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Title: Nitrogen rate and application timing affect the yield and risk associated with stockpiling tall fescue for winter grazing

Author
item TEUTSCH, CHRIS - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University
item Clapham, William
item Fedders, James
item TILSON, W - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University

Submitted to: Forage and Grazinglands
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2011
Publication Date: 6/1/2011
Citation: Teutsch, C.D., Clapham, W.M., Fedders, J.M., Tilson, W.M. 2011. Nitrogen rate and application timing affect the yield and risk associated with stockpiling tall fescue for winter grazing. Forage and Grazinglands. DOI: 10/1094/FG-2011-0513-01-RS.

Interpretive Summary: Stockpiled tall fescue can provide economical winter feed for grazing livestock in the mid-Atlantic of the United States. A study was conducted for seven years to evaluate the effects of nitrogen application rate and timing on the yield of stockpiled tall fescue. The nitrogen rates ranged from 0 to 120 lbs nitrogen/acre, and were applied in mid-August, mid-September, or one-half in mid-August and one-half in mid-September. Fescue yield was determined in mid-December. Forage yields increased with nitrogen rate for all seven years. However, variability in the magnitude and nature of the response to nitrogen fertilization varied among the years and was a likely result of variable rainfall among the years. Risk analysis showed that splitting the nitrogen application increased the probability of reaching predetermined yield goals compared to a single application. Farmers can use these data to improve the nitrogen-use efficiency in their operations and reduce both cost and nitrogen losses to the environment.

Technical Abstract: Stockpiled tall fescue can provide economical winter feed for grazing livestock in the mid-Atlantic of the United States. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of N rate and application timing on the yield of stockpiled tall fescue. Four N rates ranging from 0 to 120 lb N/acre were applied in mid-August, mid-September, or one-half in mid-August and one-half in mid-September. Accumulated growth was harvested in mid-December. Yield increased with N fertilization for all seven years of the study. However, the response rate, nature of the response, and optimal timing of N fertilization varied among years and was likely related to rainfall. Regression analysis across years showed that those N applications made in August and September had linear response compared to a quadratic response for the split application. Risk analysis indicated that for the moderate N rates (40 and 80 lb N/acre), splitting the N application increased the probability of reaching predetermined yield goals compared to a single application.