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Grass

N-xt Fertilizers has a complete fertilization strategy for growing forage. An important focus here is to dose the right minerals in the right place and continue to optimize the cooperation with the soil processes. The properties of the N-xt liquid fertilizers are unique in its kind; no salts, not leaching sensitive, plant absorbable and a stimulant for soil life.

Result: a controllable crop with efficient use of minerals, where an active soil biology with the nutrients from the soil and slurry form a perfect combination for a healthy and sustainable forage crop.

N-xt crop strategy grass

The N-xt crop strategy for grassland improves root development, crop structure and delivers better protein quality.
Natural resilience leads to higher quality forage and higher yields.

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Minerals
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Slurry
2
N-xt N24 S
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Slurry
4
N-xt Calcium
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Slurry
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N-xt N24 S or GrassExtra
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Slurry
Biology
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2
Ferti-Release
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4
Ferti-Release
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Ferti-Life
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2
Ferti-S (vlb)

Applications in grassland

The above strategy shows which minerals are crucial for a healthy grass crop for each cut per phase. The N-xt liquid fertilizers are perfectly suited for this purpose. The high efficiency saves a lot of nitrogen for the same kg of dry matter. Important is the unique cooperation of N-xt Fertilizers products and soil biology and thus the interaction with the given slurry. The additional additives such as Ferti-N and Ferti-Release also have an important contribution to this.

Download grass crop strategy (pdf)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which caps are best to use to spray N-xt fertilizer in grasslands and cereals?

The nozzles we recommend are a 6-hole or 7-hole nozzle. These come in various brands, the best known ones we have a lot of experience with are the Albuz 6-hole nozzle or the Teejet 7-hole nozzle. These give a nice spray pattern of jets and good distribution. We want a concentration of fertilizer (in a stream) but also a good distribution. Thus we create a long lasting effect of the fertilizer and avoid damage to the crop (from direct contact), the fertilizer will be much easier to reach the soil through the jet.

Example of the Albuz caps:

Example of the Teejet caps:

What is the best time to spray for the 2nd and 3rd cuts?

The best time to spray is after each cut, right after mowing. So when the grass has been removed from the field. After this the slurry can be applied after 1 or 2 days. If you spread the slurry first (which is no problem), we recommend waiting 5-7 days before applying the liquid N-xt fertilizer.

The reason; with a drag hose or sod injector we still damage the grass unnoticed, with both the machines and tire tracks. In general, the grass plant does not like the contact with fertilizer very much when it comes directly on such a fresh damage. It does not kill it, nor does it cause immediate yield loss, but to avoid this it is best to spray first and then apply slurry.

Which potash source is best for grassland

It is important to know how much potash is applied with the total amount of slurry per year. This first determines whether it is necessary for the crop to supplement it. We always advise; analyze your manure (preferably extensively, so that the trace elements are also known). With current legislation, the potash supply is getting tighter. Make a good soil analysis (HS-Albrecht Soil Analysis) so that there is insight into the status of potash in your soil.

After this, you will have a good understanding of how much potash your soil still needs to reach a good balance. The problem on many livestock farms is that the potassium level is generally too low, but too much is applied via manure at the wrong time. As a result, you may have enough for the crop that year, but there is no replenishment for the soil.

A good potash source is always tied to carbon, so solid manure and good compost are best for the soil. If you need a supplement in season for the crop; always use a sulfate form (Kali-50).

Can a foliar fertilizer work in grassland?

Definitely! We have done experience and research on the effect of the N-xt foliar fertilizer in grassland and it turns out that we can do with much less nitrogen per cut with the same yield and even better protein levels. However, the practical "problem" is the need to spray 2-3 times per cut. This is often a threshold in practice. In 2025 we restarted practical research because legislation is forcing us towards ever tighter nitrogen fertilization standards. So there are solutions, feel free to ask us about the details.

How long should I keep my cows out of the pasture after a spray?

In general we use a period of 5 to 7 days. Of course, this also depends on the circumstances; if it rains immediately after spraying, grazing can be resumed after 2-3 days, but if it is dry and sunny, wait a few extra days.

