robertwhite
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Did a search but couldn't finds this answer.............. How long after fertilizing should you wait before allowing cattle back into said field?
How long after fertilizing?
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highgrit
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I would not put my cows on the pasture for a couple of days if I used a granular fertilizer. Liquid fertilizer can be applied while the cows are grazing with no problems. I have never had my cattle in the same pasture that I was fertilizing, so I don't know if it will hurt them or not.
SRBeef
Well-known member
Depends to a certain extent what fertilizer is used and how much and how well it is spread. Urea (N) in particular if in a pile here or there on a turn can be licked up and cause problems, nitrate poisoning and maybe others.
Ideally I would wait until after a good rain to let the cattle back in. Moisture is also necessary to get the urea into the soil. Unless you used the encapsulated version of urea ("ESN") you need some moisture to take it into the soil or it will volatize and you will lose much of it to the atmosphere.
If evenly distributed at a low rate may not cause a problem but to be safe I would wait until there was at least some moisture to wash it off of forage and into the soil. jmho.
Jim
Ideally I would wait until after a good rain to let the cattle back in. Moisture is also necessary to get the urea into the soil. Unless you used the encapsulated version of urea ("ESN") you need some moisture to take it into the soil or it will volatize and you will lose much of it to the atmosphere.
If evenly distributed at a low rate may not cause a problem but to be safe I would wait until there was at least some moisture to wash it off of forage and into the soil. jmho.
Jim
Kingfisher
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Hello. What is urea ( N) ?SRBeef":3s1vta3m said:
Kingfisher
Well-known member
Agriculture
More than 90% of world production of urea is destined for use as a nitrogen-release fertilizer. Urea has the highest nitrogen content of all solid nitrogenous fertilizers in common use. Therefore, it has the lowest transportation costs per unit of nitrogen nutrient.
Many soil bacteria possess the enzyme, urease, which catalyzes the conversion of the urea molecule to two ammonia molecules and one carbon dioxide molecule, thus urea fertilizers are very rapidly transformed to the ammonium form in soils. Among soil bacteria known to carry urease, some ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), such as species of Nitrosomonas are also able to assimilate the carbon dioxide released by the reaction to make biomass via the Calvin Cycle, and harvest energy by oxidizing ammonia (the other product of urease) to nitrite, a process termed nitrification.[6] Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, especially, Nitrobacter, oxidize nitrite to nitrate, which is extremely mobile in soils and is a major cause of water pollution from agriculture. Ammonia and nitrate are readily absorbed by plants, and are the dominant sources of nitrogen for plant growth. Urea is also used in many multi-component solid fertilizer formulations. Urea is highly soluble in water and is, therefore, also very suitable for use in fertilizer solutions (in combination with ammonium nitrate: UAN), e.g., in 'foliar feed' fertilizers. For fertilizer use, granules are preferred over prills because of their narrower particle size distribution which is an advantage for mechanical application.
The most common impurity of synthetic urea is biuret, which impairs plant growth.
Urea is usually spread at rates of between 40 and 300 kg/ha but rates vary. Smaller applications incur lower losses due to leaching. During summer, urea is often spread just before, or during rain to minimize losses from volatilization (process wherein nitrogen is lost to the atmosphere as ammonia gas). Urea is not compatible with other fertilizers.
Because of the high nitrogen concentration in urea, it is very important to achieve an even spread. The application equipment must be correctly calibrated and properly used. Drilling must not occur on contact with or close to seed, due to the risk of germination damage. Urea dissolves in water for application as a spray or through irrigation systems.
In grain and cotton crops, urea is often applied at the time of the last cultivation before planting. In high rainfall areas and on sandy soils (where nitrogen can be lost through leaching) and where good in-season rainfall is expected, urea can be side- or top-dressed during the growing season. Top-dressing is also popular on pasture and forage crops. In cultivating sugarcane, urea is side-dressed after planting, and applied to each ratoon crop.
In irrigated crops, urea can be applied dry to the soil, or dissolved and applied through the irrigation water. Urea will dissolve in its own weight in water, but it becomes increasingly difficult to dissolve as the concentration increases. Dissolving urea in water is endothermic, causing the temperature of the solution to fall when urea dissolves.
As a practical guide, when preparing urea solutions for fertigation (injection into irrigation lines), dissolve no more than 30 kg urea per 100 L water.
In foliar sprays, urea concentrations of 0.5% – 2.0% are often used in horticultural crops. Low-biuret grades of urea are often indicated.
Urea absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and therefore is typically stored either in closed/sealed bags on pallets, or, if stored in bulk, under cover with a tarpaulin. As with most solid fertilizers, storage in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area is recommended.
[ed
More than 90% of world production of urea is destined for use as a nitrogen-release fertilizer. Urea has the highest nitrogen content of all solid nitrogenous fertilizers in common use. Therefore, it has the lowest transportation costs per unit of nitrogen nutrient.
