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åThe relationship between farmers and phosphorus is a complicated one. While farmers need phosphorus to ensure optimal plant growth, health and yield, small amounts can escape and cause significant problems in water quality. This complex balance is what Dr. Chad Penn calls the “phosphorus paradox.”
“I want to plant more alfalfa so I don’t have to fertilize as much.” If I had a nickel for every time I have heard that, I would have a lot of nickels!
Much of the nitrogen (N) applied to tall fescue and smooth bromegrass hay meadows and pastures goes on in January or February in eastern Kansas, but there is still time to apply it now even though temperatures late this winter have been warm and the cool-season grasses are greening up rapidly.
Manure produced from any livestock operation has tremendous fertilizer value. Manure from a beef finishing operation contains all the essential nutrients commonly found in fertilizer: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), or NPK.
Last month’s article provided a brief review of phosphorus supplementation and its impacts on cow weight and body condition, calf weaning weight and pregnancy rates.
I often hear people say they want a higher phosphorus (P) level in their mineral to help with reproduction. Before feeding a higher phosphorus mineral, it is important to take a look back at research on phosphorus supplementation and what exactly was observed in those studies.