Home Crops Grass
1

Slurry

The most important mineral input in grass is the distribution of your slurry throughout the season. Our advice is always, be economical in the spring and combine it with a proper (other) nitrogen source (see point 2). After this, spread the remaining and residual slurry over the follow-up cuts. Also, always check in the spring that the plots are easy to cultivate and the soil temperature is at least above 8 degrees.

Did you know that:

  • Potassium can already be automatically absorbed by the plant with the first sap flows at 4 degrees soil temperature
  • Phosphate can only be absorbed by the plant at 8 degrees soil temperature
  • Nitrogen is only absorbed at 10-12 degrees soil temperature

The first green discoloration in grassland is therefore often a potassium effect! Spreading slurry too early only increases the risk (especially in a wet spring) of nitrogen leaching.

Our advice:

Give max. 20-22 m³ slurry for first cut and supplement this with 60-75 kg nitrogen from an N-xt fertilizer, then you are assured of the right total amount of nitrogen to grow a good 1st cut with sufficient dry matter and crude protein. AND important; you will avoid (too) high levels of potassium in the forage.

2

N-xt N24 S

With N-xt N24S (the standard N-xt formulation in grass), seasonal nitrogen requirements can be met with 2 to 3 sprays. Especially in the first cut, it is important to achieve optimal nitrogen uptake together with the slurry application (also read previous description of Slurry)

Calculation example:

If we want to harvest 4000 kg of dry matter with 150 grams of Crude Protein then the growth of the first cut should therefore yield 600 kg RE/ha. Assuming that 16% nitrogen is needed to produce a good protein gram, then 96 kg of nitrogen net should be taken up.
With a slurry application rate of 22 m³/ha, assuming 4% nitrogen, of which say 50% is active (counting low) at this early stage. Then we already have 44 kg of nitrogen. Add to this the effective action of the nitrogen from N-xt Fertilizers:

Recommendation N-xt N24S* for 1st cut:

250 ltr/ha N-xt N24S (= 305 kg/ha x 24%) = 73 kg nitrogen

This can be sprayed as soon as we can drive well over the field. Often the slurry is applied first, and in principle the N-xt N24S can be sprayed a week after the slurry. This complex compound will not leach out or volatilize. Practice shows that on average this fertilizer is sprayed in the month of March.

With this advice, we arrive at a total of about 117 kg of nitrogen (x85-90% effective action). This gives the right amount of absorbable nitrogen for a good quality first cut. CAUTION: too much nitrogen in the wrong form is just ballast for the soil, the start-up biology and the extra energy needed in the plant to properly convert it back into real protein!

Not for nothing do we see in practice with this advice a good yield with high quality protein. That's what we buy this extra nitrogen for and get our soils off to a good start!

*) There are many variations with extra trace elements possible, feel free to ask us about the possibilities

Ferti-Release

In the early stages of the season, this additive promotes soil biology and, in particular, contributes to the uptake of phosphate, potash and trace elements (from slurry and soil).

Advice:

Dose 0.5 ltr/ha of Ferti-Release.

This can be mixed in the sprayer while filling the N-xt N24S and sprayed as one application.

Ferti-S (vlb)

Although there is sulfur in the N-xt N24S that is easily absorbed by the grass, we see a large deficiency of this important mineral on many soils. Therefore, it may make sense to add additional sulfur to the initial nitrogen fertilization on grassland.

Ferti-S liquid is a biological product of elemental sulfur (S). The special feature of this is that it has many additional positive properties compared to Sulfate forms (which is what most other sulfur products consist of), read more on the product page.

Advice:

3-4 ltr/ha of Ferti-S liquid can be mixed in with the N-xt N24S

3

Slurry

The most important mineral input in grass is the distribution of slurry throughout the season. For the 2nd cut there is often still enough slurry available and here our advice is to apply 15-20 m³ (if possible).

This gives an extra 40-50 kg of active nitrogen for grass growth. The soil temperature has now risen and soil processes are in full swing. With a little extra nitrogen from fertilizer (see point 4) plus the after-effects of the slurry from the first cut, this is enough to also produce enough kilograms of dry matter with a good protein content in the second cut.

