Big Hay Increase Using Monty's

New Technology Secures Praise, Bottom Line for Southern Hay Producers

Southern producers have long known the value of good quality hay in producing better beef. However, erratic rainfall, high heat, and the high cost of producing those forages have made that goal a persistent challenge. George Tutchings, Henderson, TX hay producer, knows that all to well. He has spent years trying to balance results with a tight bottom line. Recently Tutchings watched in amazement as he challenged standard farming practices and experienced one of his best crops ever. Tutchings competed in the Rusk County Hay Show where he says he went up against 74 other farmers and finished “way above the average.”

Tutchings generally spends $10-12,000 annually on fertilizer and his per bale input costs range from $29-38. He is expecting costs to balloon in the future as forecasts are calling for Anhydrous to near $300 per ton. This year, though, he cut his input costs by 2/3rds following the Monty’s Liquid Fertilizer program and saw his input costs fall to $23 per roll. He concluded by saying, “I’m satisfied, very satisfied. Usually I can’t even break even on grass hay, but this year, with Monty’s I’m ahead of the game.” Increasing his satisfaction was the hay analysis provided by Stephen F. Austin State University. According to Tutchings, “What I look for is TDN numbers, too much emphasis is put on protein these days, but cows just can’t utilize all of that. If I can keep my protein in the high single digits I can produce a cow with a good body condition.”

In Alabama, Terry Templin saw more 4’x5’ rolls come off of his farm than ever before. Templin tank mixed

2-4D with Monty’s Liquid Fertilizer. With one 24 oz. application of Monty’s, Templin grazed 31 cows and 15 calves for 2 months, pulled 57 round bales off the 2nd week of July and 17 round bales and 650 square bales during a second cutting in September. All of this production came from just 23 acres of Max-Q fescue, an improvement of 19 round bales. Templin says “I’m happy as a lark.”

Not only did he see his hay volume increase, but his feed quality increased as well. In April, he put 31 cows (15 with calves) out on pasture. The average body score at weaning was a 2-3, by the end of May every one of his cows was a solid 5. When Templin, the St. Claire County Cattlemen’s Association President, sold his cattle at auction this spring, they brought a $1,200 per pair average. Templin was told by the stockyard owner that was the highest price ever received for cattle through that sale barn. Additionally, Templin eliminated his normal applications of 300# of ammonia nitrate and 250# of triple-17. According to his numbers, that is $1,472 straight back to his bottom line. Templin says he is only going to change one thing about his program next year. “I’m gonna make all of the applications my dealer suggested, instead of just one. This stuff is amazing.”

The ‘stuff’ he is referring to the latest in an avalanche of technological breakthroughs for growers. Monty’s Liquid Fertilizer is the first to combine all of the best advances. Monty’s utilizes foliar feeding and HUMIC technology. While both areas had ample research proving their validity, no one had ever combined the two. The one-two punch of amending the plants rather than the soils and adding Humics to the plant profile has sped the rate of absorption, utilization, and prevented burning of tender plant tissues. While several companies have tried in the past to incorporate humic molecules into their formulations, no one had been able to do so in a manner that it would be affordable for farmers to use in the field. By utilizing a unique manufacturing process, farmers can now afford to fertilize pasture land.

With the incorporation of Monty’s in their production, Southern producers have noticed lowered use of traditional fertilizer, less leaching of needed nutrients, less run off, improved soil condition, and production equal or greater than traditional practices. This may be just what producers have been looking for: a product that will improve farm profit without sacrificing yield or quality.