There are multiple ways grasses fit into a dairy system from field to bunk, whether seeking overseeding options, more resilience when applying manure, or more biodiversity in in-field ecosystems.
Alfalfa stand quality can (and should!) be evaluated in both spring and fall. Fall evaluations have the advantage of giving us more time to make management decisions for the following growing season, such as fertilizer application, spring herbicide strategies, and crop sequencing. Learn what to look for in this article.
The fourth Focus on Forage webinar in the 2025 series, Focus on the Alfalfa Toolbox, features research-based tools and resources for Wisconsin forage growers.
The first Focus on Forage webinar in the 2025 series, Focus on Alfalfa Companions, features research-based alfalfa establishment resources and new management strategies to keep stands productive over time.
In the September 25, 2024 Badger Crop Connect webinar, Monica Schauer, the UW NOPP Research Director, discussed an ongoing grant program that funds Wisconsin farmers to do on-farm nitrogen application rate research.
Published: Sept. 20, 2024 Cutting alfalfa when the weather is good can be tempting, but late fall cuttings could be damaging to long term alfalfa productivity and stand persistence. Why it might be bad to cut now As a perennial crop, one must manage alfalfa with not just this year but the next year in […]
From various research efforts into the physiology of alfalfa winter survival, it appears that many of these root reserve compounds are positively linked to winter survival, so preserving them can aid our alfalfa stand in surviving winter and thriving the following spring. Manipulating the time of fall cutting allows us to control the stores of these compounds to give the best chance at winter survival of our alfalfa stands.
The August 14 Badger Crop Connect webinar featured Scott Newell, alfalfa outreach specialist with the UW–Madison Division of Extension. This year (2024) has been very challenging to manage alfalfa with rain throwing many cutting schedules off the rails, leaving producers with lower quality forage than expected and trying to catch up with higher quality harvests. Scott Newell discusses the potential implications of this and the importance of managing for persistence in alfalfa to maximize overall productivity.
As we head toward the end of summer, we are closing in on time for a late summer alfalfa establishment. Commonly in Wisconsin, this is done following a wheat crop in the spring. This can lead to a few challenges to consider: residual herbicide carryover and the effects of volunteer wheat on successful establishment.
True armyworms (Mythimna unipuncta) are a species of moth that lays their eggs in lush, green grasses. They mainly affect corn and wheat production. Pastures and grassy hay fields can also be at risk of damage.
Alfalfa is a valuable forage crop in Wisconsin that supports dairy and livestock production. Alfalfa can be threatened by the alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica), an early-season pest that feeds on alfalfa leaves and may severely damage first-crop and second-crop alfalfa fields.
Pricing standing alfalfa requires an open conversation between buyer and seller, with both parties understanding the inherent value of the forage as well as the cost and risks of harvesting.
