How long must I wait before putting cattle out in a field after fertilizing it with pasture swart?

GerryCarry

Take a situation of damp weather with the odd shower here and there.

Some people say you can put cattle straight out in the field after putting out pasture swart, others say you must wait three weeks.

Which one is it?

I'm worried my cattle might get sick if I put them out in a field with pasture swart too soon.

Wildsurfer

I'm triggered by your overuse of 'swart' on multiple threads Gerry.

GerryCarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120344110#Comment_120344110

My bad.

But i'm not the only one. Some guy on here said it too:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055885039/fertiliser-on-silage-ground

Ok. Pasture Sward so from now on 😃

Wildsurfer

Thanks Gerry, I appreciate it.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058287815/how-long-must-i-wait-before-putting-cattle-out-in-a-field-after-fertilizing-it-with-pasture-swart

Don’t let it hit them in the eyes and they’ll be fine!

GerryCarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120346301#Comment_120346301

Ok. So two weeks would be ok? Maybe even one week if I got stuck?

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349030#Comment_120349030

You can spread it when they’re in the field and it won’t matter to them.

You seem very anxious about this fertiliser, what rate are you putting it out at if you don’t mind me asking?

GerryCarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349046#Comment_120349046

1 bag per acre.

Does that sound about right?

I wont be cutting silage off the field. Its just for dry cattle to graze on.

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120349378#Comment_120349378

I don’t intend to sound condescending but my thinking is 1 bag per acre sounds like a waste of time, money and energy.

You’d be better off not to bother with any fertiliser and try get into an organic scheme.

Expecting grass to grow for a whole year on 20ish units of nitrogen is fantasy land I’m afraid Gerry. The P and K the field will get from 1 bag is not worth talking about so would you not put out a bag of urea instead and at least you’ll have grass to graze after it?

GerryCarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120350635#Comment_120350635

Thanks for the info.

How many bags of pasture sward do you think should be put out per acre so?

I usually get cattle in early March and sell them in early November. So those are the months I need grazing grass for. There is nothing in the fields for the winter.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120350635#Comment_120350635

Ah give him a chance. You don’t know how acres or number of cattle he has or rhr type of land. It’s a summer grazing set up and one bag would be the best thing to go with and he can always go with a bag later when the price of fertiliser falls

DBK1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351050#Comment_120351050

Regardless of what the set up is 1 bag of pasture sward won’t do much, that’s why I recommended a bag of Urea instead, there’ll be double the nitrogen for the same price.

@GerryCarry if that land has been idle since November then there should be enough grass on it now for the first grazing. I’d recommend to get that grazed before spreading any fert if you’re only going with a minimal amount. Grass left growing over the winter will become dormant at this time of year. If you graze it then it’ll kick it into life again and it’ll be trying to grow so that would be a better time to target your fert application.

As Dunedin has referenced, hopefully fert should fall well on price as the year goes on and you could give it some pasture sward then.

Anto_Meath

For grazing ground I would always only put out a bag to the acre at this time of year, usually 18-6-12 and then come along in July and put out another bag, I find that works best for me. I hate having to top a heavy sward of grass off a field in June. Just a quick run around to take off the thistles and then out with another bag of 18-6-12 of similar, I find it best to give me late grass on into October for the stores.

Would have no problem in spreading pasture sward or 18-6-12 and stock on the field, I have often done it and never had an issue.

GerryCarry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352134#Comment_120352134

Thanks for that info. It seems alot of people have no problem spreading pasture sward or 18-6-12 in a field with cattle on it.

Personally I don't top my fields at all. I leave the cattle eat it well down, then move them to the next field. By the time that field is eaten down, the first field is available again with good grass for them to eat. No topping. Its great. I spray the field once every five years and it keeps the weeds down.