The Rural Voice, 2003-08, Page 51MARQUARDT
FARM DRAINAGE LTD.
(ESTABLISHED 1968)
SPECIALIZING IN:
• Farm Drainage
• Municipal Drainage
• Backhoe Work
• Excavator Work
• Dozer Work
• Erosion Control
WE OFFER:
• FREE ESTIMATES
IN Personal evaluation of your project
• Detailed plans and design work
• State-of-the-art equipment
IN Qualified and experienced personnel
• Guaranteed workmanship & customer service
For that personal touch, pride in workmanship,
experience and FREE ESTIMATES call
MARQUARDT
FARM DRAINAGE LTD.
(ESTABLISHED 1968)
R.R. #3, Palmerston, Ontario
1-888-534-0393
OFFICE 343-3233 HOME 338-2373
STEVE CRONSBERRY (Owner)
LUCKFNOW
GRAIN
BUGGIES
• 2 models - 400 and
600 bu.
• Hydraulically operated
from the tractor
• Unloading capacity
400 bu. in 3 minutes
LUCKNOW MIXER
WAGONS
Stationary, trailer or truck mounted
• All mixer wagons use a
4 auger design for even mix
HELM WELDING LTD.
QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP BUILT "RIGHT HERE IN ONTARIO"
Lucknow, Ont.
(519) 529-7627
48 THE RURAL VOICE
Advice
Tips on fertility
and forages
By Keith Reid, OMAF
Soil Fertility Specialist, Stratford
There is no other crop with such a
wide range of management as
forages.
Some farmers apply high rates of
fertilizer to push for maximum
yields. Many others treat forages as
the "poor sibling" in the rotation,
making do on whatever fertility is
left over from the other crops. There
is no doubt the quickest way to
improve the profitability of any farm
is to manage forages as a crop, rather
than as a filler.
Nitrogen
By far the most economical
source of nitrogen for forages is the
legume portion of the stand. If the
stand includes more than 50 per cent
of any legume there is no advantage
to adding nitrogen fertilizer.
In pure grass stands, the opposite
is true. A vigorous stand of forage
grass will respond to large amounts
of nitrogen. The limiting factors
become the amount of rainfall and
the risk of high nitrates in the forage,
rather than the yield response.
The management of mixed stands
of grass and legume is trickier. These
stands will respond to nitrogen
fertilizer, but applying nitrogen will
allow the grasses to out -compete the
legumes, which will lead to greater
nitrogen requirements the next year.
The choice to apply nitrogen will
depend on the long-term plans for the
stand. If the field is going to be
rotated to another crop within a year
or two, it will be beneficial to
fertilize for the higher immediate
yield. On the other hand, if the goal
is to maintain the stand as a long-
term pasture it might be better to
sacrifice some yield in the short term
to concentrate on rejuvenating the
legume portion of the stand.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is critical to the
vigour and longevity of a forage
stand. The ideal time to apply
phosphorus is in a band below the
seed at planting, at a rate high
enough to supply the entire life of the
stand. Very few fields receive this
Continued on page 49