Manure on Hay Field

Super-H-Mike · Oct 25, 2013

When is the best time to spread manure on a grassy hay field ? Fall/winter,spring, after a cutting ? Cattle and horse manure mixed with straw bedding and waste hay. Thanks

Hay hay hay · Oct 25, 2013

Now, and spread it thin, so it does not kill the sod. Has all winter to disappear into the soil.

rrlund · Oct 25, 2013

I wouldn't worry about it killing sod. If it did that,I'd cover old seedings going to corn and kill it off so I didn't have to spray the next year. I covered a pasture two years ago so thick with matted long stem stuff where the round bale feeders had been the winter before that the field was entirely brown with heavy manure. By spring the only sign of it was a few big lumps here and there. The pasture came on like gang busters!

Bruce SEKs · Oct 25, 2013

Put mine on a month ago at close to 4 tons/acre.

Dave H (MI) · Oct 25, 2013

If you were in Kentucky that MIGHT not have gone so well. Our grass here goes dormant in a winter like the last one...full out hibernates. With a lot of moisture pushing the manure down grass around here would like to wake up to that in the Spring. Could be it might burn the sod a little down south if put on too thick.

rrlund · Oct 25, 2013

I'd think that chicken litter would burn it of anything would. Pretty had to kill the roots of grass,no matter what kind it is.

LAA · Oct 25, 2013

You won't burn southern sods with manure, just the opposite, the further south you go the warmer the average year round temperatures which means anaerobic activity in the soil rarely to never ceases, combine that with normally heavy winter rains and this action leaches nutrients from the soil much faster than it does in northern climates where everything pretty much goes dormant.

onefarmer · Oct 25, 2013

When we had cows we would spread on any open field. Corn stubble in the spring and fall. And during the summer we'd spread on the hay field after a cutting. This time of year would be no problem on sod.

Super Steve · Oct 25, 2013

we spread on hay ground through out the winter if the weather will let us. in the spring I run a set of chain harrows over the fields once it dries up enough, breaks the clods of manure up and spreads the straw around.

Hay hay hay · Oct 25, 2013

Here is a direct quote frm a state university concerning manure on hay fields

"7.Liquid manure is probably best on hay fields because there is less chance of smothering and producers are less likely to gather up remnants of the manure in the next hay harvest"

That is why we spread it thin.

Pair-a-dice farm · Oct 25, 2013

Litter out of a layer house might but I've put up to 5 tons to the acre of broiler litter on pasture. Some grasses might not like it but Bermuda grass loves it.

JMS/.MN · Oct 25, 2013

Liquid manure, on any field, should be knifed in. Otherwise, the N evaporates. There is equipment to knife into sod without destroying it, saving the N. When I had dairy, all pit manure was knifed in on corn/soy fields, and was usually the only fertilizer applied for the next crop. Sometimes a bit of starter with the planter, if a cold Spring.

Dave H (MI) · Oct 25, 2013

I have a guy keeps scattering manure on the edge of my hayfield. Kills it dead and it stays that way a long time. Poultry manure and he feels he is doing a good thing. I end up having to cut around it. Ticks me off but he is otherwise a great guy and keeps an eye on things for me.

Dick L · Oct 25, 2013

I spread in the winter and right after a cutting. I go out and mulch it down in the summer after spreading. I mulch it down in the spring before the hay gets much growth. Mulching keeps from feeding manure back with the hay.

Manure on Hay Field

Super-H-Mike

Member

Hay hay hay

Well-known Member

rrlund

Well-known Member

Bruce SEKs

Member

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member

rrlund

Well-known Member

LAA

Well-known Member

onefarmer

Well-known Member

Super Steve

Member

Hay hay hay

Well-known Member

Pair-a-dice farm

Well-known Member

JMS/.MN

Well-known Member

Dave H (MI)

Well-known Member

Dick L

Well-known Member

Similar threads