Many soil bacteria possess the enzyme, urease, which catalyzes the conversion of the urea molecule to two ammonia molecules and one carbon dioxide molecule, thus urea fertilizers are very rapidly transformed to the ammonium form in soils. Among soil bacteria known to carry urease, some ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), such as species of Nitrosomonas are also able to assimilate the carbon dioxide released by the reaction to make biomass via the Calvin Cycle, and harvest energy by oxidizing ammonia (the other product of urease) to nitrite, a process termed nitrification.[6] Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, especially, Nitrobacter, oxidize nitrite to nitrate, which is extremely mobile in soils and is a major cause of water pollution from agriculture. Ammonia and nitrate are readily absorbed by plants, and are the dominant sources of nitrogen for plant growth. Urea is also used in many multi-component solid fertilizer formulations. Urea is highly soluble in water and is, therefore, also very suitable for use in fertilizer solutions (in combination with ammonium nitrate: UAN), e.g., in 'foliar feed' fertilizers. For fertilizer use, granules are preferred over prills because of their narrower particle size distribution which is an advantage for mechanical application.
The most common impurity of synthetic urea is biuret, which impairs plant growth.
Urea is usually spread at rates of between 40 and 300 kg/ha but rates vary. Smaller applications incur lower losses due to leaching. During summer, urea is often spread just before, or during rain to minimize losses from volatilization (process wherein nitrogen is lost to the atmosphere as ammonia gas). Urea is not compatible with other fertilizers.
Because of the high nitrogen concentration in urea, it is very important to achieve an even spread. The application equipment must be correctly calibrated and properly used. Drilling must not occur on contact with or close to seed, due to the risk of germination damage. Urea dissolves in water for application as a spray or through irrigation systems.
In grain and cotton crops, urea is often applied at the time of the last cultivation before planting. In high rainfall areas and on sandy soils (where nitrogen can be lost through leaching) and where good in-season rainfall is expected, urea can be side- or top-dressed during the growing season. Top-dressing is also popular on pasture and forage crops. In cultivating sugarcane, urea is side-dressed after planting, and applied to each ratoon crop.
In irrigated crops, urea can be applied dry to the soil, or dissolved and applied through the irrigation water. Urea will dissolve in its own weight in water, but it becomes increasingly difficult to dissolve as the concentration increases. Dissolving urea in water is endothermic, causing the temperature of the solution to fall when urea dissolves.
As a practical guide, when preparing urea solutions for fertigation (injection into irrigation lines), dissolve no more than 30 kg urea per 100 L water.
In foliar sprays, urea concentrations of 0.5% – 2.0% are often used in horticultural crops. Low-biuret grades of urea are often indicated.
Urea absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and therefore is typically stored either in closed/sealed bags on pallets, or, if stored in bulk, under cover with a tarpaulin. As with most solid fertilizers, storage in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area is recommended.
[ed
robertwhite
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Thanks. I was planning on waiting for a rain to let them back on, but didn't know if it should be even longer. Still don't know if I will use liquid or not. Just trying to gain some knowledge before jumping in uneducated.
SRBeef
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robertwhite":31sl4mra said:
Rain is the key to both incorporating the urea before it volatilizes into the air and is lost and also making it safe to put cattle back on a field fertilized with dry N (= urea). Liquid left on the surface may not be as likely to cause cattle problems but it can still volatize if there is no rain in the next few days or preferably sooner after application.
Jim
Cowdirt
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robertwhite":1texldh4 said:
Robert, I only have about 50 acres of pasture. I'm available to watch while my fertilizer is spread and could see any large accumulations on the ground. To this point, about 20yrs., I have never moved my cows; just spread with them in the pasture. They just move out of the way. Also to this point have never had a pile of fertilizer that bothered me. Hope this post doesn't jinx me.
ga.prime
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Wrong answer. Granular spread is no problem as long as there are no piles that can be eaten. Liquid fertitlizer requires a 1 week waiting period or some significant rain.highgrit":3qmfpgtl said:
robertwhite
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ga.prime":2jsuy27b said:
Well, I guess there are differing opinions as to liquid fertilizer. :lol:
robertwhite
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Cowdirt":39iez3mb said:
Thanks, hope it doesn't jinx you either.
PM incoming on another subject.
highgrit
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ga.prime I would like to see the reasoning behind that statement. I have been using liquid nitrogen for years and putting it out while the cows have been in the same pasture. I checked with the Telfair Co. Extension Agent about it and was told no problem using the liquid nitrogen while the cows are in the pasture. It works for me, but I am not to old, to learn something new to me. My dad told me once, no matter how dumb you think somebody is, you can still learn something from them.
ga.prime
Well-known member
I've never tested to see if liquid N will kill cows but I've been told that it will. Seems to make sense because its all over the leaves of the grass after it's put out and takes several days to be assimilated or a good rain to wash it off. Ask down at Griffins if you should leave cows on pasture that's just received liquid N.
BRAFORDMAN
Well-known member
We fertilize with chicken litter. Cows stay in the pasture.
I use liquid or granular just depending on what is going on and have left the cows on during both. No problems so far. I was told some thing like if you have tall grass and fertilize, the don't get rain for a long time and the fert stays up in the leaf or some thing it can become toxic. Not sure about all that but I think that is what I was told.
ga.prime
Well-known member
I don't think anyone would disagree that eating granular fertilizer or drinking liquid nitrogen is lethal for a cow. Like most things, it's pretty simple if you think about it. Put out granular, it's going to end up on the ground and not on the leaves. Cows are not going to be out there licking fertilizer off the ground if you have any grass at all unless there are piles of it left in the field. So, safe to leave cows out there after granular application. On the other hand, after applying liquid N every leaf of grass out there is coated in nitrates. Do you want your cows eating that?
