometimes and up to 13' C in the day. I'm grazing sheep. I'm on the southwest coast of Canada and spring is definitely here! When can I graze this pasture?

-- Kathy (homefarmbc@pacificcoast.net), April 09, 2002

Answers

as long as the animals dont eat the fertilizer,, you could let them graze the same day. With that rain,, you should be able to with no problems

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), April 09, 2002.

I wouldn't on two counts. First these's a good chance there are still granules left and sheep will lick it up. Secondly, you spread the fertilizer and your not giving the plants any time to use it. That's a waste. I'd give it at least a week, 2 would be better, 3,... well in SW coastal Canada I doubt it would take three! :^)

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), April 09, 2002.

1. Are sheep bothered by early, short, quick growth of grass like cattle? Grass tetany or however that is spelled. When the quick grass spring growth has too much N in it, not enough other stuff. Fertilizer will make that a bit more of an issue if it is an issue to begin with.

2. Grazing the grass this soon will stunt it for the rest of the year I would think, give it a chance to grow.

3. Grazing this quick will waste the fertilizer, the grass will be knocked right down. Giving it a couple of weeks to use the fertilizer & grow a thicker root mass will help it all year long. Graze it now & the fertilizer is used up in the quick growth spurt, & nothing was added to the plant...

4. The rain should have soaked the fertilizer N into the ground, so there should be no direct danger from the fert to the sheep.

--->Paul

-- paul (ramblerplm@hotmail.com), April 09, 2002.


Grass tetny yes they can be affected, good point Paul.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), April 09, 2002.

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