Are you ready for hay season?

1st cutting alfalfa is underway.  Where I live in Northeast Iowa, the farmers have been working at it since Memorial Day.  I thought this would be a good time to review alfalfa's nutrient needs.

In general, alfalfa removes 12.5# Phosphorus (P), 40-50# Potassium (K), 30# Calcium (Ca), 6# Magnesium (Mg), 6# Sulfur (S) and 0.08# Boron (B) per ton of dry matter yield. Plants may remove higher amounts of these nutrients if soil test levels are in the High (H) or Very High (VH) levels.  This is known as luxury consumption.

Growing 5 Ton hay?  Then your crop will remove 62.5# P, 250# K, 150# Ca, 30# Mg, 30# S, 0.4# B.  With today's fertilizer prices, many growers are making sure that all nutrients are at optimum levels.  Sulfur deficiency is being diagnosed much more often than previous years. 

Where does SuperCal SO4 fit in?  With 22% Ca and 17% sulfate sulfur, it helps build and maintain plant structure, while also providing sulfur for use in protein synthesis.  I typically recommend 200# per acre annually.  This will provide 44# Ca and 34# S.  If you are experiencing problems with too much K in your forage, then increasing the amount of calcium available will help.  This has been a recurring problem with dairy cows in many operations.

SuperCal SO4, the right fit, right now.