It also reduces stress in the cattle and is environmentally sound. When deciding what nitrogen fertilizer to use on your fields there are two distinct choices. Extension soil specialist Jim Gerwing says there are advantages and disadvantages in using urea and anhydrous ammonia. Price, the conditions of the soil and timing are all factors in choosing the right nitrogen fertilizer for your fields. Currently, urea is the most common in South Dakota.
Application is fast and easy, and there is no waiting time before seeding.
The biggest advantage to using urea is the speed in getting the nitrogen out there. When we have wet conditions and want to plant quickly you can do a lot of acres quickly. One disadvantage of using urea is that if you can't incorporate it into your field within the next day or two after it has been applied, you'll lose it to the volatilization process. The biggest problem we have with urea is volatilization losses. If it doesn't rain for 2 weeks or so.