I had some dry AMS left over in a cart from another project last September so I spread it on some pasture near my grazing corn last fall.  I don't usually fertilize my pastures, I like to rely on the dragged manure and interseeded red clover and that system has been working well.

However I am very surprised at how the small area where I spread the AMS last fall is so far ahead of the rest of my pastures this spring.  This year has been strange anyway since I don't usually start any rotational grazing until the first week in May here in WI.

The cow/heifer/calf group has been cleaning up the grazing corn now that the steers are gone. They have found about every last kernal of corn and been picking at the huusks etc.  The stalks on this variety have stood well but must be like eating wire rope to cows so they have not eaten many of the remaining stalks, especially now that there is so much green just on the other side of the wire.

I opened up some of the AMS fertilized small patch this morning and was amazed to see just how much growth was there. Even the clover appeared to be way ahead of the non AMS pastures.

It was also surprising to see a couple of the 2-3 week old calves out grazing especially the clover and early dandelions. I didn't think calves really started grazing until 30-45 days old.

Here are some pictures from this morning before the icy cold rain started falling. I may use some fall AMS intentionally from now on to increase early production on some nearby pasture first used in the spring. Maybe it was the S as much as the N that gives this early growth?

Jim at Dawn

(IMG_0432_even calves grazing fall AMS pasture 041912.JPG)

(IMG_0440_grazing early pasture w fall AMS 041912.JPG)

(IMG_0443_grazing early pasture w fall AMS 041912.JPG)

(IMG_0429_across wire before opening up AMS area 041912.jpg)

IMG_0432_even calves grazing fall AMS pasture 041912.JPG (81KB - 124 downloads)

IMG_0440_grazing early pasture w fall AMS 041912.JPG (86KB - 124 downloads)

IMG_0443_grazing early pasture w fall AMS 041912.JPG (72KB - 127 downloads)

IMG_0429_across wire before opening up AMS area 041912.jpg (81KB - 126 downloads)