Success StoryLegumes in Forage Stands can help Reduce Fertilizer Costs



Legumes in Forage Stands can help Reduce Fertilizer Costs

Author: David Embrey

Planning Unit: Edmonson County CES

Major Program: Forages

Plan of Work: Forages

Outcome: Initial Outcome

The main staple of a ruminant animal’s diet is forages. In Edmonson County, the approximately 18,000 domestic ruminant animals owned by individuals get their forages from roughly 55,000 acres that are also grazed by wild ruminant animals. Ruminant animal owners must use some land for grazing and some for making hay for the winter months. Close, continuous grazing depletes stand, as does cutting too low in hayfields, leading to the need for completely re-seeding or renovating forage stands. With the exponential rise in the cost of fertilizer and continual rise of other input costs, many producers have been concerned with maintaining their forage stand to supply their animal’s needs. The Edmonson County Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent has several programs geared toward helping producers understand how to renovate, re-seed, properly fertilize, and maintain forage stands. The program titled “Pasture & Hayfield Renovation and Maintenance” has been of particular benefit to producers the past year. Many producers utilize grass only hay and pasture fields, which requires a Nitrogen (N) source. The cost of N fertilizer has soared to historic highs driving many to cut back on its use on forage crops. When presented with the fact that adding a legume, which is able to fix N from the atmosphere, to a forage stand can save producers as much as $180 per acre in fertilizer costs, 100% of attendees of the program indicated that they would seriously consider adding a legume to their forage stands and over 50% of them indicated that they definitely planned to add a legume.






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