Where can I find a good source of organic fertilizer for feed

[efhmc]

crops? I lease out the ranch and allow no nonorganic materials. The cow/calf operator wants a source of organic fertilizer for the fields. Any ideas?

[rateyes]

1. The cow/calf operator wants to know this?

Isn't cow manure organic fertilizer?

[efhmc]

2. Manure that has not been ripened/composted will burn up

tender vegetation, plus cattle will eat/trample it. The sudan is harvested in the fall for winter feed. The lessee has been using these fields for a while and does allow the cattle in after cutting. A legume planted in the fall might at least help the nitrogen levels. However, I told him I would research this and have called the local feed store and looked on line without much feedback. So I came here where I can count on getting good info.

[rateyes]

3. Gotcha. nt

[galledgoblin]

19. what about other manures?

or do they all have the same issues?

[izquierdista]

4. Local sewage treatment plant?

Is there a sewage treatment plant nearby that you could visit? Maybe their dewatered sludge is acceptable for your use? Depending on its chemical analysis, that might be possible.

[efhmc]

5. Good thought but it would involve a lot of transporting and we

are not close to any large areas. Also I have concerns about lead or other heavy metals levels and unless we test it ourselves, we would not have this information. I was hoping for a product that we could just order from the feed store. I know that some people use ground cotton seed, but it is gummy and hard to spread and also unknown often as to source.

[wildgarden]

7. depends on your location

We use a combination of leguminous cover crops and order truckloads of composted manure from a local organic chicken ranch. Maybe your farmer can begin a program of composting his own cattle manure as a long term solution?

[efhmc]

9. This "farmer" is a rancher and his cattle are spread out over

7k acres so I do not think that is going to happen. Although I like the self sustained idea and wish we could apply it.

[kestrel91316]

8. Sewage sludge is not allowed on organic crops per federal rules.

Due to the heavy metal contaminants usually found in it. Otherwise it would be a good thing (after composting).

The best thing to do with the pasture is use it for intensive rotational grazing, rather than cutting hay from it. The stock directly fertilizes it, which is energy-efficient and makes the most common sense.

[efhmc]

11. The problem here is that the ranch is separted into crop land and

range land. Also, I am slowly working with this man to make changes. I was delighted that he wanted me to research organic fertilizer at all. He has been using the fields to grow hay crops, cutting and baling it for winter feed, allowing the cattle on it after cutting and then leaving it until late March or so and plowing under and reseeding. We have about 450 acres of cropland which is never all planted. I planted native grasses on part at a tremendous cost. We had a drought and got no production.

[kestrel91316]

13. Well, rock phosphate is a good P source. For nitrogen you'll

need some sort of composted organic matter. For K, I think greensand?

But seriously, if the crops on it are going to feed livestock, it makes a lot more sense economically and environmentally to just graze the cattle and let THEM do the fertilizing.

[efhmc]

15. What fertilizing that has been done has been the cattle after cutting.

[kestrel91316]

16. I see you're in TX, not sure where, or what your soils are like there,

or moisture levels.........in areas with sour (acidic) soils I know they try to correct it by spreading lime, but if you're typical southwest, it's dry and alkaline and that won't work.

[efhmc]

17. It is rocky and the rain fall is about 24 inches per year.

It is very alkaline and we do not have deep soils.

[kestrel91316]

18. Alfalfa, my friend. Or better yet a diverse mixed pasture blend.

Alfalfa is from the Middle East, and puts down really long tap roots to get at any moisture, and that's how it brings nutrients up from the depths. But you probably already knew that, lol.

[newfie11]

20. I am curious what type of hay he is growing

I have never heard of plowing under a 1 year old hay field. Once establish most people get at least several years of cuttings if not more.

[drthais]

6. pelletized chicken manure

thats what we use.
you can purchase it by the ton
and haul it yourself

look for a source
you don't say where in the country you are
we're in Louisiana
and go to Mississipi for it...
matter of fact...going Monday!

[kestrel91316]

10. How about intensive rotational grazing a la Joel Salatin/Polyface?

http://www.polyfacefarms.com/
He was profiled in The Omnivore's Dilemma.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Managed intensive grazing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managed_intensive_grazing
Management Intensive Grazing (MIG,) is the practice of using rotational grazing and careful, usually daily, management to get optimal production. The technique is applied with herds of sheep, cattle, and occasionally other animals. The term "MIG" or "MiG" was popularized by writers and graziers Jim Gerrish and Allan Nation.

One hallmark of MIG systems is rotational grazing, that is, the practice of dividing up available pasture into multiple smaller areas, called paddocks, and then moving the animals from one paddock to the next after a number of days. However, in some instances continuous grazing is an accepted strategy under MIG.

The grazier manages the grazing by determining the number, size, and layout of the paddocks, when to move animals from one paddock to the next, and when to cut hay or provide supplemental feed. Also, the grazier can choose to add or remove animals from the herd to match the herd size to the available pasture.

The decisions are based on estimates of the amount of forage in each paddock, soil conditions, present and forecast weather conditions, season of the year, and condition of the animals. Some MIG operations make objective measurements of forage condition using devices that measure the height of the sward. Others rely more upon personal observation and assessment.

One of the key concepts in MIG is the grazing wedge, which is the range of sward heights where the forage grows most rapidly.

The monthly magazine The Stockman Grass Farmer is a leading forum of MIG ideas. Graze is a primary source of information on dairy grazing and grazing in the northern U.
(MORE)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.pats.wisc.edu/widgrazin.htm

This article covers MIRG in WI dairy farming, but there's absolutely no reason why it can't be used for a cow-calf operation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's The Stockman Grass Farmer, the definitive publication on MIRG:
http://www.stockmangrassfarmer.net/index.html

[efhmc]

12. I am very familiar with this method and we do do rotational

grazing but not of this intense type. I would have to completely change a lovely Texas 4th generation rancher to achieve this, do lots of fencing I don't have the money for and probably lose a great lessee. Baby steps. It has taken about 6 years to get to this point.

[kestrel91316]

14. Good. I bet he'll eventually come around. It will simply get too

expensive to farm any other way........

[newfie11]

21. Have you tried using high tensile fencing. It is pretty cheap

We run cattle in corn fields around here with just one strand of hot wire.

[hippywife]

22. I was going to suggest

Salatin's methods, too. I don't have cattle or acreage like that but I've read how he manages his place and it's really a thing of beauty!

Maybe he will let you do it on a portion of the land with just a portion of the cattle. Then when he sees the results...you'll have him hooked!

[galledgoblin]

23. related discussion in LBN- "The Hot New Trend: Manure"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3316192

[gaziger]

24. Sources for organic fertilizer

Hi,

I am an organic fertilizer manufacturer, with our product being composed of pelletized chicken litter fertilizer. What part of the country are you in? Once I know I can possibly direct you to a source.

Gaziger
plusMinerals.com