Good aftercut fertiliser management essential in 2020

Careful management of aftercut fertiliser applications will be essential in building vital stocks of high quality forage to provide insulation against market volatility and uncertainty in 2020, says Dr. George Fisher of CF Fertilisers.

- Dr. George Fisher

The problem is this needs to be achieved following a very wet winter that will undoubtedly have reduced availability of nutrients in the soil and, now ironically, many producers have endured a lengthy period of low rainfall,” he points out.

“P and K levels shouldn’t be affected too much – P and K do not move much in the soil and supplies should be adequate if you’ve used FYM and slurry in previous years.

“But N and S move readily through the soil and the high rainfall over the winter could have reduced these and placed what is available lower in the profile than usual.

“This is likely to be compounded by small plants with limited root growth so whatever N or S is there is unlikely to be easily accessed.”

Hopefully, most people will have got some N on their land before first cut but after cut applications will be essential to ensure grassland does not ‘run out of puff’ as the season develops, he says.