Inter-annual variations of feed value of intensively managed grasslands on loam soils

Abstract

Humus content determines soil fertility as well as affecting crop yield. As natural formation of humus is of great importance, but this is a long and slow process, therefore it could be improved by different agro measures, e.g. by applying different organic fertilizers, which contains humic materials. In this study it was assessed humic fertilizers Turbo Grass, which are originated from American leonardites and contains of 7.8% humic, 1.9% fulvic acids and 19.5% K. This fertilizer containing 9.7 % of organic acids was applied to improve feeding value of forage grass in dairy farms. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of different ratios of humic fertilizers (up to 32 l ha-1) on grass chemical composition, yield, metabolisable energy (ME), netto energy (NEL) and digestibility of intensively managed sowed pastures along with different mineral fertilization. Rates of humic and complex fertilizers had different effects on recorded parameters.