Two Birds One Stone: Kick start a winter feed wedge.

Lee Menhenett – IPF Technical Agronomist

Adequate soil nutrition is key to dry matter growth. It’s not too late to give your pasture the nutrients it needs to produce a good winter feed wedge.

Most pasture regions are enjoying a terrific autumn break with good soil moisture. Sustaining and extending this growth will be critical for filling winter gaps. 

For farmers who missed their fertiliser application this autumn, or need a capital application of P there is still an opportunity to secure an excellent fit for purpose pasture fertiliser – a blended    Granulock® SS/Urea (+/- Gran Am) product. 

Typically, for legume based pastures, Single Super Phosphate (SuPerfect®) is applied in the autumn to drive pasture production by supplying a balanced nutritional package of phosphorus and sulphur.   Once base phosphorus, sulphur and potassium nutrients are applied, attention then turns to nitrogen to stimulate additional dry matter production leading into winter.

Adequate soil nutrition improves water use efficiency, allowing more pasture dry matter growth per millimetre of moisture.    Adequate nutrition also supports improved grass and legume species and builds more robust pasture systems.

Missing phosphorus applications can risk decreasing fertility.  As soil fertility decreases production falls, coupled with loss of quality due to improved pasture species dropping out and weeds entering the sward.

Feed deficits in winter can be minimised by boosting autumn pasture growth, with nitrogen extending a pasture’s dry matter response.

These high analysis products, offer value in a single pass by supplying a combination of base nutrients and topdress N application. 

Product	Blend number	N%	P%	S%
Granulock SS		10.0	17.5	12.0
Granulock SS/Urea	CB90111	28.0	8.8	6.0
Granulock SS/Urea/Gran Am	CB90247	21.6	8.8	12.0

Granulock SS is a high quality, MAP based fertiliser with all nutrients contained within each granule.  The sulphur nutrient component boasts both immediately available sulphate sulphur (4%) and ultra fine elemental sulphur (8%) which provides plant availability over the growing season.

Granulock SS blended with Urea (CB90111) provides the benefit of both a base P and S application as well as nitrogen to stimulate

additional pasture growth. This one pass product applied at rates of 100-180kg/ha is ideal for mid to late autumn applications.

Where additional sulphur is warranted Granulock SS/Urea/Gran Am (CB90247) blend is a great option applied at rates of 120 – 230kg/ha.

These high analysis products, offer value in a single pass by supplying a combination of base nutrients and top-dress N application.