Location: Plant Science Research
Title: Is your pasture old enough?Author
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Submitted to: Hay and Forage Grower
Publication Type: Popular Publication Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2024 Publication Date: 3/1/2024 Citation: Franzluebbers, A.J. 2024. Is your pasture old enough? Hay and Forage Grower. https://issuu.com/hayandforagegrower/docs/hfg-mar-2024. Interpretive Summary: Pastures are typically perennial forages that can change slowly over time. An ARS scientist in Raleigh North Carolina described how soil nutrients and organic matter changed over the course of a dozen years of intensive management from a long-term field study. Requirement for lime with high inorganic nitrogen fertilization levels led to elevated calcium and magnesium levels. Grazing of forage and return of feces to the land led to increasing soil potassium while haying caused a decline in soil potassium due to forage removal. Soil phosphorus accumulated noticeably to 5-inch depth during the first 5 years when fertilized with poultry litter. Grazing pastures was highly beneficial for soil organic matter accumulation. Hay removal was placing carbon into a cattle diet elsewhere on the farm and not returning carbon contained in feces back to the hay ground. This summary of soil changes over time in perennial pastures continues a series of popular press articles aimed at farmers managing forage and grazing lands in the US. Technical Abstract: Pastures are typically perennial forages that can change slowly over time. An ARS scientist in Raleigh North Carolina described how soil nutrients and organic matter changed over the course of a dozen years of intensive management from a long-term field study. Requirement for lime with high inorganic nitrogen fertilization levels led to elevated calcium and magnesium levels. Grazing of forage and return of feces to the land led to increasing soil potassium while haying caused a decline in soil potassium due to forage removal. Soil phosphorus accumulated noticeably to 5-inch depth during the first 5 years when fertilized with poultry litter. Grazing pastures was highly beneficial for soil organic matter accumulation. Hay removal was placing carbon into a cattle diet elsewhere on the farm and not returning carbon contained in feces back to the hay ground. This summary of soil changes over time in perennial pastures continues a series of popular press articles aimed at farmers managing forage and grazing lands in the US. |
