nitrogen - Page 1

Maximizing tons per acre when you can't add acres

With dairy herds expanding and heifer numbers tightening, forage growers must push more yield from fixed acres.

May 5, 2026

Marian Viney

When herds increase in size faster than acreage, overlooked nutrient gaps can quietly cap forage tonnage.

What does the Iran conflict have to do with forages?

Fertilizer markets remain unstable as the Iran conflict disrupts shipping and delays global supplies. Even with a quick resolution, North American availability will lag due to bottlenecks and infrastructure repairs.

April 7, 2026

Ralph Pearce

Global turmoil is reshaping fertilizer supplies just as spring fieldwork ramps up.

Better bahiagrass is possible with effective establishment

Ongoing trials are testing the nutritive and economic values of different bahiagrass varieties as a grazing forage.

March 27, 2026

Jonathan Kubesch, Kyla Neal, and Daniel Rivera

Besides spray recommendations, pasture plantings contribute to the volume of calls that extension agents and specialists get in the spring. What should I plant? Where can I find the seed? How should I get seed in the ground?

How does your manure handling compare?

The key to handling manure properly is to treat it as a part of the nutrient economy and not a disposal problem.

March 26, 2026

Kurt Grimm

Manure isn’t just a byproduct – it’s a balance sheet item. On some dairies, it’s a cash-flow generator. On others, it’s a liability that costs more to move than it’s worth. The difference isn’t in the cows – it’s how you manage the nutrients, equipment and economics between the barn and the field.

Alberto Dairy commits to sustainability with vermifiltration

Vermifiltration has been a perfect solution for the Alberto family to manage their manure and continue the family’s mission of farming with a sustainable future in mind.

February 7, 2026

Jenn Coyne

For nearly 18 months, Alberto Dairy has used worm beds to appropriately manage their manure, retain nutrients and reuse wastewater.

Sorghum-sudan as an alternative summer forage for the Southeast

Warm‑season annual forages such as sorghum-sudan, pearl millet, sunn hemp and cowpea offer superior nutritive value and daily gains compared to perennial warm‑season grasses. They can support 2 to 3 pounds of gain per head per day and high stocking densities when managed intensively.

January 21, 2026

Maria Elena Maihos and Marcelo Wallau

Warm‑season annuals are gaining attention in the Southeast as producers look for higher‑quality forages that outperform traditional bahiagrass and bermudagrass.

Benefits of including perennial forages into semiarid cropping systems

Farming in semiarid regions means working with limited water and challenging soil conditions. Perennial forages offer a practical fix: Their deep roots improve soil structure, reduce compaction and help leach salts from the root zone. For producers committed to stewardship, perennials are more than cover – they’re a strategy for resilience.

November 18, 2025

Abmael Cardoso, Jose Franco, and Marta Kohmann

Perennial forages improve soil structure, reduce compaction and help leach salts from the root zone. For producers committed to stewardship, perennials are more than cover – they’re a strategy for resilience.

Advanced manure treatment, where do we stand?

Advanced manure treatments are becoming more feasible solutions for large, consolidated dairies.

October 22, 2025

Jason Oliver

Manure is the linchpin of biocircularity in dairy production systems, with the nutrients in cow manure recycled to the land to produce crops that are utilized as animal feed.

Paying attention to manure

Even in uncertain times, one thing holds true: Informed farmers make better decisions. Manure analysis is a smart way to track fertilizer value, but it all starts with proper sampling.

October 15, 2025

Scott Fleming and Dustin Sawyer

As the crop year winds down and uncertainty looms for 2026, one thing remains clear: Informed farmers make better decisions.