4

N-xt Calcium

Calcium plays a key role in the plant's absorption of all other minerals. This actually makes it an indispensable element for any crop. As discussed earlier for granular fertilizers (point 1), the availability of calcium in the soil is closely related to the ratio to other elements such as magnesium, as well as to the form in which calcium is present (e.g., shells, lime, etc.).

In addition to its function as a "locomotive" for mineral absorption, calcium in the potato plant itself is also important for skin quality, proper starch distribution and overall crop resilience. Especially with potatoes, it is therefore valuable to administer a small, directly absorbable amount of calcium at an early stage. Especially when the natural availability in the soil is (still) insufficient.

N-xt Calcium is ideally suited for this purpose: it contains the right balance of calcium and boron (optionally supplemented with silicon), and is directly available to the plant thanks to the unique complexation technique. Because the nutrients are in a stable compound, they do not react undesirably with other elements in the soil.

Absorption in potatoes takes place in the upper, active root zone. Therefore, we recommend application with a 7-hole cap just before tilling.

Recommendation:

250-350 liters/ha of N-xt Calcium (N9 Ca B).
Standard dosage is 250 liters/ha, good for about 30 kg of urea nitrogen. For slightly higher nitrogen requirements, the dosage can be increased to 350 liters/ha. Several seed potato growers have achieved excellent results with this approach, often with only one application.

Ferti-Release

In the early stages of the season, this addition promotes soil biology and in particular contributes to the uptake of phosphate, potash and trace elements (from the soil and possibly slurry).

Advice:

Dose 0.5 ltr/ha of Ferti-Release.

This can be mixed into the sprayer during filling of N-xt Calcium and sprayed as one application.

Read more on the product page Ferti-Release

5

Slurry

The most important mineral allocation in grass is the distribution of slurry throughout the season. Our advice is always, be economical in the spring and spread the remaining slurry over remaining cuts. Especially in the 2nd and 3rd cuts, combine this still with an additional nitrogen fertilizer to achieve good yield and quality.

6

N-xt N24 S or GrassExtra

Fertilization 3rd cut

For the 3rd cut, just like the 2nd cut, a small additional gift of N-xt N24S is recommended. This can be sprayed immediately after mowing (when grass has been removed from the field) or 4-5 days after spreading slurry.

Recommendation N-xt N24S*:

150 ltr/ha N-xt N24S (= 180 kg/ha x 24%) = 43 kg nitrogen

In addition to the N-xt N24S, a complex formulation with high efficiency and absorbability, N-xt Fertilizers also has a 'cheaper' variant in its range, the GrassExtra22S. This is a simpler formulation of urea and sulfur, which, while more effective than KAS, will work faster than the N-xt N24S. As a result, there is slightly less crop monitoring to determine mineral uptake.

Advice GrassExtra22S:

170 ltr/ha GrassExtra22S (= 200 kg/ha x 22%) = 43 kg nitrogen

Of course the total legal nitrogen space on your farm determines whether the mentioned amounts per hectare can still be applied here. As a matter of course, you should then adjust this accordingly.

*) There are many variations with extra trace elements possible, feel free to ask us about the possibilities.

7

Slurry

The most important mineral allocation in grass is the distribution of slurry throughout the season. Our advice is always, be economical in the spring and spread the remaining slurry over remaining cuts. Especially in the 2nd and 3rd cuts, combine this still with an additional nitrogen fertilizer to achieve good yield and quality.

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Ferti-Life

An active soil biology also throughout the fall is very important. At this stage, grass cutting stops but the activity of your soil does not. Old crop and root residues are broken down, converted and stored in the soil (humification). After which, during the winter period, the soil structure can improve due to (continued) fungal activity with Ferti-Life.

Advice:

Spray 25 ltr/ha Ferti-Life with the field sprayer over the grassland.

Ferti-Life creates the condition and right circumstances for fungal growth, a highly underestimated soil process that prepares your soil again for a good start of the next season.

Did you know:

Soil life is always the first "to the table" in spring! So be aware of How we treat our soils in winter (but also in early spring). make sure that soil life can survive well in winter so that laid down minerals can mineralize nicely again in spring.

1
Slurry
2
N-xt N24 S
3
Slurry
4
N-xt Calcium
5
Slurry
6
N-xt N24 S or GrassExtra
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Slurry
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