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Title: HARVESTING WINTER FORAGES TO EXTRACT MANURE NUTRIENTS

Author
item Rowe, Dennis
item Fairbrother, Timothy

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2002
Publication Date: 11/1/2002
Citation: Rowe, D.E., Fairbrother, T.E. 2002. Harvesting winter forages to extract manure nutrients [abstract]. Agronomy Abstracts. CD-ROM.

Interpretive Summary: None required.

Technical Abstract: Harvested hay captures soil manure nutrients which, if not utilized, could cause pollution of surface water or aquifer. This study determined yields of hay and N,P,K,Mg,Mn,Ca,Fe,Zn, and Cu of three winter forages in five harvesting systems. Dormant bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.)Pers.] sod regularly fertilized with swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) effluent was fall seeded with `Kenland' red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), `Bigbee' berseem clover (T. Alexandrinum L.), `Marshall' annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). Hay was harvested for three springs with single harvest (June 1) and two harvest systems: April 1 and June 1, April 15 and June 1, May 1 and June 1, and May 15 and June 1. (Hereafter, harvest system is indicated by first harvest date.) Average herbage yields were similar for the forages, but nutrient yields and best harvest date differed for elements and for herbage. Ryegrass yields across harvests were similar except for a reduced May 1 harvest. April 1 was usually the best harvest for the clovers while June 1 was the poorest. Two harvests of the legumes increased yields to 130% of the single harvest. The legumes yielded up to 64% more N, 24% more P, and 40 and 72% more of the heavy metals Zn and Cu than the ryegrass. The April 1 harvest of berseem clover removed over 30.2 Kg/h/yr of soil P. Management of soil nutrients is critically affected by choice of winter forage and by harvesting system.