Description
A long-term project on a small Kentucky beef farm has demonstrated that bale grazing is an effective means of improving soil fertility. With the cooperation of a beef cattle producer, Extension personnel have been able to measure improvements in soil fertility using both high density and moderate density bale grazing practices. Initial efforts demonstrate that high density bale grazing improved soil fertility quickly by increasing soil test phosphorus from 15 to 45 ppm and potassium from 52 to 175 ppm on Melich III soil test extraction method. High density bale grazing was also shown to serve as a strategy to eradicate wild-type endophyte infected tall fescue for replacement with novel endophyte tall fescue. Over the course of a seven-year period and moderate density bale spacing, soil test levels of phosphorus increased from a starting range of 12-16 to 81-84 ppm while potassium levels increased from 81-84 to 281-460 ppm.
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Bale Grazing to Improve Soil Fertility in Kentucky Pastures
A long-term project on a small Kentucky beef farm has demonstrated that bale grazing is an effective means of improving soil fertility. With the cooperation of a beef cattle producer, Extension personnel have been able to measure improvements in soil fertility using both high density and moderate density bale grazing practices. Initial efforts demonstrate that high density bale grazing improved soil fertility quickly by increasing soil test phosphorus from 15 to 45 ppm and potassium from 52 to 175 ppm on Melich III soil test extraction method. High density bale grazing was also shown to serve as a strategy to eradicate wild-type endophyte infected tall fescue for replacement with novel endophyte tall fescue. Over the course of a seven-year period and moderate density bale spacing, soil test levels of phosphorus increased from a starting range of 12-16 to 81-84 ppm while potassium levels increased from 81-84 to 281-460 ppm.
